Why characters act as they do

Grade 7 Reading Worksheet - Challenge Me

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   The Class Election (story)

   [1] Two weeks before the class election, Ari decided to run for class president against Milo, who was Ari's closest friend. [2] Ari wanted the title partly because Ari had ideas for a recycling program and partly because Ari wanted to win something this year. [3] Milo had no posters and no speech, but classmates kept saying that Milo would make a friendly president.

   [4] On Tuesday, Ari stayed after school to paint a poster with a bold slogan about winning. [5] Milo happened to walk by and asked, in a puzzled voice, whether the recycling program would really happen. [6] Ari felt a hot flush, because the question was exactly right and the poster said nothing about it.

   [7] That night, Ari rewrote the speech to explain the plan step by step, with a diagram of the recycling bins. [8] On election day, Ari told the class the plan, and Milo clapped louder than anyone. [9] Milo won by seven votes, and Ari promised to help set up the bins anyway. [10] At the next recess, the two friends drew the bins on a big sheet of paper.

2. 1.

   Tala compares the why under Ari's first and last responses. How does Ari's main motive change?

   • Ari starts out wanting the plan more than the title and ends up wanting the title more than the plan.
   • Ari starts out wanting the title and ends up wanting to stop campaigning.
   • Ari starts out wanting the title as much as the plan and ends up wanting the plan to happen.
   • Ari wants the title more than the plan from the first sentence to the last.
3. 2.

   Bo follows the pushes. Which chain shows how Ari's choices and Milo's choices push each other?

   • Ari paints a poster about winning, Milo begs Ari to quit, then Ari rewrites the speech.
   • Ari rewrites the speech, Milo asks about the recycling plan, then Ari paints a poster about winning.
   • Ari paints a poster about winning, Milo asks about the recycling plan, then Ari rewrites the speech.
   • Ari paints a poster about winning, then Ari feels a hot flush and rewrites the speech.
4. 3.

   Esme looks under the response. Which pair of motives explains why Ari rewrites the speech?

   • Ari wants the recycling plan to happen and does not want a poster that says nothing about it.
   • Ari wants the recycling plan to happen at the school.
   • Ari wants the teacher to praise the diagram of the recycling bins in front of the class.
   • Ari wants Milo to feel proud and wants classmates to call Ari friendly.

5. The Last Jump (story)

   [1] At the school track meet, Zee and Noah were tied for first place in the long jump with one jump left. [2] Zee had trained all spring for this event and wanted the first-place ribbon more than any other prize at the meet. [3] While waiting at the sand pit, Zee noticed that Noah's left shoe was untied and flopping at the edge of the runway.

   [4] If Noah jumped like that, the shoe could catch on a running step, and the jump would most likely fall short of the sand. [5] Zee watched Noah step to the start line and felt the ribbon pulling in one direction and the shoe pulling in another. [6] At the last second, Zee called out that the shoe was untied.

   [7] Noah thanked Zee, tied the shoe with a quick double knot, and ran down the runway with long, steady strides. [8] Noah's jump landed three inches past Zee's best mark, and the judge handed Noah the first-place ribbon. [9] Zee shook Noah's hand, took the second-place ribbon, and said that the jump was a great one. [10] Back on the bench, Zee pinned the ribbon to a jacket and asked Noah how long Noah had trained.

6. 4.

   Jun compares the why under Zee's first and last responses. How does Zee's motive change from sentence 2 to sentence 6?

   • Zee wants the ribbon more than a fair jump from sentence 2 to sentence 6.
   • Zee starts out wanting the ribbon above all and ends up wanting a fair jump.
   • Zee starts out wanting the ribbon and ends up not caring about the meet.
   • Zee starts out wanting a fair jump and ends up wanting the ribbon above all.
7. 5.

   Kira follows the pushes. Which chain shows how Zee's choices and Noah's choices push each other?

