Gant Word Effect

a) Gant's attempts to grow penicillin in paragraph 5

Clumsily carved bark receptacles - This phrase means that there was a brown part of a tree is very loose like a bottle cap falling down from the bottle. The word 'clumsy' means to drop things carelessly. The tree has a brownish thing known as a bark and it was cut to design the tree so that the hollow tree can have something inside it. The word 'receptacles' means a hollow object that is used for holding or containing something.

Stunted tree stumps - The above phrase tells us that the tree was too tired to grow, so the tree had stopped growing more. The tree could be old enough to grow too.

Revolting and pungent, slimy grey mass - This phrase describes the marshmallow that was produced in the forest. The writer has used all of his three senses. The word 'revolting' means to take violent, strict actions. The word 'pungent' means a weird smell. Slimy is the texture of the marshmallow, and the colour it was grey. The writer has taken the sight, smell, and touch into his consideration.

b) The girl in paragraph 7

Eyes were onyx black - This phrase is described by the writer. The writer wants to describe the eyes of the little girl present in the cave. The word 'onyx' tells that it was as bright, and shiny as a valuable stone.

Snatched a bear-hide - The above phrase tells us that Gant forcefully picked up a blanket which was made up of the skin of a bear. 'Bear-hide' means bear skin. 'Snatched' means to steal something angrily.

Wild-eyed like a frightened rabbit - This phrase lets our brain imagine how the little girl looked towards Gant when she woke up. As she woke up, she must have been shocked and thought "Who he was around her?" and "What was he doing near her?". She must be expecting her parents or must be expecting to be alone, herself in that cave.