Final answer:
The passage describes a plane's clumsy landing and subsequent arrival at the terminal in a vivid and detailed manner, incorporating gerunds and participial phrases to emphasize ongoing actions and descriptions.
Step-by-step explanation:
After hovering in the air, the plane settled clumsily on the ground, stumbled to a stop, and then waddled into the brightly lighted area around the terminal building. Watching the plane's arrival was like witnessing a bird's uncertain first attempt at flying. The act of landing, usually so smooth and practiced, was in this instance a gerund phrase, indicating an ongoing action. Adding to the scene, the spectators' murmuring created a backdrop of soft noise. While the pilot's handling of the controls during the descent was nothing short of masterful, the settling of the aircraft on the tarmac was less graceful, mimicking the final stages of a weary traveler finding rest.
The passengers, victims to the jolting halt, had clung to their armrests, their grimacing faces reflecting the unsteady arrival. The waddling of the plane to its final stop came with a collective sigh of relief from those inside, who anticipated the end of their tumultuous journey. The act of disembarking, bringing an end to tolerating the cramped seating and stale air, was now their primary focus.
In contrast, the ground crew, accustomed to witnessing such landings, scarcely took notice. Their preparing for the plane's arrival was done with practiced efficiency, void of the excitement or concern shown by the onlookers. Yet amid the routine, one young member of the team couldn't help marveling at the colossal flying machine and its ability to transform chaos into order.
With the airplane now parked and the engines silenced, the terminal's brightness replaced the sky's vast expanse as the new dominion. The glowing of the airport lights against the darkening horizon made for a surreal transition from flight to earth. And as the last of the passengers filed into the terminal, the humming of conversations about the flight's awkward landing began to fill the space.