Opalescence: the color like an opal.
Mirage: an effect caused by hot air in deserts or on roads, that makes you think you can see sth, such as water, which is not there; a hope or wish that you cannot make happen because it is not realistic.
Whimper: to make low, weak crying noises; to speak in this way.
Croon: to sing sth quietly and gently.
Preposterous: completely unreasonable, especially in a way that is shocking or annoying.
Caper: completely unreasonable, especially in a way that is shocking or annoying.
Incredulously: not willing or not able to believe sth; showing an inability to believe sth.
Irrelevance: lack of importance to or connection with a situation.
Implication: a possible effect or result of an action or a decision.
Shrill: very high and loud, in an unpleasant way; to make an unpleasant high loud sound.
Malevolent: having or showing a desire to harm other people.
Gyration: the action of moving around in circles.
-How does Jack prepare to go hunting?
He put clay up on his face, then he bent down, took up a double handful of lukewarm water and rubbed the mess from his face. He made one cheek and one eye-socket white, then he rubbed red over the other half of his face and slashed a black bar of charcoal across from right ear to left jaw. Afterwards he knelt, holding the shell of water. Then he split the water leapt to his feet.
-Explain how excitement in this chapter builds then drops and builds again.
At first, boys were preparing for the hunt in excitement. After their departure, Ralph and Piggy found that the signal fire was down. When Jack and his squad returned, Ralph blamed him for letting the fire down. The atmosphere became awkward. The excitement drops. After that, they set up a fire and began to eat the boar that they hunted. The whole group cheered. The excitement builds again.
-What does Jack do to Piggy when he gets mad because everyone blames him for the fire going out?
He punched Piggy aggressively with bad words in his mouth.
-How does Ralph assert his chieftainship?
He decided to call a meeting immediately, ignoring the fact that boys were having great fun.
-What is the significance of the title of this chapter, “Painted Faces and Long Hair”?
It reveals that the general theme of this chapter is hunting. Meanwhile, it gives us a clue the action of boys are becoming more savage.
-What are the differences between how the littluns and the biguns act when they’re on the island?
The littluns did not participate in the “making of policies” and they did not put much effort into teamwork ( building up the shelters, for example). They were almost transparent in the group, though sometimes they participated in the group meeting. By contrast, biguns had more significant roles than littluns. They were like the politicians, discussing and speaking out their opinions.
-What does the “unfriendly side of the mountain” mean?
It means that the other side of the mountain is not explored fully and therefore dangerous. It also foreshadows that something bad is going to happen on the other side of the mountain (Simon dies there later).
-Why are they more concerned about the killing of the pig than missing the ship?
That’s because they are irrational and short-sighted. The temptation of eating meat is more attractive to them than sitting boringly and waiting for help.