"that was why he had shied in such panic. he had felt the give under his feet and heard the crackle of a snow-hidden ice-skin. and to get his feet wet in such a temperature meant trouble and danger. at the very least it meant delay." the selection is an example of the author's use of select one: a. prediction. b. foreshadowing. c. characterization. d. conflict.

the present continuous is a verb tense which is mainly used to indicates that an action is in progress at the moment of speaking.  

it is formed using: person + verb to be (am/is/are) +verb + - ing form  

example: i am studying at this moment .

in addition, the present continuous is also used in order to express things that will or will not happen in the near future.

example: i am having dinner with some friends tonight.

the speaker sometimes   uses it   to express that an action is repeated and it causes irritation on the part of the speaker

example: my sister is constantly complaining about everything.