The author’s tone towards the end of the passage can be best described as pessimistic.  hopeful.  indignant.  expectant.

To determine the author's tone towards the end of the passage, we can analyze the context and emotional language used.

1. Understanding Tone: The tone of a piece of writing reflects the author's attitude toward the subject or audience. It can be described as pessimistic (negative outlook), hopeful (positive outlook), indignant (angry or annoyed), or expectant (anticipating some outcome).

2. Analyzing the Passage: By examining the specific language, word choice, and phraseology employed by the author towards the conclusion, we can gather clues regarding their emotional stance.

3. Key Indicators: Look for phrases that suggest despair, optimism, anger, or anticipation. Words like "failure" or "disappointment" might indicate pessimism, while "potential" or "possibility" can suggest hope.

Based on these considerations, if the passage concludes with a sense of despair or a negative outlook, the tone would be considered pessimistic. If it ends with a sense of optimism or potential for improvement, the tone would be identified as hopeful.

Final Answer

Without the specific text, the tone can be identified as one of the options given—either pessimistic, hopeful, indignant, or expectant—depending on the language and content used in that section.