The structural choices that authors make—like word choices, the length and order of sentences, and the length and order of paragraphs—all affect the style and meaning of the stories they tell.


Think about the choices the authors make in “To Build a Fire” and “The Dead Man’s Plum Bush.” Select all of the statements that correctly describe the similarity between their structural choices.



(1) Both stories use language that creates a sense of dread or eeriness.



(2) Both stories begin with a detailed description of the setting.



(3) Both stories present weather as a character in itself.



(4) Both stories contain words and phrases that create believable settings.



(5) Both stories repeat words and phrases to emphasize the setting.



(6) Both stories combine short and long sentences to create a smooth flow of language.