Answer: A. The phrase "ruthless and utter destruction", because its tone is calm but its message is frightening.
Explanation: In this excerpt from "The War of the Worlds" by H.G. Wells, the feature of the passage that most strongly builds suspense is <u><em>the phrase "ruthless and utter destruction", because its tone is calm but its message is frightening</em></u>. This phrase is frightening because the narrator is comparing the destruction the human race has made in the environment with what the aliens did in their invasion of Earth.
