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Read the following passage and choose the most likely answer to each of the following questions.
    "I must be firm," Miss Shepperson told herself, as she poured out her morning tea with unsteady hand. "I must really be very firm with them."
    Firmness was not the most distinct characteristic of Miss Shepperson's features. A plain woman of something more than thirty, she had gentle eyes and lips ever ready for a sympathetic smile. She was the daughter of a Hammersmith draper (布商), at whose death, a few years ago, she had become possessed of a small house and an income of forty pounds a year. The house had, until recently, given her no trouble at all. It stood in a quiet part of Hammersmith, and had long been occupied by good tenants, who paid rent (fifty pounds) with punctuality. Repairs, of course, would now and then be called for, and to that end Miss Shepperson carefully put aside a few pounds every year. Unhappily, the old tenants were at length obliged to move out. The house stood empty for two months. It was then taken on a three years' lease by a family named Rymer. "Really nice people," said Miss Shepperson to herself with satisfaction after her first interview with them. Mr. Rymer was "in the City." Mrs. Rymer, mother of two little girls, lived only for domestic peace, forgetting all worldly ambition in the happy discharge of her wifely and parental duties.
    The first quarter's rent was duly paid, but the second quarter-day brought no cheque; and, after the lapse of a fortnight, Miss Shepperson wrote to make known her naive fear that Mr. Rymer's letter might have miscarried. At once there came the politest and friendliest reply. Mr. Rymer (wrote his wife) was out of town, and had been so overwhelmed with business that the matter of the rent must have altogether escaped his mind. He would be back in a day or two, and the cheque should be sent at the earliest possible moment; a thousand apologies for this unpardonable neglect. Still the cheque did not come; another quarter-day arrived, and again no rent was paid. It was now a month after Christmas, and Miss Shepperson, for the first time in her life, found her accounts in serious disorder. This morning she had a letter from Mrs. Rymer, the latest of a dozen or so, all in the same strain.
    "I really feel quite ashamed to take up the pen," wrote the graceful lady, in her delicate hand. "What must you think of us! I assure you that never, never before did I find myself in such a situation. Indeed, I should not have the courage to write at all, but that the end of our troubles is already in view. It is absolutely certain that, in a month's time, Mr. Rymer will be able to send you a cheque in complete settlement of his debt. Meanwhile, I beg you to believe, dear Miss Shepperson, how very, very grateful I am to you for your most kind tolerance." The letter was closed with the touching subscription, "ever yours, sincerely and gratefully, Adelaide Rymer."
    But Miss Shepperson's faith in the Rymers' promises was exhausted. This very morning she would go to see Mrs. Rymer, lay before her the plain facts of the case, and with all firmness—with unmistakable resolve—make known to her that, if the overdue debt were not paid within a month, notice to quit would be given, and the recovery of the debt be sought by legal process. Fear had made Miss Shepperson furious; it was wrong and cowardly for people such as the Rymers to behave in this way to a poor woman who had only just enough to live upon. She felt sure that they could pay if they liked; but because she had shown herself soft and patient, they took advantage of her. She would be firm, very firm.

Which of the following is closest in meaning to the phrase "in the same strain" in Paragraph3? （ ）

In the same order.

With the same handwriting.

In the same tone.

With the same words.

本题考查对文章第三段末尾划线短语“in the same strain”的理解。
定位到第三段最后一句“今天早上，Shepperson小姐又收到了Rymers夫人的一封信，大概是一沓里面最新的一封，信里的话语和第一封信的…一样”，分析上下文，Rymers夫人的两封信的内容都是对拖欠房租表示歉意并承诺会尽快支付房租，故此处划线短语含义应为“以同样的口吻”，C选项符合题意，tone意为“口气、口吻”。