How a plot builds, with flashbacks and hints

Grade 7 Reading Worksheet

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   The Cracked Drumstick (story)

   [1] In the school band room, Noah picked up a drumstick and noticed a thin crack running along the wooden tip. [2] The parade was a week away, and Noah decided that the stick would probably last until then. [3] Noah spent the afternoon tapping out the march rhythm on a practice pad.

   [4] During a break, Noah remembered the first drum lesson in third grade, when the teacher had held Noah's wrist and counted out loud. [5] Back then, the sticks had skipped off the drum, and the teacher had said that a drummer should keep a spare close. [6] Noah had followed that rule ever since and always carried a second pair in the drum case.

   [7] On parade day, Noah marched down the main street with the drum strapped across the chest. [8] Halfway along the route, the cracked stick split with a sharp snap, and the tip dropped to the pavement. [9] Noah slid a spare stick from the drum case without missing a beat. [10] The band kept its rhythm to the end of the street, and nobody in the crowd noticed the switch.

2. 1.

   Ari compares the flashback with the present story. Why does the story include the flashback?

   • It explains why Noah carries a spare stick, which matters when the cracked stick splits.
   • It shows the teacher holding Noah's wrist and counting out loud during the first drum lesson.
   • It shows that Noah has played the drums since the third grade.
   • It shows that Noah's teacher expected the cracked stick to break on parade day.
3. 2.

   Bo puts the events of “The Cracked Drumstick” in true time order. Which choice lists them in the order they actually happened?

   • First the drum lesson in third grade, then Noah noticed the crack, and finally the stick split on parade day.
   • First Noah noticed the crack, then the stick split on parade day, and finally the drum lesson in third grade.
   • First the drum lesson in third grade, then the stick split on parade day, and finally Noah noticed the crack.
   • First Noah noticed the crack, then the drum lesson in third grade, and finally the stick split on parade day.
4. 3.

   Esme matches a hint with its payoff. Which choice names the hint and the later event it points to?

   • Hint [3], payoff [8].
   • Hint [1], payoff [5].
   • Hint [8], payoff [1].
   • Hint [1], payoff [8].

5. The Patched Sail (story)

   [1] On the morning of the model boat race, Luz carried a small sailboat down to the pond, where other racers were already crowding the shore. [2] A square patch covered an old tear in the sail, and Luz ran a finger over the stitches before setting the boat in the water. [3] Everyone compared hulls and sails while waiting for the starting horn.

   [4] Three years earlier, Luz's uncle had helped build this boat in a garage that smelled of sawdust. [5] The first time it sailed, a gust had torn the sail along a seam, and Luz had nearly cried. [6] The uncle had stitched the tear with a curved needle and taught Luz how to patch fabric with tiny, even stitches.

   [7] At the pond, the horn sounded, and the boat skimmed across the water ahead of the other racers. [8] Midway across, a strong gust tore a new split along the edge of the sail, far from the patch. [9] Luz waded into the shallows, lifted the boat out of the water, and pulled a needle and thread from a pocket. [10] The quick stitches held, and the boat finished the race in second place.

6. 4.

   Kira puts the events of “The Patched Sail” in true time order. Which choice lists them in the order they actually happened?

   • First Luz noticed the patch, then Luz stitched a new tear, and finally the uncle taught Luz to stitch.
   • First the uncle taught Luz to stitch, then Luz stitched a new tear, and finally Luz noticed the patch.
   • First the uncle taught Luz to stitch, then Luz noticed the patch, and finally Luz stitched a new tear.
   • First Luz noticed the patch, then the uncle taught Luz to stitch, and finally Luz stitched a new tear.
7. 5.

   Milo matches a hint with its payoff. Which choice names the hint and the later event it points to?

   • Hint [2], payoff [8].
   • Hint [3], payoff [8].
   • Hint [8], payoff [2].
   • Hint [2], payoff [5].

