"The garden, which covered the whole of the top of the hill, was large and desolate, and the only tree in the entire place (apart from a clump of dirty old laurel bushes at the far end) was an ancient peach tree that never gave any peaches. " page 4, aragraph 3

The empty parking lot was desolate.

"Aunt Spiker, on the other hand, was lean and tall and bony, and she wore steel-rimmed spectacles that fixed onto the end of her nose with a clip." page 6, paragraph 1

A long time ago, people used to call eye glasses spectacles.

"The breath smelled musty and stale and slightly mildewed, like air in an old cellar." page 10, paragraph,2

The basement was mildewed and smelly.

"'Pardon me,' murmured the Ladybug, turning a trifle pale, 'but am I wrong in thinking that we seem to be bobbing up and down?'" page 49, paragraph 8

Being in a boat made me feel a trifle sick.

"'I glide,' said the Earthworm primly." page 31, paragraph 5

The worm crawled primly into the ground.

The girl sat primly on the chair.