Final answer:
The tone is how the author feels about the topic or the reader(s) and is communicated by word choice and structure. The correct answer to the student's question is A: tone, which is the attitude of the writing towards the subject or audience, communicated by word choice and structure. It can vary from informal and playful to formal and sarcastic, influencing the mood of the text.
Step-by-step explanation:
The blank in the student's question is how the author feels about the topic or the reader(s), which is essentially the tone. The correct answer is A: tone. Tone is the attitude that the writing can take towards its subject or audience, and it is communicated through the author's choice of words and the structure of the text. The tone of a piece of writing can be identified by paying attention to the diction, or word choice, as well as the syntax or the arrangement of the words.
For example, describing something as 'joyful' instead of merely 'happy' can convey a different tone and impact the emotional register of the story's language, affecting the reader's experience. Additionally, the tone can convey a range of attitudes, such as informal, formal, sarcastic, or playful, and it is a main factor in the creation of mood, along with point of view and voice.