<p><a href="http://i27.tinypic.com/1111oo8.jpg%5B/url%5D">http://i27.tinypic.com/1111oo8.jpg</a></p>
<p>Why is the answer "sardonic" and not "baffled"?</p>
<p>The author is mocking these people by rhetorically expressing what is to him a “mystery” (it is not really a mystery to him). He is not actually baffled; he seems to know that psychics do not exist and tries to reinforce this belief by mocking the subject: “If psychics do exist, then why don’t they become wealthy investors?” The implied answer is that they don’t exist. If the narrator were actually baffled he would be unable to say whether psychics don’t exist for the question would’ve stumped him. But it’s rhetorical.</p>
<p>The author is not truely baffled. He is saying the last sentence sarcastically.</p>
<p>Lol, sardonic was a tone word we needed to know for AP Language =]</p>
<p>Just think about it for a second. Do you think the narrator is actually baffled at the fact that the fortune tellers work on the phone instead of getting rich? It’s clear he believes that they’re fakes, which makes his statement sarcastic (sardonic)</p>
<p>btw, you’ve just inspired me to start studying CR again…</p>
<p>Thanks everyone!
And Chicago I am glad to have inspired you heh :)</p>