Final answer:
The virtues for Aristotle are a middle ground between two vices, known as the golden mean, indicating that virtue is the mean between excess and deficiency of character traits.
Step-by-step explanation:
For Aristotle, the virtues are indeed always a sort of middle ground between two vices, which is known as the golden mean. The correct answer to the student's question is A. Golden Mean. According to Aristotle's Nichomachean Ethics, virtues promote human well-being and virtue is the mean between a deficiency and excess of traits. For instance, bravery is a virtue that balances the right amount of fear and confidence, as opposed to the vices of cowardice and rashness. Virtue ethics, a character-centered approach to morality, suggests that right actions flow from good character traits, and becoming virtuous requires the cultivation of these traits through consistent practice and habituation.