Read the passage from "Cruel Tribute.” "He is coming!" cried Theseus, and he ran forward to meet the beast. The seven maidens shrieked, but tried to stand up bravely and face their fate; and the six young men stood together with firm-set teeth and clinched fists, ready to fight to the last. The author builds suspense most by

The passage builds suspense by announcing that the beast is coming without immediately showing what it is. The characters’ fearful reactions make the reader anticipate the reveal, and the Minotaur is identified only after this moment. Describing the maidens or young men adds tension, but waiting to reveal the Minotaur is the main suspense-building technique.

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