View a FREE sample

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

Short Answer Questions

1. What is Wilbur's first bed?

2. At the beginning of Chapter 7, how does Charlotte's campaign against insects seem to Wilbur?

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

4. Before Charlotte speaks up, who is going to help Wilbur calm down after receiving the bad news?

5. What are Fern and her parents doing at the beginning of Chapter 8?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

3. How would you describe Templeton in Chapter 4 of the story?

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

5. What kind of voice does Wilbur use to call for his new friend, and what does this voice tell the reader about Wilbur's development at this point?

6. What effect does Charlotte's web have on the farm?

7. How grown-up is Wilbur by the end of Chapter 3?

8. How might you compare and contrast the goose and Charlotte's attitudes toward life and death?

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

10. What is the explosion mentioned in Chapter 10's title, and why is it important?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Evaluate Templeton's character and the role he plays in the story. Most of the characters think of him as a glutton who only helps others to help himself, but are there any examples of him acting selflessly? Does he always expect some sort of reward for the work he does, even if the reward is just amusement? How does Templeton feel about Charlotte and Wilbur and they about him? Does he have any friends or act out of real friendship toward any of the other characters? If he is just a selfish rat, what does it say about the world that someone so self-centered could do so many things to save and change another animal's life?

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay discussing what Charlotte's Web has to say on the subject of fame. Include discussion of issues such as how people (and pigs) might achieve fame, what some beneficial and hurtful byproducts and effects of fame might be, and how fame might change people (and pigs) either for the better or the worse.

Essay Topic 3

How do Garth Williams' illustrations deepen a reader's understandings of the characters, setting, and theme of the story? Examine the moments he chooses to illustrate and think about what they express that the text alone cannot. Address also how different the experience of reading the book would be without the illustrations.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,287 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample