Question 5 • CMS 2025-2026 English I CREDIT RECOVERY
Read the passage from "Cruel Tribute.” Then the youths and maidens ran to Theseus and kissed his hands and feet, and thanked him for his great deed; and, as it was already growing dark, Theseus bade them follow him while he wound up the silken thread which was to lead them out of the Labyrinth. Through a thousand rooms and courts and winding ways they went, and at midnight they came to the outer door and saw the city lying in the moonlight before them; and, only a little way off, was the seashore where the black ship was moored which had brought them to Crete. The door was wide open, and beside it stood Ariadne waiting for them. "The wind is fair, the sea is smooth, and the sailors are ready," she whispered; and she took the arm of Theseus, and all went together through the silent streets to the ship. In this excerpt, the sequence of events creates suspense by
Answer
A
describing a setting that causes anticipation.
B
speeding up the plot to move the story forward and build tension.
C
starting the story in the middle of things.
D
showing the importance of a long period of time that has passed.
Explanation
The events unfold one after another: Theseus leads the youths through the winding Labyrinth, they reach the door at midnight, and then hurry to the waiting ship. This quick progression makes readers wonder whether they will escape safely, building tension as the plot moves forward. The passage does include moonlight and a quiet city, but the suspense comes mainly from the sequence of urgent actions, not just the setting.
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