Preview
Copywork
About This Passage
This passage was chosen because it is a SUDDEN hiding moment. Dahl uses three clear actions in a row — JUMPED, CROUCHED, PEERED — so the reader can feel the animals moving FAST. Copying this teaches children that exciting scenes are built from short, punchy action verbs. Notice how one sentence holds a lot of movement.
He and Badger and the Smallest Fox jumped up on to a shelf and crouched behind a row of big cider jars. Peering around the jars, they saw a huge woman coming down into the cellar.
Full copywork activity with handwriting lines available in the complete study guide.
Discussion Questions
Narration Prompt
Tell the story of Chapter 16. Who comes down into the cellar? What does Mr Fox overhear about Bean's plan? How do the animals escape, and what does Rat shout at them as they leave?
Discussion Questions
- Mabel and Mrs Bean talk about Mr Fox right above his head — calling him a 'rotten brute' and wanting his TAIL for a souvenir. How do you know Mabel does NOT know Mr Fox is listening? What in the story makes you think Mr Fox feels SCARED and ANGRY at the same time?
- The women upstairs say Bean is waiting in a tent above the hole with a gun. How can you tell Mr Fox now has BIG NEW information that he didn't have before? What in the story shows this moment is important?
+ 2 more questions in the complete study guide
Vocabulary Builder
Item 1
Bent down low close to the ground to hide or get ready to jump
Item 2
Looking very carefully, often through a small space
Item 3
Very very big
+ 5 more vocabulary words in the complete study guide
Critical Thinking
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