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Copywork
About This Passage
This is the first time Wilbur takes action of his own to find his mysterious new friend. E.B. White builds the moment slowly — a throat-clearing, a formal announcement, a pause, a blush — and then ends with one word of iron: 'determined.' The passage shows how bravery and embarrassment can share a single moment.
Finally he decided he would have to speak up. He hated to break the lovely stillness of day by using his voice, but he couldn't think of any other way to locate the mysterious new friend who was nowhe...
Full copywork activity with handwriting lines available in the complete study guide.
Discussion Questions
Narration Prompt
Retell Chapter 5 in three movements: Wilbur's sleepless night, Wilbur's public announcement at dawn, and the first meeting with Charlotte. What detail in each movement did you find the most memorable, and why?
Discussion Questions
- Wilbur searches his pen, examines the window ledge, stares up at the ceiling, and finally makes a formal public announcement to find his friend. What does this whole sequence of actions reveal about Wilbur's character, and how does it compare to his behavior in Chapter 3 when the goose tempted him to escape?
- The old sheep scolds Wilbur for trying to wake his friend too early. What in the text makes you think the sheep's grumpy advice is actually wise, and how can you tell Wilbur recognizes this?
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Vocabulary Builder
Item 1
Rubbed roughly against something, often with a harsh noise.
Item 2
Not moving at all; perfectly still.
Item 3
Spoke directly to someone.
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Critical Thinking
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