Iheard the door close gently i looked around and there stood mr. bixby smiling a bland sweet smile how does the word in bold contribute to the tone of the passage

D. It creates a tone of calmness.

Explanation:

The word gently provides calmness to the tone of the poem. The tone is very crucial to display the poet's thoughts towards the subject that assists the reader to interpret the intended message as displayed through the tone. It helps the readers to feel the essence of the poem like satire, irony, comic, etc. Thus, the italicized or bolded word "gently" implies the calming effect to the statement.

recent brain research has shown some surprising benefits as a result of formal musical training. learning to play a musical instrument appears to develop parts of the brain that can even influence academic results. the studies indicate that the earlier a child begins training, the more benefits there are. one such study showed that children who began musical studies before the age of seven had a more developed brain in the region where language production and auditory processing take place. scientists believe there is mounting evidence to show that early musical training can improve brain function.

explanation: