grammar - Difference in meaning between ようとする and ようにす る？Meaning of のか in this question?

鈴木はその場で目をつぶり、気を _______ のか、ゆっくりと大きく息をついた。

1 静めようとした

2 静めようとしている *

3 静めるようにしている

4 静めるようにした

1) I'm very confused about ようとする and ようにする. I do understand they have different nuance in meaning, but I still can't differentiate them, for example in the above question.

2) What is the meaning of "のか" in this question?

3) Why do they choose the ている form? I thought it was an event in the past, because of the ついた at the end.

Thank you.

Answer

1) I'm very confused about ようとする and ようにする. I do understand they have different nuance in meaning, but I still can't differentiate them, for example in the above question.

よう in (静め)ようとする is the volitional auxiliary よう.
It attaches to the imperfective form (未然形) of a verb. (「静め」 is 未然形)

ように in (静める)ようにする is the 連用形 of the 比況/例示 auxiliary ようだ(様だ).
It attaches to the attributive form (連体形) of a verb. (「静める」 is 連体形)

Basically, ～ようとする means "try to do~~", and ～ようにする means "make sure that~~". For example:

宿題をしようとしました。I tried to do my homework.
毎日宿題をするようにしました。I made sure that I do my homework every day.

For more examples, please see this thread: Understand the difference between [dictionary/ない ＋ ようとする] and [volitional ＋ にする]

2) What is the meaning of "のか" in this question?

It means "as if". 「気を静めようとしているのか、」"as if trying to calm down,"
(The の is a nominalizer and the か is a question particle.)

3) Why do they choose the ている form? I thought it was an event in the past, because of the ついた at the end.

The tense of a Japanese verb is relative to the time when the main action takes place. Here, the main action is ついた at the end, and it's the past tense form, but regardless of the tense of the main verb you use している, not していた, since ようとしている occurred at the same time as ついた, not before ついた.