Question

read the excerpt from a short story. the cave had offered a greater challenge than the group expected. this was not a tourists cavern, and there was no stopping to photograph stalagmites—far from it. each spelunker wore a headlamp, and each had gone so far as to belly crawl through a tight fissure at the urging of their guide. riya had kept up all afternoon, ignoring her aching legs and the shadows of abundant bats. and now she awaited her turn to walk, legs splayed, across a yawning crevice. even old dot had done it; she could hear the group clapping for her across the darkness. finding footholds on the left and right, she advanced—one foot, then the other. reaching ambitiously for jutting rock beyond her grasp, she heard a sickly crumble below and began to fall. how does the excerpt exemplify the ideas king describes in \danse macabre\? it allows readers to approach a \forbidden door.\ it provides a \single powerful spectacle\ for the imaginations eye. it forces readers to \grapple\ with their own mortality. it excites readers with the concept of \magic.\

Explanation:

In the excerpt, Riya is in a dangerous cave - crawling through tight fissures and then facing the risk of falling. This situation of being in a life - threatening scenario (the risk of falling in the cave) makes readers think about the possibility of death, which is related to grappling with mortality. The other options:

• There is no indication of a "forbidden door" in the text.
• While there are elements of adventure, it is not just a "single powerful spectacle" but a situation with a real - life threatening aspect.
• There is no mention of "magic" in the text.

Answer:

It forces readers to "grapple" with their own mortality.