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Copywork
About This Passage
Dahl packs the Small Fox's whole emotional journey into four sentences. Notice the rhythm: a long running sentence, then a single burst of exclamations, then another long sentence. The word 'exploding' is doing enormous work — it tells us the joy is too big for the body carrying it. 'Bursting in upon Mrs Fox' is a deliberate echo of 'exploding' — Dahl wants us to feel the joy arrive like a firework.
The Small Fox ran back along the tunnel as fast as he could, carrying the three plump hens. He was exploding with joy. 'Just wait!' he kept thinking. 'Just wait till Mummy sees these!' He had a long w...
Full copywork activity with handwriting lines available in the complete study guide.
Discussion Questions
Narration Prompt
In your own words, retell Chapter 11. What does the Small Fox carry home to Mrs Fox? What is Mrs Fox's first reaction, and why? What changes when she realizes the food is real? What does Mr Fox order his other children to do back in the tunnel?
Discussion Questions
- Mrs Fox murmurs 'I'm dreaming' and closes her eye again the moment she sees the hens. Why does Mrs Fox retreat into the idea of a dream rather than accepting that the food is real?
- The Small Fox is 'exploding with joy' and 'never stopped once on the way' while running home. What does this reveal about the Small Fox's relationship with his mother and the weight of the news he carries?
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Vocabulary Builder
Item 1
Pleasantly rounded and full, as with a well-fed animal.
Item 2
Bursting outward with sudden force.
Item 3
Breaking forth suddenly and forcefully.
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Critical Thinking
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