Read this passage:
the gazelle thundered along the trail, inches from the muzzle of the cheetah that snapped at its heels; however, the gazelle was able to keep just enough distance by cutting sharply to the left and then to the right at angles of roughly 90 degrees. frustrated, yet maintaining the taut stride befitting the world's fastest land animal, the cheetah swiped a spotted paw toward the gazelle's hindquarters. once again, the gazelle used its last bit of speed to dodge its impending fate, and the shrewd creature turned hard again at 90 degrees, ducking into a well-hidden cave, its depths cut by unknown forces into the valley's granite. quickly glancing left, then right, and then left again, scanning the hillside for its prey, the cheetah finally surrendered the fight and turned for home.
which statement best evaluates the author's use of pacing in the passage?
a. the author's use of pacing is not effective, because the long, complex sentences distract from the sense of stress and anxiety the passage should convey.
b. the author's use of pacing is effective, because the long, complex sentences the reader fully understand the power and beauty of nature.
c. the author's use of pacing is effective, because the imagery and figurative language speed up the action, making the scene come alive for the reader. d. the author's use of pacing is not effective, because the imagery and figurative language don't adequately describe either the cheetah or the gazelle.