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.
Ari wants a motive and two clues. Which choice gives Esme's motive for the sticky notes and the sentences that show it?
- Esme wants Jun to draw the water cycle diagram. Clues: [2] and [6].
- Esme wants a clear plan so the project does not fall apart. Clues: [2] and [6].
- Esme wants a clear plan so the project does not fall apart. Clues: [2] and [9].
- Esme wants Jun's ideas included in the poster. Clues: [2] and [6].
Kira follows the push. How does Esme's sticky note push Jun to respond?
- Jun's frown makes Esme label the sticky note “colors only.”
- 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.
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 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 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 [8].
Milo follows the push. How does Luz's explanation push Kira to respond?
- Luz's explanation makes Kira play the whole concert without a single slip.
- Luz says stopping loses the swing, so Kira brings a chart that fixes only the worst measures.
- Luz's explanation makes Kira stop caring about mistakes entirely, even at the concert.
- Kira's chart makes Luz explain that stopping so often loses the swing of the music.
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 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 [9].
- 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 [5].
Noah compares the whys. Which choice states what Ari and Bo each want and why?
- Ari wants the window bunk to see the stars; Bo wants it to cool off in a stuffy cabin.
- Ari wants the window bunk to see the stars; Bo just wants to sleep under the ceiling fan.
- Ari and Bo both want the window bunk to see the stars.
- Ari wants the window bunk to cool off in a stuffy cabin; Bo wants it to see the stars.
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.
- Ari offers to switch nights, so Bo presses a palm to the cool glass of the window.
- Bo's move makes Ari lie under the ceiling fan each night for the rest of camp.
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 [5].
- Pia wants to take ten shots at Tala in goal. Clues: [3] and [5].
- Pia wants to dive and stop shots like a goalie. Clues: [3] and [5].
- Pia wants the team to keep scoring goals. Clues: [3] and [9].
Zee compares the whys. Which choice states what Tala and Pia each want and why?
- Tala and Pia both want to play goalie on the lunchtime team.
- Tala wants to use the saves practiced all summer; Pia wants the team to keep scoring.
- 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 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 take ten shots at Pia in goal.
- The question leaves Tala without an answer, so Tala goes quiet.
- Pia's question makes Tala give up the goalie tryout for good.
- Tala's silence makes Pia ask who would score if Tala moved to the net.