Question

Why would an author structure a text using a cliffhanger?
Responses

To pull the reader into the excitement at the beginning.
To pull the reader into the excitement at the beginning. - no response given

To create an ending that leaves a reader in suspense.
To create an ending that leaves a reader in suspense. - no response given

To orient the reader with key information.
To orient the reader with key information. - no response given

To give the reader insight into character relationships.

Answer 1

Best answer: "To create an ending that leaves a reader in suspense."

Why: a cliffhanger deliberately leaves a conflict or question unresolved so the reader feels compelled to keep reading to find out what happens next. It’s a hooking device usually used at the end of scenes, chapters, or episodes.

Notes on the other choices:
- "To pull the reader into the excitement at the beginning" — partly true if an author opens with an unresolved, suspenseful moment, but that’s still using suspense to hook readers rather than a typical cliffhanger placement.
- "To orient the reader with key information" — no; that’s exposition, not a cliffhanger.
- "To give the reader insight into character relationships" — not primarily; characterization can occur alongside a cliffhanger, but revealing relationships is not the cliffhanger’s main purpose.