A. Re-read lines 1 to 8 (‘I walked eagerly…’ to ‘…one formless blackness.

’)
The writer uses the following phrases to create a sense of unease for what the
narrator is experiencing.
Choose three of the phrases and then explain how each one of them helps you to
understand this atmosphere:

• ‘The blue sky above grew swiftly darker…’ (line 3)

• ‘…only a few small stars pierced the gloom…’ (lines 3–4)
• ‘…grew black and mysterious.’ (line 5)
• ‘the tree-tops appeared in ghostly silhouette…’ (lines 6–7)

1. Phrase: The blue sky above grew swiftly darker...’

Explanation: The author describes the "blue sky above" after sunset to enable
us to comprehend the atmosphere. This means that it was getting dark outside,
suggesting that it was evening. the author is describing how the sky turned
from a blue to a darker blue   and ultimately to a black to indicate that nighttime
was imminent. This makes it easier for us to imagine the setting as day turns to
night. [2]

2. Phrase:. ‘…only a few small stars pierced the gloom…’

Explanation: The writer goes on to describe the stars in the sky. He refers to
the night or, in other words, the darkness using the word "gloom." Only a few
stars could be seen when he looked up at the night sky due to its darkness.
and  The word "pierced" signifies the stars' visibility. This helps us understand
the setting  as it explains that there was little light remaining and just a few
stars could be seen, which gives the scene an eerie sense. [2]

3. Phrase: ‘…grew black and mysterious.’

Explanation: In this sentence, the author is referring to the spaces between
trees. He explains that the trees, which had been visible during the day
because of the clear sky or, in his words, "had been hazy blue," had gone
black and almost unknown to him as the night sky had become darker and the
stars had become more visible. By creating a sense of isolation and mystery,
this helps in our understanding of the atmosphere. The trees were now just
silhouettes in the darkness of the night. [2]