Question

for hours they stood there, hearing no sound, and seeing nothing but the smooth, high walls on either side of the passage and the calm blue sky so high above them. then the maidens sat down upon the ground and covered their faces and sobbed, and said:

\oh, that he would come and put an end to our misery and our lives.\

-\the cruel tribute,\
james baldwin

how does the author create suspense in the passage?

• by allowing a long period of time to pass
• by making theseus appear weak
• by creating conflict between characters
• by highlighting the calm blue sky

Explanation:

Analyze the passage details

The passage begins with "For hours they stood there, hearing no sound, and seeing nothing...". This explicitly establishes a prolonged duration of waiting in silence and isolation, which builds tension.

Evaluate the first option

Using Reading Comprehension, we see the phrase "For hours they stood there" directly corresponds to "allowing a long period of time to pass." This slow pacing creates anticipation and dread.

Evaluate the remaining options

Using Suspense Techniques, we analyze the other choices:

• "Theseus" is not mentioned or shown to be weak in this excerpt.
• The maidens are acting in unison, so there is no conflict between characters.
• The "calm blue sky" is a contrasting background element, not the source of suspense.

Synthesize the final conclusion

The author builds suspense by stretching out the time the characters spend waiting in a silent, inescapable passage, making the first option the correct choice.

Answer:

• by allowing a long period of time to pass (Correct answer)
• by making Theseus appear weak
• by creating conflict between characters
• by highlighting the calm blue sky