Read the excerpt from Part 2 of “To Build a Fire.”When all was ready, the man reached in his pocket for a second piece of birch bark. He knew the bark was there, and, though he could not feel it with his fingers, he could hear its crisp rustling as he fumbled for it. Try as he would, he could not clutch hold of it. And all the time, in his consciousness, was the knowledge that each instant his feet were freezing. This thought tended to put him in a panic, but he fought against it and kept calm.
Answer
A
establish the story’s exposition.
B
establish the story’s resolution.
C
progress the story’s rising action.
D
progress the story’s falling action.
Explanation
The man is trying to get the fire started, but his numb fingers prevent him from grasping the birch bark. His awareness that his feet are freezing adds urgency and increases the danger. These escalating problems build tension, so the passage progresses the story’s rising action, not its falling action or resolution.
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