   • Zee notices the untied shoe, Zee calls out, then Noah ties it and jumps farther.
   • Zee notices the untied shoe, Noah jumps farther, and Zee shakes Noah's hand.
   • Noah ties the shoe, Zee calls out, then Zee notices the untied shoe.
   • Zee notices the untied shoe, the judge asks Zee to speak, then Noah ties the shoe.
8. 6.

   Luz looks under the response. Which pair of motives explains why Zee calls out about the shoe?

   • Zee still wants the ribbon but wants to earn it in a fair contest.
   • Zee wants the judge to give Zee extra points for calling out.
   • Zee wants a fair contest at the end of the meet.
   • Zee wants Noah to win and wants to leave the meet early to go home.

9. The Fair Banners (story)

   [1] On Saturday morning, Jun promised Pia to help decorate the school hall for the spring fair, which started at two o'clock. [2] That same morning, Jun's cousin offered free tickets to a baseball game that began at one. [3] Jun wanted to see the game but did not want to break the promise to Pia.

   [4] Pia had planned the decorations for a whole month and kept glancing at the clock without mentioning the game. [5] While stringing lights along the stage, Jun asked how long the work would probably take. [6] Pia said that the lights and banners could be finished by half past twelve if both of them worked fast.

   [7] Jun nodded, climbed the ladder two steps at a time, and hung the banners at nearly twice the usual speed. [8] By half past twelve, the hall was glittering, and Pia thanked Jun with a wave. [9] Jun ran to catch the bus to the game and promised to bring Pia a program. [10] At the fair, Pia hung the program above the snack table and smiled at the banners.

10. 7.

    Milo compares the why under Jun's first and last responses. How does Jun's main motive change?

    • Jun starts out torn and ends up not caring about either the game or the promise.
    • Jun starts out wanting the promise more than the game and ends up wanting the game more than the promise.
    • Jun wants the game more than the promise from the first sentence to the last.
    • Jun starts out torn between the game and the promise and ends up working fast to keep both.
11. 8.

    Noah follows the pushes. Which chain shows how Jun's choices and Pia's choices push each other?

    • Jun asks how long the work will take, Pia names half past twelve, then Jun hangs banners fast.
    • Jun hangs banners fast, Pia names half past twelve, then Jun asks how long the work will take.
    • Jun asks how long the work will take, Pia tells Jun to leave, then Jun hangs banners fast.
    • Jun asks how long the work will take, then Jun hangs banners fast.
12. 9.

    Ren looks under the response. Which pair of motives explains why Pia names half past twelve?

    • Pia wants Jun to feel guilty and wants a program from the game.
    • Pia wants to leave early to buy snacks at the fair before the crowd arrives.
    • Pia wants Jun's help with the hall before the fair starts.
    • Pia wants Jun's help with the hall and does not want to keep Jun from the game.

13. The Circled Map (story)

    [1] On Monday, the teacher asked Ari to show a new student around the school during morning recess. [2] Ari sighed, because the soccer game had already started and Ari wanted to join it before the best positions were gone. [3] Milo, the new student, held a map folded into tiny squares and stared at the floor.

    [4] Ari walked fast and pointed out the library, the gym, and the cafeteria in less than five minutes. [5] Milo kept stumbling over questions and finally asked where to find the bathroom without looking up. [6] Ari slowed down and noticed that Milo's map had circles drawn around three rooms in pencil.

    [7] The circles marked the rooms Milo was worried about finding on the first day. [8] Ari took the pencil, walked to each circled room, and said the room number out loud. [9] When the bell rang, Milo thanked Ari quietly and asked whether tomorrow would be as easy. [10] Ari missed the soccer game that day but promised to meet Milo at the same corner the next morning.

14. 10.

    Zee looks under the response. Which pair of motives explains why Ari walks to each circled room?

    • Ari wants to draw more circles on the map and keep the pencil.
    • Ari wants Milo to find each room and wants Milo to stop feeling lost.
    • Ari wants the teacher to notice and wants to skip the soccer game.
    • Ari wants Milo to find each room on the first day of school.