Which statement correctly distinguishes tone from mood?

• A. Tone is the reader's emotion; mood is the author's attitude.
• B. Tone is the setting; mood is the plot.
• C. Tone is the author's attitude toward the subject; mood is the reader's emotional response.
• D. Tone is the sequence of events; mood is the theme.

Answer: (C)

The main idea here is that tone and mood describe two different things: tone is the author's attitude toward the subject, shown through word choices and how things are described, while mood is the reader’s emotional response as they experience the text, built from setting, imagery, and events.

That statement matches the distinction precisely. It says tone is the author's attitude toward the subject, and mood is the reader's emotional response. When an author writes with a dry, ironic tone about a serious situation, you can sense their stance toward the topic without necessarily feeling that same attitude yourself. Meanwhile, the passage might still evoke a somber or tense mood in you as a reader, depending on details like atmosphere or what’s happening.

Why the other ideas don’t fit: if tone were the reader’s emotion, that would mix up who’s feeling something with who’s presenting the attitude, which isn’t accurate. If tone were the setting or mood were the plot, you’d be labeling the backdrop or the sequence of events as attitude or emotion, which doesn’t describe the actual relationship: tone is about attitude; mood is about feeling. If tone were the sequence of events and mood were the theme, you’d be mixing structure and central ideas with attitude and emotion, again mixing up distinct elements of a text.

So the best description is that tone is the author's attitude toward the subject, and mood is the reader’s emotional response.