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. We’d 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 motel’s 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.

Answer 1

I would say the word choice darkens the tone with such words as "looming" presence of the doorman, and "sweeping and re-sweeping" to suggest something a little suspect or sinister, and keeping his ear buds jammed into his ears to keep out the din of the motel which had a "shabby lobby" in other words was run down.

Answer 2

The correct answer is:

C. Odd characters are introduced.

This is the technique the author uses to build suspense in the excerpt.

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