Question

In this excerpt, the sequence of events creates suspense by

speeding up the plot to move the story forward and build tension.
starting the story in the middle of things.
describing a setting that causes anticipation.
showing the importance of a long period of time that has passed.

Answer 1

speeding up the plot to move the story forward and build tension.

Rationale: arranging events in quick succession (shorter scenes/sentences, rapid actions, cliffhangers) increases pacing and raises stakes, which creates suspense.