Question

question 8 (multiple choice worth 2 points)
(08.01r mc)

read the excerpt from a narrative. answer the question that follows.

in the eerie silence, every footstep echoed. the creak of the door, the flicker of a candle; time stretched, a rubber band pulled taut.

how does the author use pacing to enhance tension and mood?

the pacing doesnt significantly affect mood or tension.

long sentences with no punctuation make the story seem drawn out.

short, fragmented phrases increase the pacing and heighten the tension

by rushing through the passage with no details, leaving readers confused

Explanation:

1. Analyze the first option: The excerpt's pacing clearly affects mood/tension (eerie silence, echoing footsteps, etc.), so this is incorrect.
2. Analyze the second option: The excerpt uses short phrases with punctuation (commas, semicolons), not long sentences with no punctuation, so this is incorrect.
3. Analyze the third option: The excerpt has short, fragmented phrases (e.g., "every footstep echoed", "The creak of the door", "the flicker of a candle") which quicken the pacing and heighten tension by creating a sense of urgency and unease, matching how pacing enhances tension/mood.
4. Analyze the fourth option: The passage includes details (footstep, door creak, candle flicker) and doesn't rush, so this is incorrect.

Answer:

C. Short, fragmented phrases increase the pacing and heighten the tension