Why characters act as they do
Grade 7 Reading Worksheet
Circle the best answer.
Read this first
The Water Cycle Poster (story)
[1] Esme and Jun were partners for a poster about the water cycle, and the due date was Friday. [2] On Monday, Esme drew a full layout on a big sheet and assigned each part with a sticky note. [3] Jun looked at the sticky note labeled “colors only” and set down the markers.
[4] Esme saw Jun's frown and said that the plan was already finished, so there was no time to change it. [5] Jun explained that in third grade, a group leader had made all the choices, and Jun's ideas had never been used. [6] Esme remembered a project last spring that had fallen apart when no one had a clear plan.
[7] After a pause, Esme peeled off the sticky note and asked Jun to sketch the water cycle diagram. [8] Jun smiled, picked up a pencil, and drew arrows for evaporation and rain. [9] By Wednesday, the poster had Esme's layout and Jun's diagram, and neither partner needed to remind the other of the deadline.
Bo compares the whys. Which choice states what Esme and Jun each want and why?
- Esme wants a say because ideas were ignored before; Jun wants a clear plan because a project once fell apart.
- Esme wants a clear plan because a project once fell apart; Jun wants a say because ideas were ignored before.
- Esme wants a clear plan because a project once fell apart; Jun just wants to color with the markers.
- Esme and Jun both want to finish early because the poster is due on Friday.
Kira follows the push. How does Esme's sticky note push Jun to respond?
- Esme's sticky note makes Jun draw the water cycle diagram right away, without a word.
- The note labeled “colors only” leaves Jun's ideas out, so Jun sets down the markers.
- The note makes Jun decide to quit the project and work alone on a separate poster.
- Jun's frown makes Esme label the sticky note “colors only.”
The Spring Duet (story)
[1] Kira and Luz were chosen to play a piano duet at the spring concert. [2] At every rehearsal, Kira stopped at each small mistake and started the measure over, while a wrong-note sheet from last year's contest curled out of Kira's music folder. [3] Luz tapped a foot and asked to play the piece through once without stopping.
[4] Kira frowned and said that mistakes would sound worse in front of an audience. [5] Luz explained that stopping so often made it hard to feel the music, and the tune lost its swing. [6] The next day, Kira brought a chart and suggested playing the piece through twice, then fixing only the worst measures.
[7] Luz agreed and promised to slow down on the fast part where the mistakes happened. [8] At the concert, the duet flowed from start to finish with only one small slip. [9] Kira smiled at the slip, and Luz gave a quick nod to the audience.
Esme wants a motive and two clues. Which choice gives Kira's motive for stopping at each mistake and the sentences that show it?
- Kira wants to feel the music without stopping. Clues: [2] and [4].
- Kira wants every note right so there is no wrong-note mark again. Clues: [2] and [4].
- Kira wants the concert to flow with only one small slip. Clues: [2] and [4].
- Kira wants every note right so there is no wrong-note mark again. Clues: [2] and [8].
Jun compares the whys. Which choice states what Kira and Luz each want and why?
- Kira wants every note right because of last year's wrong-note sheet; Luz just wants to leave the rehearsal early.
- Kira and Luz both want to rush through the piece so the rehearsal ends early.
- Kira wants to feel the music without stopping; Luz wants every note right because of last year's wrong-note sheet.
- Kira wants every note right because of last year's wrong-note sheet; Luz wants to feel the music without stopping.
The Window Bunk (story)
[1] On the first evening at camp, Ari and Bo stood in the cabin and looked at two empty bunks. [2] One bunk sat beside the big window, and the other sat in the middle of the room under a slow ceiling fan. [3] Ari rushed to the window bunk and pointed at the sky, where the first stars were showing.
[4] Bo walked over to the same bunk and pressed a palm against the cool glass of the window. [5] Bo mentioned that the cabin felt stuffy, and the glass was the coolest spot in the room. [6] Ari looked at the stars, then at Bo's flushed face, and said that the window bunk was a good one.
[7] After thinking for a moment, Ari suggested that the two switch every night, with the stars first. [8] Bo agreed, and the two set a small card on the wall to keep track of whose turn it was. [9] On the second night, Bo lay under the ceiling fan and listened to Ari describing the constellations.
Luz wants a motive and two clues. Which choice gives Bo's motive for pressing a palm against the window glass and the sentences that show it?
- Bo wants to see the stars from the window bunk. Clues: [4] and [5].
- Bo wants to cool off in a stuffy cabin. Clues: [4] and [9].
- Bo wants to lie under the ceiling fan on the second night. Clues: [4] and [5].
- Bo wants to cool off in a stuffy cabin. Clues: [4] and [5].
Noah compares the whys. Which choice states what Ari and Bo each want and why?
- Ari wants the window bunk to cool off in a stuffy cabin; Bo wants it to see the stars.
- Ari and Bo both want the window bunk to see the stars.
- Ari wants the window bunk to see the stars; Bo just wants to sleep under the ceiling fan.
- Ari wants the window bunk to see the stars; Bo wants it to cool off in a stuffy cabin.
Pia follows the push. How does Bo's move to the window push Ari to respond?
- Bo's move makes Ari give up the stars for the rest of camp and stop looking at them.
- Bo presses a palm to the glass and says the cabin is stuffy, so Ari offers to switch nights.
- Bo's move makes Ari lie under the ceiling fan each night for the rest of camp.
- Ari offers to switch nights, so Bo presses a palm to the cool glass of the window.
The Goalie Tryout (story)
[1] Tala and Pia had played striker together on the lunchtime soccer team since September. [2] When the coach announced tryouts for goalie, Tala raised a hand before the coach finished speaking. [3] Pia stared at Tala and said that the team needed Tala at striker, where Tala had scored most of the goals this season.
[4] Tala kicked at a dandelion in the grass and said that goalies got to dive and stop shots, which was what Tala had practiced all summer. [5] Pia crossed both arms and asked who would score if Tala moved to the net. [6] Tala had no answer and went quiet for a while.
[7] At the next practice, Pia stood at striker and took ten shots at Tala in goal. [8] After the last shot, Pia admitted that watching Tala make saves was more fun than scoring. [9] Pia asked the coach to let Tala try both positions, and the coach agreed to give each of them a turn.
Ren wants a motive and two clues. Which choice gives Pia's motive for asking who would score and the sentences that show it?
- Pia wants the team to keep scoring goals. Clues: [3] and [9].
- Pia wants to take ten shots at Tala in goal. Clues: [3] and [5].
- Pia wants the team to keep scoring goals. Clues: [3] and [5].
- Pia wants to dive and stop shots like a goalie. Clues: [3] and [5].
Zee compares the whys. Which choice states what Tala and Pia each want and why?
- Tala wants the team to keep scoring; Pia wants to use the saves practiced all summer.
- Tala wants to use the saves practiced all summer; Pia wants the team to keep scoring.
- Tala and Pia both want to play goalie on the lunchtime team.
- Tala wants to use the saves practiced all summer; Pia just wants to practice taking shots.
Ari follows the push. How does Pia's question about who would score push Tala to respond?
- Pia's question makes Tala give up the goalie tryout for good.
- Pia's question makes Tala take ten shots at Pia in goal.
- The question leaves Tala without an answer, so Tala goes quiet.
- Tala's silence makes Pia ask who would score if Tala moved to the net.