Part A: Which of the following is a feature of the passage that most clearly suggests it is a work of Magical Realism?
a sense of urgency that foreshadows the strange events that follow
a contrast between routine details and a fantastical occurrence
a sense of mystery that makes each story event as unexpected as the last
O
a build-up of problems that makes each event into a new obstacle

the answer is emerged from.

orpheus descended to hades, the world of the death to rescue eurydice. no mortal had ever done this before him, he survived because he was protected by the gods. the word "underworld" gives us a clue, he emerged from it like a whale emerges form sea for exemple.

the rocket launch by showing how the population around it changes its behavior as the earth's influence over the martian planet when he uses the term "green star".

explanation:

21 balloons is the story of professor william sherman's travels.

in 1883, he set off from san francisco for a balloon ride over the pacific and was found a month later floating with 21 balloons in the atlantic ocean. this seemed an astounding feat and everyone wanted to know what had happened.    

professor sherman was loyal, however, and said he would tell his tale first to the western american explorers club in san francisco, of which he was a member. this built up suspense for several chapters before he began to tell of the wonders of his adventures and the amazing island of krakatoa, an island which had just been blown up by a volcano.  

the residents of krakatoa are all millionaires who live under a "gourmet government" of their own devising. we get to see all the incredible adventures that creative people with unlimited resources would create according to the author.