Based on the author's word choices in paragraph 1, which word best describes the author’s tone?

(A) critical
(B) optimistic
(C) annoyed
(D) neutral

Read the passage.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch

There’s been talk that there is a giant pile of trash floating out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. According to some reports, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is supposedly twice the size of the state of Texas. This has led many people to envision a humongous pile, both in height and breadth. However, this is a gross exaggeration. True, there is trash floating around in the Pacific, but it’s quite different from what has been portrayed in the media. Nonetheless, there is still cause for concern.

In an area of the northern Pacific Ocean where the northern jet stream and the southern trade winds create a high-pressure zone, the winds circulate in opposite directions. These winds create an area of 7.7 million square miles of circling water called the North Pacific Gyre, which covers most of the northern Pacific Ocean. In the middle of the gyre are pieces of plastic garbage. This garbage isn’t a huge pile of floating pieces of trash, peoples tossed-away coolers, broken pieces of furniture, or boat seat cushions. It’s more insidious than that.