Figures of speech and allusions
Grade 7 Reading Worksheet
Circle the best answer.
The old radiator coughed and grumbled all through math class. Kira kept working anyway. Zee reads both sentences. Which choice names the figure of speech and says what it suggests?
- personification: Kira worked through math class
- personification: the radiator ran quietly and smoothly
- personification: the radiator made loud, rough noises
- hyperbole: the radiator made loud, rough noises
The fog wrapped the street in a gray blanket. Ari reads the sentence. Why might the writer use a figure of speech here instead of plain words?
- It tells the reader that the fog was gray and covered the whole street, block after block.
- It shows the fog was so thick that people on the street could not breathe.
- It makes the fog feel thick and soft, covering the street the way a blanket does.
- It makes the fog feel hot and dangerous, as if the street were burning.
Read this first
Story card (fable by Aesop)
A hungry fox saw ripe grapes high on a vine. It jumped again and again but could not reach them. At last it walked away, saying the grapes were probably sour anyway.
Sentences: Noah did not make the team. Noah said the team was boring anyway, and Tala called it sour grapes.Bo reads the story card and the sentences. What does Tala mean by sour grapes?
- Noah is telling the truth that the team is boring and not worth joining.
- Noah is pretending not to want something that Noah could not get.
- Noah tried again and again to reach something high that stayed out of reach.
- Noah is starting something that will cause many troubles that cannot be undone.
By the time the bus came, Pia had waited a million years. The bus was ten minutes late. Esme reads both sentences. Which choice names the figure of speech and says what it suggests?
- hyperbole: the wait felt far longer than it was
- hyperbole: the bus arrived ten minutes late
- hyperbole: the wait felt shorter than it was
- personification: the wait felt far longer than it was
Milo's inbox had a million messages waiting after the long weekend. Jun reads the sentence. Why might the writer use a figure of speech here instead of plain words?
- It gives the exact number of messages Milo received during the long weekend.
- It tells the reader that Milo received a large number of messages over the weekend.
- It stresses how huge the pile of messages felt to Milo.
- It shows Milo gave up and did not read any of them.
Tala's notebook was a treasure map. Doodles, arrows and stars pointed toward the answers. Luz reads both sentences. Which choice names the figure of speech and says what it suggests?
- metaphor: Tala drew doodles, arrows and stars in the margins of the notebook
- metaphor: the notebook's marks confused Tala about where the answers were
- metaphor: the notebook's marks guided Tala to the answers
- simile: the notebook's marks guided Tala to the answers
The first notes of the violin rose like birds leaving a branch. Milo reads the sentence. Why might the writer use a figure of speech here instead of plain words?
- It makes the notes feel heavy and slow, like a stone sinking in a pond.
- It tells the reader that the violin played its first notes at the start of the piece.
- It shows that the music made the whole audience want to fly.
- It makes the notes feel light and free, as if they lifted off together.
Noah's thoughts raced around like pinballs. Each one bounced off the next before it could settle. Pia reads both sentences. Which choice names the figure of speech and says what it suggests?
- simile: Noah's thoughts stayed calm and settled in one place
- simile: Noah was playing a pinball game
- metaphor: Noah's thoughts moved fast and bounced between ideas
- simile: Noah's thoughts moved fast and bounced between ideas
The old swing sighed whenever the wind pushed it, and Kira listened from the porch. Tala reads the sentence. Why might the writer use a figure of speech here instead of plain words?
- It gives the swing a tired, sad feeling, as if it were a person.
- It shows that the swing was alive and wanted to leave.
- It makes the swing sound new and happy, ready to be played on.
- It tells the reader that the swing made a sound when the wind pushed it.
Story card (Greek myth)
The Titan Atlas was condemned to hold up the sky on his shoulders. Statues often show him bent under the heavy weight.
Sentence: Running the class fundraiser alone, Bo felt like Atlas, holding up the whole sky.Ren reads the story card and the sentence. What does the comparison to Atlas say about Bo's feeling?
- Bo was chasing something just out of reach.
- Bo found the job light and easy, like carrying a feather.
- Bo is a giant who lives in the sky above the school.
- Bo felt weighed down by a huge responsibility.