Meet the Characters
What is the name of the eight-year-old girl who saves Wilbur's life at the beginning of the book?
Fern Arable
Why did Mr. Arable originally want to kill Wilbur when he was born?
Because Wilbur was a runt
How many eggs does the Goose hatch in Chapter 6?
seven (7 goslings hatched out of 8 eggs).
What word used in Chapter 1 means the smallest, weakest animal born in a litter?
runt
What does Charlotte trap in her web to eat, showing Wilbur how she captures her prey?
A fly (or a grasshopper).
Who is the owner of the farm where Wilbur moves to live in the barn cellar?
Homer L. Zuckerman (Fern's uncle)
How did Fern feed Wilbur when he was a newborn piglet?
With a baby bottle filled with warm milk.
What is the first message that Charlotte weaves into her web to save Wilbur?
"SOME PIG"
What does injustice mean when Fern argues with her father in Chapter 1?
unfairness / something that is not right or fair
In Chapter 3 ("Escape"), how do the humans finally catch Wilbur after he slips out through the loose board?
Mr. Zuckerman tempts him back into the pen with a bucket of warm, delicious slop.
What type of animal is Templeton, and what is his main motivation for helping Wilbur?
A rat who is motivated by food/slop
What item of Fern’s did Wilbur sleep in when he was tiny?
A doll's carriage (or a box with straw near the kitchen stove).
What happens to the eighth goose egg that does not hatch?
Templeton the rat takes it to keep in his lair.
Charlotte greets Wilbur by saying "Salutations!" What does the word salutations mean?
"greetings" or "hello"
How does Mr. Zuckerman reward Wilbur after seeing the miraculous words in the web?
He gives him extra food/slop and clean straw bedding (and treats him like a prize pig).
What is Charlotte's full name, and what species of spider is she?
Charlotte A. Cavatica, a barn spider (grey spider)
Why was Wilbur sold to the Zuckermans when he turned five weeks old?
Because his appetite grew too big, and Mr. Arable was no longer willing to feed him.
Who discovers the message written in the web early in the morning?
Lurvy (the farmhand)
In chapter 9, a word is used to "easy to fool". What is this word?
gullible
Why does Fern's mother, Mrs. Arable, become worried about Fern in Chapter 8?
Because Fern spends all her time sitting in the barn listening to the animals talk instead of playing with friends.
Which animal in the barn tells Wilbur the bad news that he is being fattened up to be killed for Christmas ham and bacon?
old sheep
Where in the Zuckerman barn is Wilbur's pen located?
Underneath the cowshed / in the barn cellar (under the manure pile/trough area).
How does Avery accidentally break Templeton's rotten goose egg in Chapter 10?
He trips/loses his balance and falls against Wilbur's trough, squashing the egg hidden underneath.
In chapter 9, a word is used to describe sitting still much of the time rather than wandering around. What is this word?
sedentary
Why does the terrible smell of the crushed rotten goose egg actually turn out to be a good thing for Charlotte?
The foul stench drives Avery away from the barn before he can catch or harm Charlotte with his stick.