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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Avery ask for after he sees Fern's new pet?

2. Under what conditions does Mr. Zuckerman allow Fern to visit Wilbur?

3. What does Charlotte warn will happen if the egg Templeton took breaks?

4. Which of the following is not a reason Mr. Arable offers for why Fern must sell Wilbur?

5. Why does Fern change her sneakers?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Charlotte's impression of people?

2. Why is Wilbur so unhappy as a young pig after living in the Zuckerman's barn for awhile?

3. For what reason was Mr. Arable going to kill the runt?

4. How does the web of relationships between Wilbur, Charlotte, and Fern shift at the end of Chapter 7?

5. How does Mr. Arable help Wilbur become a little more independent?

6. Why might Wilbur feel particularly betrayed that John Arable is in on the "conspiracy" to kill him?

7. How would you describe Charlotte's personality and interactions with other barnyard animals in Chapter 6?

8. How do people react to Charlotte's first web?

9. What sorts of things are most important to Fern at the beginning of the book?

10. How does Wilbur act during his "escape"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the idea that people will believe anything they read in print. Does this story support that theory, and if so, how? Consider the messages contained in Charlotte's web, what inspired the writing of each one, and the reactions of various characters to each one.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay about the role cycles play in Charlotte's Web. Think about different kinds of cycles contained in the story, such as the span of time covered by the majority of the narrative (the cycle of a year) or the cycle that the life of each character follows.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay examining mother-child relationships in this book, focusing on such relationships as Fern/Wilbur, Charlotte/Wilbur, Fern/Mrs. Arable, Charlotte/Charlotte's children, and the goose/the goslings. How are these relationships alike and different? How do some change over time? What does it mean to be a mother or a child in this book? Are motherhood and childhood different for humans than for animals?

(see the answer keys)

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