Question

read the excerpt from a short story.
i stood against the far wall of the shabby lobby avoiding eye contact with the doorman as my dad checked us in for the night. wed hoped to make it as far as scranton, but the weather had interfered, leaving us instead at an eyesore of a truck-stop motel. my ear buds were jammed in as far as comfort would allow in a vain attempt to block out the motels vibe. still, i could not ignore the looming presence of the doorman. he stood in the dim portico, sweeping and re-sweeping a pile of lint on the floor, watching the parking lot with his watery eyes, and occasionally signaling to the whiskered clerk behind the desk.
what technique does the author use to build suspense in the excerpt?
○ the pace of the story quickens.
○ the word choice darkens the tone.
○ odd characters are introduced.
○ the setting details are intentionally omitted.

Explanation:

The author uses negative, unsettling word choices like "shabby", "eyesore", "looming", and "watery eyes" to create an uneasy, tense tone that builds suspense. The other options do not fit: the pace is slow and deliberate, no odd characters are framed as suspenseful, and setting details are included rather than omitted.

Answer:

The word choice darkens the tone.