Story #1
How Snake Lost His Legs (From Illuminate)
An African Fable
Since the beginning of time, Snake was a lazy creature. The other animals of the savanna would toil from sunrise to sunset to find food and water, while Snake would simply hide by the watering hole and wait for prey to cross his path. In fact, Snake was so lazy that he unintentionally changed his own fate.
One day, Moon, the ruler of the animals, came down from the sky and called a meeting of all creatures to impart some important news. Snake loved his comfortable hiding place by the water’s edge and did not see the purpose in moving when Mantis, his only friend, would surely come and tell him the news. After all, what could possibly be so important? So, Snake tucked his little legs beneath his long body (for snakes had legs back then) and settled down into the mud.
Across the savanna, the animals gathered underneath the Baobab tree and listened anxiously to Moon. She told them that the water would soon disappear and the earth would turn to sand. The savanna would become a dry and lifeless desert in which nothing could survive. Moon advised the animals to take their families and travel to the other side of the cliff in the east where they would find a new savanna to call home.
The animals immediately set out on their long journey, but faithful Mantis traveled back to the watering hole to find Snake. He told his friend of the impending danger, but Snake just snorted and refused to move. He had no intention of leaving his spot, especially when the cliff in the east was such a long walk away. Surely Moon was exaggerating and the rains would eventually come back. Snake had plenty of water at the hole in the meantime.
But as the days wore on, it grew warmer and warmer. Worse yet, it did not rain for weeks and the watering hole dried up in front of Snake’s eyes. Snake rose unsteadily and looked to the cliff in the east. He took a step forward, but his foot sank heavily into the sand. He tried to step with another foot and achieved the same result; he was stuck!
Snake cried out to Moon for help, begging and pleading until finally she took pity on him. Moon took away Snake’s legs and made his body slippery enough to slide easily through the hot sand. At last, he was able to move again, and he hurriedly slithered toward the cliff in the distance.
Snake lost his legs that day, but he did not lose his tendency for laziness, for to this very day we can still find him lying by the watering hole, waiting for his food to come to him.
Question: How does the following sentence help build suspense for the reader?
"After all, what could possibly be so important?"
(1 point)
Responses
The reader realizes the snake is a character that listens to advice.
The reader realizes the snake is a character that listens to advice.
It makes the reader understand how important the snake is to the story.
It makes the reader understand how important the snake is to the story.
The sentence tells the reader that something bad is probably going to happen to the snake.
The sentence tells the reader that something bad is probably going to happen to the snake.
The sentence makes the reader feel sorry for the snake.
1 answer
The correct response is:
The sentence tells the reader that something bad is probably going to happen to the snake.
This sentence builds suspense by highlighting Snake's dismissive attitude toward the impending meeting and the important news from Moon, implying that his inaction might lead to negative consequences.
