Show it with sights, sounds and smells

Grade 7 Reading Worksheet - Challenge Me

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   Use this

   [1] The old bus coughed twice and shuddered to the curb. [2] Rain stitched silver lines across the window. [3] Tala pressed a cold forehead to the glass and listened to the wipers beat their tired rhythm.

2. 1.

   Ari explains how the writer builds the mood. Which explanation names two craft choices and what they do together?

   • The rhyme and repetition in the sentences, together with the cold glass, build a cheerful, playful, carefree, silly mood.
   • The bus that coughs and wipers that sound tired (personification), with the cold glass, build a weary, lonely mood.
   • The loud noise of the bus and the wipers, together with the rain on the window, build an excited mood.
   • The comparison of rain to silver lines, together with the quiet curb, builds a joyful, hopeful mood.

3. Use this

   [1] The afternoon dripped slowly from the porch roof, one warm hour at a time. [2] Bees muttered in the clover, and the swing creaked in a lazy half circle. [3] Ren's eyelids drooped as the pages of the book turned themselves in the breeze.

4. 2.

   Esme explains how the writer builds the mood. Which explanation names two craft choices and what they do together?

   • Bright colors and loud sounds (dripped, muttered, creaked), with bees pictured as angry, build a restless mood.
   • Fast verbs and harsh sounds (dripped, muttered, creaked), with time pictured as rushing, build a tense mood.
   • Slow verbs and soft sounds (dripped, muttered, creaked), with time pictured as dripping, build a drowsy, lazy mood.
   • Short sentences and plain words (dripped, muttered, creaked), with time pictured as stopped, build a sad mood.
5. 3.

   The cabin glowed with firelight. Cocoa steamed on the table, and a quilt lay folded on the couch. Jun must change the mood from cozy to abandoned by revising two details. Which revision changes the right two?

   • The cabin felt very cold and lonely. The cocoa was cold, and the quilt was old and sad on the couch.
   • The cabin glowed with firelight. A cup of cocoa had gone cold on the table, and dust dulled the folded quilt.
   • The cabin sat dark and silent. Cocoa steamed on the table, and a quilt lay folded on the couch.
   • The cabin sat dark and silent. A cup of cocoa had gone cold on the table, and dust dulled the folded quilt.
6. 4.

   Footsteps pounded down the stairs. The alarm clock shrieked, and the lights flicked on. Kira must change the mood from frantic to calm by revising two details. Which revision changes the right two?

   • Footsteps padded softly down the stairs. The alarm clock chimed gently, and sunlight slid across the floor.
   • The morning was calm and quiet. The stairs were calm, and the alarm clock was quiet and gentle.
   • Footsteps padded softly down the stairs. The alarm clock shrieked, and the lights flicked on.
   • Footsteps pounded down the stairs. The alarm clock chimed gently, and sunlight slid across the floor.

7. Use this

   A: The cafeteria hummed with chatter, and trays clinked like small bells. B: The cafeteria roared with noise, and trays crashed like falling pans.

8. 5.

   Milo compares two descriptions of the same place. Which explanation names the word choices and their effect?

   • A uses hummed and small bells for a sad, lonely tone; B uses roared and falling pans for a cheerful, lively tone.
   • A uses hummed and small bells for a friendly, pleasant tone; B uses roared and falling pans for an overwhelming, harsh tone.
   • A and B describe the same noise, so just the length of the sentences, and not the tone, is different in each.
   • A uses roared and falling pans for a friendly, pleasant tone; B uses hummed and small bells for a harsh, overwhelming tone.

9. Use this

   A: The alley was narrow and shadowed, with a single lamp glowing yellow. B: The alley was cramped and gloomy, with a single lamp sputtering.

10. 6.

    Noah compares two descriptions of the same place. Which explanation names the word choices and their effect?

    • A uses cramped, gloomy and sputtering for a calm tone; B uses neutral words and a glowing lamp to add a sense of unease.
    • A and B name the same lamp and the same alley, so the writer's attitude toward the alley is the same.
    • A uses a glowing lamp to suggest danger, and B uses a sputtering lamp to suggest a safe, welcoming place.
    • A uses neutral words and a glowing lamp for a calm tone; B uses cramped, gloomy and sputtering to add unease.
11. 7.

    A: Grandfather's hands were weathered and strong. B: Grandfather's hands were wrinkled and shaky. Pia compares two descriptions of the same person. Which explanation names the word choices and their effect?

    • A and B both describe an older man's hands, so the writer's feeling toward Grandfather is unchanged.
    • A uses weathered to suggest a harsh, cruel life; B uses wrinkled to suggest a gentle, peaceful one.
    • A uses wrinkled and shaky to suggest a lifetime of sturdy work; B uses weathered and strong to suggest frailty.
    • A uses weathered and strong to suggest a lifetime of sturdy work; B uses wrinkled and shaky to suggest frailty.
12. 8.

    The big, old, dark, quiet, dusty attic was full of lots of things and stuff, and it smelled bad. Ren wants a forgotten, gently sad mood. Which revision keeps the strongest details and cuts the clutter?

    • Dust lay thick on the trunks, and a loud radio blared from a corner shelf of the attic.
    • The attic was a sad, lonely place that made Luz feel forgotten and a bit lost in the dust.
    • Dust lay thick on the trunks, and the attic smelled of cedar and old paper.
    • The big, old, dark attic was very quiet and very dusty and held many old things and stuff.

13. Draft

    The fair at night was a big, loud, bright, colorful, crowded, exciting place with lots of lights and music and stuff.

14. 9.

    Tala wants a bright, festive mood. Which revision keeps the strongest details and cuts the clutter?

    • The fair was an exciting, happy place that made Tala feel joyful and thrilled to be there.
    • The fair at night was a big, loud, bright, colorful, crowded place with many lights, music and stuff.
    • Colored lights spun on the ferris wheel, and the smell of popcorn floated over the brass band.
    • Colored lights spun on the ferris wheel, and the band packed away its horns in the dark.
15. 10.

    The long, gray, cold, empty, windy platform was a nervous, tense, uneasy place full of things and people. Zee wants a tense, waiting mood. Which revision keeps the strongest details and cuts the clutter?

    • The long, gray, cold, empty platform was a nervous, tense place full of things and people.
    • The platform was a tense place where Milo felt nervous and worried about the train arriving late.
    • The platform clock jumped forward a minute, and Milo watched the empty rails for a headlight.
    • The platform clock jumped forward a minute, and Milo hummed a happy tune while buying a snack.