A background/preface to give you background information
To quote dictionary.com, "shrew<span>. Use the noun </span>shrew<span> — at your own risk — to refer to a woman who is argumentative, nagging, and ill tempered."
Termagant's definition is "</span><span>a harsh-tempered or overbearing woman."</span>
Assuming that you're talking about racing the storm tv show,
the author create suspense through pacing by jumping through a car chase scene, without explaining any background about how and why it happen, which directly created suspense in the first minute of the show
