Charlotte’s Web: Vocabulary list
Chapter 1: Before breakfast
injustice
runt
distribute
miserable
specimen
promptly
appetite
budge
mentioned
bitterly
absolutely
frolic
cautiously
trough
certainly
Chapter 2: Wilbur
enchanted
relieved
endure
occasionally
vanished
amused
delightfully
manure
Chapter 5: Charlotte
gnawing
approximately
disgust
appropriate
salutations
expression
Chapter 3: Escape
perspiration
patient
loft
scythes
orchard
commotion
dazed
hullabaloo
instructions
captivity
objectionable
blundered
furiously
inheritance
innocent
excitement
appealing
reconsider
praise
scruples
decency
consideration
compunctions
ancient
untenable
Chapter 4: Loneliness
steadily
gloomily
honestly
Chapter 6: Summer days
morals
Chapter 7: Bad news
anesthetic
smudge
cautiously
envy
conspiracy
hysterics
delicious
paradise
particles
veritable
fragments
loot
cargo
struggle
bewitched
Chapter 8: A talk at home
vaguely
gratified
unremitting
Chapter 9: Wilbur’s boast
sedentary
pummeled
fantastic
Chapter 10:An explosion
gullible
crisis
scuttled
Chapter 17: Uncle
enormous
personality
interview
Chapter 11: The miracle
ordinary
Chapter 18: The cool of the evening
humble
masterpiece
Chapter 12: A meeting
idiosyncrasy
sensational
adjourned
Chapter 13: Good progress
aeronaut
radiant
Chapter 15:The Crickets
monotonous
reputation
audience
distinguish
inconvenient
versatile
Chapter 16: Off to the fair
Chapter 19: The egg sac
magnus opus
languishing
carousing
indigestion
confetti
Chapter 20: The hour of triumph
pompous
extraordinary
courage
distinguished
unique
valuable
appreciation
magnificent
analysis
complimentary
revived
Chapter 21: Last day
ceremony
tremendous
generous
solemn
extreme
imitating
Chapter 22: A warm wind
thermometer
precious
frantic
daintily
hallowed
brilliant
pledge
garrulous
anxious
ridiculous
panic
desperation
sentiments
Source: adapted from http://www.murrieta.k12.ca.us/alta/dfuller/charlotte/index.html
Charlotte’s Web: Chapter summaries
(from http://www2.lhric.org/pocantico/charlotte/index.htm)
1. Fern convinced her dad not to kill the runt pig and he gave it to her to
take care of. She named him Wilbur.
2. Wilbur was getting bigger and bigger and eating more and more. He had
to be sold so Fern called her aunt and uncle - the Zuckermans.
3. Wilbur was told by the goose that there was a loose board in his pen. He
escaped but he got tired, hungry and afraid. Uncle Homer lured him back
to his pen with food.
4. Wilbur had a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day because it was
raining and his plans got ruined. He started to cry, but then he heard a
soft friendly voice.
5. Wilbur heard a voice and the voice said, "Salutations!" At first he didn’t
know who said it. Then he saw a large grey spider waving at him. It was
Charlotte
6. It is summer and school is out for Fern and Avery. The goslings are
hatching.
7. Wilbur finds out that he’s going to be killed at Christmas. Charlotte
calms him down and tells him she will save him.
8. Fern tells her mom and dad what the animals talk about in the barn.
Mrs.Arable is very concerned about Fern.
9. Wilbur tried to spin a web. Templeton tied string to his tail. He climbed
to the top of his manure pile and jumped. He went thump on the ground!
10. Templeton’s rotten egg got broken and made a disgusting smell in the
barn. This saved Charlotte from Avery.
11. Charlotte wrote SOME PIG in her web. Everybody was surprised and
happy with Charlotte’s message. They thought it was a miracle!
12. Charlotte has a meeting of all the animals in the barn. She asks
Templeton if he can get a magazine clipping.
13. Charlotte wrote a new word in her web. It was…TERRIFIC!
14. Mrs. Arable is worried about Fern and has a discussion with Dr. Dorian.
He says maybe the animals really do talk and kids pay better attention
than adults.
15. It’s late summer and Wilbur will be going to the County Fair. Charlotte is
not sure she can go because it is egg laying time.
16. Everyone was dreaming about and getting ready for the Fair. Wilbur
fainted when he heard Mr. Arable talking about ham and bacon
17. There’s a pig named Uncle at the Fair and he’s bigger than Wilbur.
Wilbur is worried about his "competition" and Charlotte.
18. Templeton finds another word for Charlotte-HUMBLE. Charlotte begins
working on her egg sac.
19. Charlotte makes an egg sac with 514 eggs in it. The big pig, Uncle, wins
the Blue Ribbon, but Wilbur gets a special prize.
20. Wilbur gets a medal, but it’s really Charlotte’s hour of triumph. She
knows Wilbur will live.
21. Wilbur found out that Charlotte was dying and tried to save her but he
couldn’t so he saved her egg sac.
22. All of Charlotte’s babies hatch and float away on the warm wind except
for three of them. Wilbur has a happy life on the Zuckerman farm with
Charlotte’s children and grandchildren but he never forgets his great
friend Charlotte.