A man stood upon a railroad bridge in northern Alabama, looking down into the swift water twenty feet below. The man’s hands were behind his back, the wrists bound with a cord. A rope closely encircled his neck. It was attached to a stout cross-timber above his head and the slack fell to the level of his knees. Some loose boards laid upon the ties supporting the rails of the railway supplied a footing for him and his executioners— two private soldiers of the Federal army, directed by a sergeant who in civil life may have been a deputy sheriff. At a short remove upon the same temporary platform was an officer in the uniform of his rank, armed. He was a captain. A sentinel at each end of the bridge stood with his rifle in the position known as “support,” that is to say, vertical in front of the left shoulder, the hammer resting on the forearm thrown straight across the chest—a formal and unnatural position, enforcing an erect carriage of the body. It did not appear to be the duty of these two men to know what was occurring at the center of the bridge; they merely blockaded the two ends of the foot planking that traversed it.

Question

Use the paragraph to answer the question.

Which statement explains the effect of the structure of the story’s opening?

(1 point)
Responses

The author builds tension and confusion by describing the men in the Federal army but provides no information about the setting.
The author builds tension and confusion by describing the men in the Federal army but provides no information about the setting. - no response given

The author builds suspense by giving detailed information about the setting but little about the man or why he is about to be hanged.
The author builds suspense by giving detailed information about the setting but little about the man or why he is about to be hanged. - no response given

The author establishes a connection with the reader by quickly developing complex characters.
The author establishes a connection with the reader by quickly developing complex characters. - incorrect

The author creates a sense of mystery for the reader by presenting the events as a flashback.

Answer 1

The correct response is:

The author builds suspense by giving detailed information about the setting but little about the man or why he is about to be hanged.

This statement accurately captures the effect of the paragraph's structure, as it emphasizes the ominous setting and the stark situation while leaving the man's background and circumstances ambiguous.