8. The Talent Show Poem (story)

   [1] Backstage at the talent show, Milo whispered a poem to the mirror and stumbled over the third line for the fifth time. [2] The other performers waited in costumes, tuning guitars and straightening hats. [3] Milo folded the index card with the poem into a pocket instead of rereading it.

   [4] Two years earlier, in a fourth-grade classroom, Milo had frozen in front of a hushed audience in the middle of a different poem. [5] The teacher had walked over and tapped a slow beat on the desk until Milo found the next word. [6] Afterward, the teacher had said that rhythm can carry a lost line like a bridge.

   [7] Now, standing at the microphone, Milo began the poem steadily, and the audience leaned forward. [8] At the third line, Milo's mind went blank, and the hall filled with a long silence. [9] Milo tapped a slow beat against the side of the microphone stand, and the missing words came back. [10] The poem finished to warm applause, and Milo bowed with a relieved smile.

9. 6.

   Luz compares the flashback with the present story. Why does the story include the flashback?

   • It shows how a steady beat once rescued Milo, which explains Milo's fix during the show.
   • It shows that Milo's old teacher is waiting in the audience at the show.
   • It shows Milo freezing in a fourth-grade classroom in front of a hushed audience.
   • It shows that Milo has recited poems in front of an audience before.
10. 7.

    Noah puts the events of “The Talent Show Poem” in true time order. Which choice lists them in the order they actually happened?

    • First Milo froze in fourth grade, then Milo tapped a beat at the show, and finally Milo stumbled over the line backstage.
    • First Milo stumbled over the line backstage, then Milo froze in fourth grade, and finally Milo tapped a beat at the show.
    • First Milo froze in fourth grade, then Milo stumbled over the line backstage, and finally Milo tapped a beat at the show.
    • First Milo stumbled over the line backstage, then Milo tapped a beat at the show, and finally Milo froze in fourth grade.
11. 8.

    Pia matches a hint with its payoff. Which choice names the hint and the later event it points to?

    • Hint [2], payoff [8].
    • Hint [8], payoff [1].
    • Hint [1], payoff [8].
    • Hint [1], payoff [5].

12. The Jar of Seeds (story)

    [1] On the windowsill of the science room, Pia kept a glass jar of dried bean seeds labeled “for later.” [2] Classmates teased about the jar, and Pia only smiled and screwed the lid tight. [3] The class garden had just been planted, with neat rows of seedlings under a clear spring sky.

    [4] Pia remembered a spring three years back, when Grandma's garden had been washed out by an overnight storm. [5] The two of them had stood among the broken rows, and Grandma had gathered a handful of seeds from a coffee can in the shed. [6] Replanting had taken a whole weekend, but by summer the beans had climbed higher than the fence.

    [7] The following Monday, Pia arrived at school to find that heavy rain had pushed half of the seedlings flat in the mud. [8] The class stood at the garden fence, wondering whether they would have to wait until next year. [9] Pia hurried to the science room, brought back the jar, and held it up for everyone to see. [10] The class replanted the bare rows with Pia's seeds, and by June the beans were climbing the garden fence.

13. 9.

    Ren compares the flashback with the present story. Why does the story include the flashback?

    • It shows why Pia saves seeds in a jar, which matters when the class garden is flattened.
    • It shows Grandma gathering seeds from a coffee can in the shed.
    • It shows that Pia knew the class garden would be flattened by rain.
    • It shows that beans can climb higher than a fence.
14. 10.

    Tala puts the events of “The Jar of Seeds” in true time order. Which choice lists them in the order they actually happened?

    • First Grandma replanted her garden, then rain flattened the seedlings, and finally the class planted its garden.
    • First the class planted its garden, then rain flattened the seedlings, and finally Grandma replanted her garden.
    • First the class planted its garden, then Grandma replanted her garden, and finally rain flattened the seedlings.
    • First Grandma replanted her garden, then the class planted its garden, and finally rain flattened the seedlings.