Figures of speech and allusions

Grade 7 Reading Worksheet - Building Confidence

Circle the best answer.

1. 1.

   “After the relay, Milo's legs felt like wet noodles. Link card: Words “felt like wet noodles” → Meaning: ________” Ari reads this sentence. Which choice names the figure of speech and says what it suggests?

   • simile: Milo's legs felt weak and wobbly
   • simile: Milo's legs had turned into real noodles
   • metaphor: Milo's legs felt weak and wobbly
   • simile: Milo had just finished a relay
2. 2.

   “Kira's voice was a bell across the playground. Link card: Words “voice was a bell” → What both share: ________” Bo reads this sentence. What do the two things in the comparison share?

   • Both are found on a playground.
   • Both are made of metal.
   • Both ring out clearly.
   • Both are soft and easy to miss.
3. 3.

   “During the pep rally, the gym was a beehive. Link card: Words “the gym was a beehive” → Meaning: ________” Jun reads this sentence. Which choice names the figure of speech and says what it suggests?

   • metaphor: a pep rally was held in the gym that afternoon
   • metaphor: the gym was full of real bees buzzing around
   • simile: the gym was busy, crowded and buzzing with noise
   • metaphor: the gym was busy, crowded and buzzing with noise

4. Read this first

   Sentence

   In class, Noah's answer was as clear as glass.
   Link card: Words “as clear as glass” → What both share: ________

5. 4.

   Kira reads this sentence. What do the two things in the comparison share?

   • Both are smooth, hard and cool to touch.
   • Both are cloudy, dull and hard to follow.
   • Both are clear: easy to see through or understand.
   • Both can be found in a classroom at school.

6. Story card (Greek myth)

   In a well-known retelling, Pandora was told not to open a sealed jar (later called a box). Curious, she lifted the lid, and many troubles flew out into the world. Only hope stayed inside.
   Sentence: Tala warned, “If you read those old group messages, you will open Pandora's box.”
   Link card: Story → what the story points to: ________

7. 5.

   Luz reads the story card and the sentence. What does the allusion suggest?

   • Reading them could set off many troubles that are hard to stop.
   • Reading them is something a curious person would do, like Pandora.
   • The old messages are stored inside a real jar with a lid.
   • Reading them would make the old problems disappear for good.
8. 6.

   “All the way to school, the wind tugged at Kira's hat. Link card: Words “the wind tugged” → Meaning: ________” Milo reads this sentence. Which choice names the figure of speech and says what it suggests?

   • simile: the wind pulled hard at the hat
   • personification: the wind had hands and held the hat
   • personification: Kira walked to school the whole way
   • personification: the wind pulled hard at the hat
9. 7.

   “At sunrise, the lake was a mirror. Link card: Words “the lake was a mirror” → What both share: ________” Noah reads this sentence. What do the two things in the comparison share?

   • Both are rough, choppy and full of waves.
   • Both are smooth and give back a reflection.
   • Both have a frame around the edge, like a picture.
   • Both appear at sunrise, early in the day.

10. Story card (Greek myth)

    The gods punished King Sisyphus. He had to push a huge boulder up a hill, but each time he nearly reached the top, it rolled back down, so he had to start again.
    Sentence: Sweeping the leaves was a Sisyphean job, because the wind kept dropping new ones on the path.
    Link card: Story → what the story points to: ________

11. 8.

    Pia reads the story card and the sentence. What does the allusion suggest?

    • The job was quick and easy to finish by lunch.
    • The job kept starting over, so it never got finished.
    • The job meant pushing a huge boulder up a hill.
    • The job was a punishment handed out by the gods.
12. 9.

    “By Friday, Luz's backpack weighed a ton. Link card: Words “weighed a ton” → Meaning: ________” Ren reads this sentence. Which choice names the figure of speech and says what it suggests?

    • metaphor: the backpack was extremely heavy
    • hyperbole: the backpack weighed two thousand pounds
    • hyperbole: the school week was almost over
    • hyperbole: the backpack was extremely heavy

13. Story card (fable by Aesop)

    A fast hare laughs at a slow tortoise, and they race. The hare dashes ahead and naps. The tortoise keeps plodding and wins.
    Sentence: At the spelling bee, Tala's slow, steady practice beat the flashy cramming of the others, a real Tortoise and the Hare ending.
    Link card: Story → what the story points to: ________

14. 10.

    Zee reads the story card and the sentence. What does the allusion suggest?

    • Steady effort over time beat fast but careless effort.
    • Tala raced a tortoise at the spelling bee last week.
    • Tala fell asleep during the spelling bee, like the hare.
    • Quick, flashy work beats slow and steady practice.