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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. Who does the drawings for "Charlotte's Web"?

2. Which one of the following is not included in the advice White gives to fourth-graders in Columbus, Ohio about how to write a book?

3. How many years does White do newsbreaks for the New Yorker before retiring?

4. How does White explain his fascination with spiders in a letter?

5. Which John Steinbeck book was the result of an assignment for Holiday magazine that White could not complete?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is Katharine's legacy preserved?

2. How does Hanna-Barbera acquire the rights to produce the animated motion picture version of "Charlotte's Web"?

3. What complications does White have with his vision in 1982, and how many years does he provide newsbreaks for the New Yorker before retiring?

4. What does White reveal about his farm in his answer to the questions of Mrs. Bard's fifth-grade class in Larchmont, New York?

5. In another letter to Stanley, what does White say about his use of traction?

6. How long does White study the screenplay for "Charlotte's Web" and what suggestions does he make?

7. Why does White write to Maine Sen. Margaret Chase Smith?

8. How does White respond to a confused senior at Newton High School?

9. What changes does White experience after Katharine passes away?

10. Which ailment and animal's escapades does White write to his stepson and his wife about in 1968?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare and contrast the New Yorker magazine in the 1950s with the way it was in the 1920s. Use White's letter to his brother, Stanley, as a reference for his concern about the changes taking place at the magazine. Also, include White's description of the original goal of the New Yorker and his experiences while working there as he writes to an author that is researching a book.

Essay Topic 2

"Charlotte's Web" reaches even more audiences with a successful animated film adaption of the story in 1973.

1) Explain White's concerns about the direction of a producer's idea for "Charlotte's Web", and how Hanna-Barbera is eventually given the rights to produce the film.

2) Describe the way White studies the screenplay for "Charlotte's Web", his notations that he includes when returning it, and how they are received by the animation studio.

3) Explain White's suggestions for the music of the movie and how they compare with the finalized movie.

Essay Topic 3

White marries Katharine Angell after her careful consideration.

1) Describe Katharine's background and how she came to work at the New Yorker.

2) Explain the concerns she has about pursuing a relationship with White, and how she eventually agrees to marry him.

3) Analyze how White writes about the wedding and the way both he and Katharine return to work.

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