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Copywork
About This Passage
These three sentences set up the whole feeling of the chapter. The first sentence gives us a small problem (Sophie cannot sleep). The second sentence makes the world feel still and watchful. The third sentence opens the door to magic. Notice how Dahl uses the word 'witching hour' — a phrase that sounds old and a little scary. Good writers know that the right word can do the work of a whole sentence.
Sophie could not sleep. The orphanage was as quiet as a stone, and the moon was so bright outside the window that she had to keep her eyes shut tight. It was the witching hour — that special time when...
Full copywork activity with handwriting lines available in the complete study guide.
Discussion Questions
Narration Prompt
Tell someone what happens in this chapter in order. When you get to the most important part, slow down and tell it carefully — what happened, why it mattered, and what you think about it.
Discussion Questions
- Sophie was told to stay in bed, but she got up to look out the window. Was breaking the rule the right thing to do, or just the curious thing to do? What in the story makes you think so?
- Sophie is brave when she sees the giant, even though she is small and alone. Where do you think her bravery comes from? Did she always have it, or did it come because she had nobody else to protect her?
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Critical Thinking
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