The end of a performance is followed by ________

Analyze the question: It asks what comes at the end of a performance (a play, concert, etc.). So we need the term that describes something that happens after the performance finishes.

Explain the concepts:

• Curtain call: The moment after a performance ends when the actors come back onto the stage to receive applause from the audience and take a bow.
• Curtain raiser: A short play or act performed before the main play. It comes at the beginning, not the end.
• Epilogue: A concluding speech or section at the end of a play or literary work. It is part of the work itself, so it comes at the end of the play and is not what follows the end of the performance.
• Interlude: A short break or entertainment between acts or scenes, so it comes in the middle.

Step-by-step solution:

1. The question says "the end of a performance is followed by..." so we are looking for something that happens after everything, including any epilogue, is finished.
2. B (curtain raiser) is at the start, so it is eliminated.
3. D (interlude) is in the middle, so it is eliminated.
4. C (epilogue) is a close contender, but it is the final part of the play's content and is performed as part of the performance.
5. A (curtain call) happens once the performance is over, when the cast comes out to be applauded. It fits "followed by" best.

Answer: A. a curtain call

Tip: Remember the order: Curtain raiser (before) → Interlude (during) → Epilogue (end of the play) → Curtain call (after the play, cast takes a bow). Link "call" with the audience calling the actors back to applaud them.