Final answer:
The correct answer is 'c) mood' because the passage uses descriptive language to evoke a specific emotional atmosphere, characteristic of mood setting in literature.
Step-by-step explanation:
The passage 'Outside, the night was cold and wet, but in the small living room of Laburnum Villa, the blinds were drawn and the fire burned brightly' sets the scene by contrasting the chill and dampness of the night with the warm and inviting atmosphere inside the living room. This juxtaposition effectively establishes the setting and evokes certain feelings in the reader, a technique known as mood setting. Mood refers to the feeling or atmosphere that a writer creates for the reader, and authors use details like setting, imagery, and word choice to convey this.
Based on the provided excerpts, the correct option to describe the expert is c) mood. This is because the expert uses description and sensory details to evoke a particular feeling or atmosphere from the outset, making 'mood' the term that best describes this literary technique. The other options—tone, metaphor, simile, and oxymoron—do not accurately define the use of descriptive language to set the scene and evoke an emotional response.
In conclusion, the correct option in the final answer is 'c) mood' as the excerpt provides a distinct emotional setting and atmosphere through its descriptive language.