Question

Read this excerpt from a short story. Liam navigated the busy park, scanning the crowd for his friends. They had agreed to meet at the water slide, and soon the towering steps came into view. He spotted Rachel and Marco by the inner tubes, and soon the three were racing to the top of the slide. There were over a hundred wooden stairs to climb, but the friends usually climbed them without pause. This time, however, their progress was slowed by a surprising mid-day crowd. Spiraling up the stairs were dozens of eager park patrons, each gripping a slippery tube. Liam shook his head and told his friends they would need a little more patience than usual waiting for their favorite view from the top. What complication is introduced in the excerpt? Marco is unable to locate his friends in the busy park. The slide’s wooden stairs are in need of repair. Marco and his friends have to wait in a long line. Park patrons are not following the rules of the slide.

Answer 1

Answer:

Marco and his friends have to wait in a long line.

Explanation:

A complication is any form of an obstacle of conflict that hinders the progress of work or aim. It may be in the form of an emotional barrier or even a physical barrier, as long as it prevents the character/ characters from achieving their goal or desired aim.

In the given scene, Marco and his friend decided to meet at the water slide. Once together, they went up the wooden stairs, which hardly pose a problem for them for they had been through it numerous times. But this time, the movement up the stairs was a task in itself not because of the sheer number of stairs it'll take them to reach the top, but because of the number of people in the crowd. Their efforts to get to the top were "slowed down by a surprising mid-day crowd ..... dozens of eager park patrons". Liam's statement that "they would need a little more patience than usual waiting for their favorite view from the top" reveals their progress is slow and will take them a while to navigate the long line to get to the top.

Thus, the complication here seems to be that Marco and his friends have to wait in a long line to get to their destination.