Question

Review the paragraph from "A Simple Way to Create Suspense" the by Lee Child.

Trusting such a simple system feels cheap and meretricious while you’re doing it. But it works. It’s all you need. Of course, attractive and sympathetic characters are nice to have; and elaborate and sinister entanglements are satisfying; and impossible-to-escape pits of despair are great. But they’re all luxuries. The basic narrative fuel is always the slow unveiling of the final answer.

What is the central idea of this paragraph?

To create suspense, writers must reveal details gradually so readers want more.
To create suspense, writers must include characters that are good looking and interesting.
Suspenseful stories should always contain complicated plot twists.
Suspenseful stories should always contain dangerous, exciting details.

Answer 1

Option 1.

The paragraph’s main point is that the essential technique for creating suspense is the slow, gradual revelation of the final answer; attractive characters and elaborate twists are optional extras.