Which term describes the author's attitude toward the subject or audience?

• A. Inference
• B. Tone
• C. Central Idea
• D. Point of View

Answer: (B)

The main concept here is tone—the author’s attitude toward the subject or toward the audience. Tone comes through in the words the author chooses, the level of formality, the kinds of details highlighted, and the rhythm of sentences. This attitude shapes how we experience the text and what it makes us feel about the topic or about reading it.

That’s why it’s the best fit: tone is specifically about how the writer feels or aims to come across, not just what is being said. Inference is about deducing ideas not stated outright, the central idea is the main point the text makes, and point of view is about who is telling the story or from whose perspective we see events. So tone focuses on attitude, which is exactly what the question asks about. For example, a joyful, celebratory tone uses bright language and upbeat details, while a critical tone uses sharp or skeptical wording.