Read the excerpt from "The Adventure of the Mysterious Picture." "[T]here is a secret about one of my rooms on which I feel disposed to try an experiment. So, gentlemen, none of you shall know who has the haunted chamber, until circumstances reveal it. I will not even know it myself, but will leave it to chance and the allotment of the housekeeper. At the same time, if it will be any satisfaction to you, I will observe, for the honor of my paternal mansion, that there’s scarcely a chamber in it but is well worthy of being haunted." What technique does Irving use to build suspense in the excerpt?
Answer
A
The word choice darkens the tone.
B
Setting details are intentionally omitted.
C
Odd characters are introduced.
D
The pace of the story quickens.
Explanation
Irving uses words such as “secret,” “haunted,” and “experiment” to make the situation feel mysterious and unsettling. This darker word choice builds suspense by suggesting that something frightening may happen in the chamber. The setting is not omitted; the excerpt specifically mentions the mansion and its rooms.
AI-written and checked against the verified answer.