Answer:
In Alan E. Nourse's story "Gold in the Sky", he intentionally sets a tone of tension and conflict so that the audience can experience how the main character Greg is feeling.
First off, he starts off with describing how uncomfortable Greg is physically. He writes, "Greg twisted around in the cockpit that had been built just big enough to hold him, and shifted his long legs against the brace-webbing, trying to get them comfortable." This sentence helps the reader to envision the situation Greg is in and put themselves in his shoes. He has to do an important mission, but being cramped just makes his nerves worse.
Next, Nourse writes about Greg's inner thoughts. He states, "He knew he was afraid ... but nobody else knew that, not even the captain waiting at the control board on the satellite, and in spite of the fear Greg Hunter would not have traded places at this moment with anyone else in the universe." Greg is afraid of failing, and the fact that he can't share his feelings with anyone makes the reader feel tension.
Lastly, Greg begins to think about his brother. There is obviously some tension within their relationship, or at least that is how Greg sees it. The author writes, "Tom could never have qualified for a job like this... Greg felt a surge of pity for his brother, and then a twinge of malicious anticipation. Wait until Tom heard the reports on this run! It was all right to spend your time poking around with bottles and test tubes if you couldn't do anything else, but it took something special to pilot an XP ship for Project Star-Jump. And after this run was over, even Tom would have to admit it...." Greg wants to prove to his brother that he is better than him, and although it is a dangerous job, he's willing to do it to prove to his brother that he is better. This adds conflict between Greg and his brother, and sets a tone of urgency and the need for Greg to succeed.
In conclusion, the author Alan E. Nourse sets up tones of tension and conflict in his story by describing the situation Greg is in, showing his inner thoughts, and introducing how Greg feels he has to be better than his brother.
Explanation:
