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 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.
   • The bus that coughs and wipers that sound tired (personification), with the cold glass, build a weary, lonely mood.

3. Use this

   [1] Noah's laugh rang like a dropped tray of spoons. [2] The gym lights buzzed, and the smell of floor wax hung in the warm air. [3] Every sneaker squealed as the teams rushed down the court.

4. 2.

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

   • The repetition of the word gym, with the rushing teams, builds a lonely, empty mood in the room.
   • The personification of the lights, with the squealing sneakers on the court, builds a calm, patient mood.
   • The simile of a laugh like spoons, with the warm air and the smell of wax, builds a hushed, sleepy mood.
   • The simile of a laugh like spoons, with the buzzing, wax smell and squealing sneakers, builds a bright, noisy mood.

5. 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.

6. 3.

   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.
   • Short sentences and plain words (dripped, muttered, creaked), with time pictured as stopped, build a sad mood.
   • Slow verbs and soft sounds (dripped, muttered, creaked), with time pictured as dripping, build a drowsy, lazy mood.
   • Fast verbs and harsh sounds (dripped, muttered, creaked), with time pictured as rushing, build a tense mood.
7. 4.

   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 sat dark and silent. A cup of cocoa had gone cold on the table, and dust dulled the folded quilt.
   • The cabin glowed with firelight. A cup of cocoa had gone cold on the table, and dust dulled the folded quilt.
   • The cabin felt very cold and lonely. The cocoa was cold, and the quilt was old and sad on the couch.
   • The cabin sat dark and silent. Cocoa steamed on the table, and a quilt lay folded on the couch.
8. 5.

   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 shrieked, and the lights flicked on.
   • 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 chimed gently, and sunlight slid across the floor.
   • Footsteps pounded down the stairs. The alarm clock chimed gently, and sunlight slid across the floor.
9. 6.

   Zee raised the banner high, and cheers rolled across the field. Sunlight flashed on the brass buttons of every uniform. Luz must change the mood from triumphant to defeated by revising two details. Which revision changes the right two?

   • Zee felt defeated and sad, and the field felt gloomy. The uniforms were not bright, and the day was dull.
   • Zee dragged the banner low, and a thin silence settled over the field. Clouds dulled the brass buttons of every uniform.
   • Zee raised the banner high, and a thin silence settled over the field. Clouds dulled the brass buttons of every uniform.
   • Zee dragged the banner low, and cheers rolled across the field. Sunlight flashed on the brass buttons of every uniform.

10. 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.

11. 7.

    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 friendly, pleasant tone; B uses roared and falling pans for an overwhelming, harsh tone.
    • A uses hummed and small bells for a sad, lonely tone; B uses roared and falling pans for a cheerful, lively 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.

12. 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.

13. 8.

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

    • A uses neutral words and a glowing lamp for a calm tone; B uses cramped, gloomy and sputtering to add 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 cramped, gloomy and sputtering for a calm tone; B uses neutral words and a glowing lamp to add a sense of unease.
14. 9.

    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 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.
    • A uses weathered to suggest a harsh, cruel life; B uses wrinkled to suggest a gentle, peaceful one.
15. 10.

    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 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.
    • 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 a loud radio blared from a corner shelf of the attic.