Excerpt from battling cancer: one woman's journey tracy wilson battling cancer: one woman's journey by: tracy wilson julianne had never given much thought to cancer before one dismal monday morning last april. the dawn clouds were gray and heavy, and it looked as though it might rain at any second as julianne meandered to the mailbox at the end of the lawn. as she opened the box, the rusty hinge made a screech much like someone scraping fingernails across a blackboard. the news julianne received in a postcard that day was much more unnerving. it was simply stated: ‘miss taylor, call our office to schedule a follow-up appointment as soon as possible. tests from your annual physical examination have revealed an abnormality.’ the author of the passage most likely uses the word dismal in the first sentence a) to give the weather report for the day. b) to show how the author feels about cancer. c) to create emotions in the reader. d) to describe julianne's recent doctor visit.