Question

Shonda stands at the free-throw line. Time stretches out before her. Silence. Breathe in, out, in, out. Calm. If she hits it: overtime. Misses: no state championship. Crushed. She's never felt space and silence like this. Never before. Such calm. Like she's on a lake. Floating — a canoe maybe — gently. Her mind is empty. She and the rim. Breathe in, out, in. Taking in the moment — she wants to enjoy the peace, the silence — before the final buzzer. The buzzer that will break the peace, the silence. This perfect endless moment. She shoots. Swish.

Which statement best evaluates the author's use of pacing in the passage?
A. The author's use of pacing is not effective, because Shonda's appearance is not described in detail.
B. The author's use of pacing is not effective, because the short sentences don't properly convey the sense of calm in the scene.
C. The author's use of pacing is effective, because the short sentences help convey the fast action of the scene.
D. The author's use of pacing is effective, because the long, complex sentences convey a feeling of calm.

Answer 1

B. The author's use of pacing is not effective, because the short sentences don't properly convey the sense of calm in the scene.

Step-by-step explanation:

This is the option that best analyzes the use of pacing in this passage. Usually, when an author wants to convey a calm, relaxed feeling, he will use long and complex sentences to convey this idea. On the other hand, when action is happening quickly, authors tend to use short sentences that highlight the speed of the action. The pacing of this passage is not effective because the author is describing a calm scene with short and quick sentences.