Show it with sights, sounds and smells

Grade 7 Reading Worksheet - Building Confidence

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   Use this

   [1] Kira pushed open the door of the bakery at dawn. [2] Trays of rolls cooled on the racks, and the ovens ticked as they warmed.

2. 1.

   Ari adds a smell detail. Which added sentence gives a smell and fits the cozy mood?

   • The scent of cinnamon and warm butter drifted across the counter.
   • The shelves were stacked high with paper bags and red ribbon for the morning rush.
   • The air smelled of wet cardboard and old gym socks.
   • The radio hummed a slow tune from the back room.

3. Use this

   [1] Tala stepped onto the frozen pond in the gray light. [2] The ice looked smooth, but the far shore seemed very distant.

4. 2.

   Bo adds a sound detail. Which added sentence gives a sound and fits the uneasy mood?

   • Somewhere under Tala's boots, the ice gave a long, low groan.
   • Cheerful skaters laughed and clapped at the far shore.
   • A warm breeze carried the smell of woodsmoke from the cabins.
   • The ice looked pale and smooth under the thin gray sky.

5. Use this

   [1] Milo walked slowly along the edge of the castle courtyard. [2] The sun had not reached the stones yet, and the air felt still.

6. 3.

   Esme adds a touch detail. Which added sentence gives a touch and fits the cold, old mood?

   • The wall felt rough and cold, and grit stuck to Milo's palm.
   • The wall felt smooth and warm, like a blanket in the sun.
   • Far away, a church bell rang twice and went quiet.
   • The wall was gray and covered with patches of green moss and pale lichen.

7. Use this

   [1] The clock above the gym door ticked louder than the whistle. [2] Noah's sneakers squeaked as the ball bounced twice, three times, four. [3] Nobody in the bleachers moved or coughed.

8. 4.

   Jun names the mood. Which choice names the mood and a strong clue for it?

   • Cheerful, because a crowd has gathered in the gym to watch a game together.
   • Tense, because the sneakers squeak on the floor while the ball is bouncing.
   • Bored, because the ball bounces again and again without anything changing for the crowd.
   • Tense, because the loud ticking and the silent crowd show that everyone is waiting.

9. Use this

   [1] Ari ran a thumb over the faded sticker on the old bike frame. [2] The garage smelled of oil and summers long past. [3] The tires were flat, and a spider had spun a web between the handlebars.

10. 5.

    Kira names the mood. Which choice names the mood and a strong clue for it?

    • Angry, because the flat tires and the spider web show that someone ignored the old bike for years.
    • Wistful, because the faded sticker and long-past summers show Ari missing earlier times.
    • Wistful, because a spider has spun a web between the handlebars and the front wheel of the bike.
    • Excited, because a bike is a fun thing to ride and Ari is touching it again after a long time.
11. 6.

    Milo wants a sentence that shows Luz is nervous without saying it. Which one works?

    • Luz sat at the desk and looked at the page for a while, then at the window, then at the page.
    • Luz's pencil tapped the desk faster than the clock ticked, and the page stayed blank.
    • Luz felt very nervous about the test, and Luz could not concentrate on a single question.
    • Luz was so nervous that Luz was shaking from head to toe, and Luz's stomach was twisting up tight.
12. 7.

    Pia wants a sentence that shows Bo is excited without saying it. Which one works?

    • Bo was excited and happy to see the show at the gate and could hardly wait to go inside.
    • Bo stood at the gate and waited for a little while, holding the ticket and looking around.
    • Bo felt a thrilled, jumpy feeling in the stomach and the legs while standing at the gate.
    • Bo bounced on both heels at the gate, and the ticket crumpled in a tight fist.
13. 8.

    [1] The old hound rose slowly from the rug. [2] It ___ across the yard, stopping twice to rest. Ren picks the most precise word. Which word fits the scene?

    • pranced
    • sprinted
    • shuffled
    • went
14. 9.

    [1] Pia had saved the last cookie all afternoon. [2] Pia ___ it in tiny bites, making each one last. Tala picks the most precise word. Which word fits the scene?

    • ate
    • nibbled
    • gulped
    • devoured
15. 10.

    [1] The storm had passed, and the street was quiet again. [2] Sunlight ___ on the wet pavement. Zee picks the most precise word. Which word fits the scene?

    • sat
    • hit
    • glittered
    • stampeded