Question

The last part of the extract that you have just heard is given below. Notice how the author creates interest through a step-by-step organisation of his ideas.

With the diamond hue of the beach, something dark was fumbling along. Ralph saw it first and watched until the intentness of his gaze drew all eyes that way. Then the creature stepped from the mirage on to clear sand and they saw that the darkness was not all shadow but mostly clothing. The creature was a party of boys marching approximately in step falling in two parallel lines.

The author uses these words to create an atmosphere of mystery and suspense. The ‘something’ becomes clearer... clearer still... until finally we learn what it really is.

Answer 1

This section shows how the writer builds suspense step by step. 

• The ‘something’ becomes clearer... → something dark was fumbling along.
• Clearer still... → the darkness was mostly clothing.
• Until finally we learn what it really is... → a party of boys marching in two parallel lines.

The writer does not tell us immediately what Ralph sees. He first describes it as “something” and then slowly gives more details. This makes the reader curious and creates mystery and suspense before revealing that the “something” is a group of boys.