Question
The Diamond Necklace by Guy de Maupassant
She turned distractedly toward him.
"I have—I have I've lost Madame Forestier's necklace," she cried.
He stood up, bewildered.
"What!—how? Impossible!"
They looked among the folds of her skirt, of her cloak, in her pockets, everywhere, but did not find it.
"You're sure you had it on when you left the ball?" he asked.
"Yes, I felt it in the vestibule of the minister's house."
"But if you had lost it in the street we should have heard it fall. It must be in the cab."
"Yes, probably. Did you take his number?"
"No. And you—didn't you notice it?"
“No.”
They looked, thunderstruck, at each other.
Use the passage to answer the question.
How does the author establish pacing in this excerpt?
A. They use descriptive words, like bewildered and thunderstruck, in order to create a slow pace.
B. They depict a climactic and emotional event in order to create a slow pace.
C. They incorporate dialogue between two characters in order to create a fast pace.
D. They include short sentences and rapid speech in order to create a fast pace.
She turned distractedly toward him.
"I have—I have I've lost Madame Forestier's necklace," she cried.
He stood up, bewildered.
"What!—how? Impossible!"
They looked among the folds of her skirt, of her cloak, in her pockets, everywhere, but did not find it.
"You're sure you had it on when you left the ball?" he asked.
"Yes, I felt it in the vestibule of the minister's house."
"But if you had lost it in the street we should have heard it fall. It must be in the cab."
"Yes, probably. Did you take his number?"
"No. And you—didn't you notice it?"
“No.”
They looked, thunderstruck, at each other.
Use the passage to answer the question.
How does the author establish pacing in this excerpt?
A. They use descriptive words, like bewildered and thunderstruck, in order to create a slow pace.
B. They depict a climactic and emotional event in order to create a slow pace.
C. They incorporate dialogue between two characters in order to create a fast pace.
D. They include short sentences and rapid speech in order to create a fast pace.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The correct answer is D. They include short sentences and rapid speech in order to create a fast pace.
In the excerpt, the use of quick exchanges between the characters, along with shorter sentences, conveys a sense of urgency and builds tension as they realize the gravity of the situation. Their frantic questioning and the rapid dialogue create a fast-paced rhythm that reflects their emotional distress.
In the excerpt, the use of quick exchanges between the characters, along with shorter sentences, conveys a sense of urgency and builds tension as they realize the gravity of the situation. Their frantic questioning and the rapid dialogue create a fast-paced rhythm that reflects their emotional distress.