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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. Why does Fern put on her prettiest dress before the fair?

2. What does the author declare about Charlotte at the end of the book?

3. Which of the following is not an errand or favor that Templeton points out that he has done for Wilbur and Charlotte?

4. Why do the judges award Wilbur a special prize?

5. At the end of the book, what does Wilbur conclude is the best place to be?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is Fern's attitude toward the animals beginning to change during the time she spends at the Fair?

2. How can readers tell at the end of Chapter 21 that Wilbur is starting to grow up a little?

3. Which animals go to the Fair and why?

4. What kind of lullaby does Charlotte sing to Wilbur?

5. Why is life in the barn so good for Wilbur?

6. What can readers tell about Charlotte's position in the barn from the meeting the animals have?

7. What lesson does the old sheep teach at the end of Chapter 12?

8. How is Charlotte's time and attention beginning to split as the trip to the County Fair approaches?

9. Why might Charlotte's children mean so much to Wilbur?

10. How are things on the farm changing as summer turns to fall?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The development of the relationship between Wilbur and Charlotte is the heart of this story. Evaluate the course of this relationship from their first meeting through Charlotte's death and Wilbur's feelings about her after she is gone. Consider issues such as how their perceptions of each other change as they get to know each other better, what they learn from each other, what they do for each other and why, and how they depend on each other over time.

Essay Topic 2

How can Charlotte's webs be thought of as both a symbol of life and a symbol of death? Be sure to explain how the things they symbolize affect the meaning of the narrative and to use specific examples from the text to back up your argument.

Essay Topic 3

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.

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