Chap. 14- Charlotte's Web 5.7.25

Read the following excerpt from Chapter XIV of "Charlotte's Web":

"Charlotte is the best storyteller I ever heard," said Fern, poking her dish towel into a cereal bowl.
"Fern," said her mother sternly, "you must not invent things. You know spiders don't talk. Spiders can't talk."
"Charlotte can," replied Fern. "She doesn't talk very loud, but she talks."

What is the most likely reason Fern's mother doesn't believe her about Charlotte talking?

Read the following excerpt from "Charlotte's Web":

"Oh, it happened all right," replied Fern. "Charlotte never fibs. This cousin of hers built a web across a stream. One day she was hanging around on the web and a tiny fish leaped into the air and got tangled in the web. The fish was caught by one fin, Mother; its tail was wildly thrashing and shining in the sun. Can't you just see the web, sagging dangerously under the weight of the fish?"

What is the most likely reason Fern provides so many details about the spider catching the fish?

Read the following excerpt from "Charlotte's Web":

"It's about Fern," she explained. "Fern spends entirely too much time in the Zuckermans' barn. It doesn't seem normal. She sits on a milk stool in a corner of the barn cellar, near the pigpen, and watches animals, hour after hour. She just sits and listens."

Dr. Dorian leaned back and closed his eyes.

"How enchanting!" he said. "It must be real nice and quiet down there. Homer has some sheep, hasn't he?"

What can you infer about Dr. Dorian's response to Mrs. Arable's concern?

Read the following excerpt from "Charlotte's Web":

"Have you heard about the words that appeared in the spider's web?" asked Mrs. Arable nervously.
"Yes," replied the doctor.
"Well, do you understand it?" asked Mrs. Arable.
"Understand what?"
"Do you understand how there could be any writing in a spider's web?"
"Oh, no," said Dr. Dorian. "I don't understand it."

What can you infer about Mrs. Arable's feelings based on her conversation with Dr. Dorian?

Read the following excerpt from "Charlotte's Web":

"What's miraculous about a spider's web?" said Mrs. Arable. "I don't see why you say a web is a miracle— it's just a web."
"Ever try to spin one?" asked Dr. Dorian.
Mrs. Arable shifted uneasily in her chair. "No," she replied. "But I can crochet a doily and I can knit a sock."
"Sure," said the doctor. "But somebody taught you, didn't they?"

What is Dr. Dorian most likely trying to explain to Mrs. Arable?

Read the following excerpt from "Charlotte's Web":

Mrs. Arable fidgeted. "Fern says the animals talk to each other. Dr. Dorian, do you believe animals talk?"

"I never heard one say anything," he replied. "But that proves nothing. It is quite possible that an animal has spoken civilly to me and that I didn't catch the remark because I wasn't paying attention. Children pay better attention than grownups. If Fern says that the animals in Zuckerman's barn talk, I'm quite ready to believe her. Perhaps if people talked less, animals would talk more."

What can you infer about Dr. Dorian's attitude towards Fern's claim that animals talk?

Which of the following statements are true about Fern, based on the conversation between Mrs. Arable and Dr. Dorian?