Question

darren was stuck in the mall. the holiday lights and tinsel and ribbons hung from the ceiling. a loud ringing of carols echoed from department store to department store. around him, children ran and laughed as they waited in line to get their pictures taken with santa claus. the scent of freshly - baked cookies stirred throughout the mall.
from behind, a woman on a cell phone ran into darren. he stumbled forward. as he tried to catch himself, he looked to see what had happened. the woman kept walking without so much as looking back. “excuse me!” darren called out to her. she turned just in time to give him an angry stare. this was the part of the holiday season he hated the most.
what characteristic from the piece proves it is a work of fiction?
a. it is made up entirely of dialogue.
b. each line is written in iambic pentameter.
c. it has a plot and a definite setting.
d. there is a definite rhyme scheme to each line.

Explanation:

Fictional works typically feature a constructed plot (a sequence of events involving characters) and a specific setting. The provided text has a clear setting (a mall during the holiday season) and a plot following Darren's experience there. Option A is incorrect as the text is mostly narrative, not dialogue. Option B is wrong because the text is prose, not poetic iambic pentameter. Option D is incorrect as the text has no rhyme scheme.

Answer:

C. It has a plot and a definite setting.