Question
Review the passage.
Think of it, having to sit in such terror for a day and two nights! We thought of nothing,
but simply sat there in pitch darknessin her fear, Mrs. van D. had switched of the
lamp. We whispered, and every time we heard a creak, someone said, "Shh, shh."
It was ten-thirty, then eleven. Not a sound. Father and Mr. van Daan took turns coming
upstairs to us. Then, at eleven-fifteen, a noise below. Up above you could hear
the whole family breathing- For the rest, no one moved a muscle. Footsteps in
the house, the private office, the kitchen, then on the staircase. All sounds
of breathing stopped, eight hearts pounded. Footsteps on the stairs, then a
rattling at the bookcase. This moment is indescribable.
S
"Now we're done for," I said, and I had visions of all fifteen of us being dragged away by
the Gestapo that very night.
More rattling at the bookcase, twice. Then we heard a can fall, and the foatsteps
receded. We were out of danger, so far! A shiver went through everyone's body, I heard
several sets of teeth chattering, no one said a word. We stayed like this until eleven
thirty.
There were no more sounds in the house, but a light was shining on our landing, right
in front of the bookcase. Was that because the police thought it looked so suspicious or
because they simply forgot? Was anyone going to come back and tum it off? We found
Our tongues again. There were no longer any people inside the building, but perhaps
someone was standing guard outside. We then did three things: tried to guess what was
going on, trembled with fear and went to the bathroom. Since the buckets were in the
attic, all we had was Peter's metal wastepaper basket. [
From three-thirty onward I was engrossed in thought, and still shivering so much that
Mr. van Daan couldn't sleep. I was preparing myself for the return of the police. We'd
tell them we were in hiding; if they were good people, we'd be safe, and if they were
Nazi sympathizers, we could try to bribe them!
"We should hide the radio!" moaned Mrs van D.
"Sure, in the stove," answered Mr. van D. IF they ind us, they might as well ind the
radio!"
"Then they'll also find Anne's diary," added Father
"So burn it," suggested the most terrified of the grouD.
This and the police rattling on the bookcase were the moments when I was most afraid
Oh, not my diary; if my diary goes, I go too!
From Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Giri: The Dennitive Ecition. opyright 1991 by The Anne Frank Fands.
Trans. Susan Massotty
Look at the text in bold. What is the impact of the auithoris use of fragments and short
sentences on the mood of the passage?
Tbo fraamonte apd cbort cantancse arastn s aad thaie cacmLand infam
Answer
The use of fragments and short sentences creates a sense of urgency and tension, heightening the mood of fear and dread.