Words that mean almost the same thing
Grade 7 Reading Worksheet - Building Confidence
Circle the best answer.
“Soft cotton knit. This sweater is ____ enough to wear all day without feeling weighed down.” Bo reads a shop tag. The shop wants shoppers to feel good about the sweater. Which word fits best?
- light
- skimpy
- flimsy
- thin
“The mayor ____ that the old bridge will reopen on Friday.” Esme reads a news line. The reporter wants to report the statement plainly, with no opinion. Which word fits?
- bragged
- said
- alleged
- confessed
“When I asked where my package was, the driver was ____ and walked away before I finished my question.” Jun reads a customer's fair complaint about a delivery driver. Which word fits best?
- crabby
- preoccupied
- dismissive
- accommodating
Relaxed, casual, careless, negligent. Kira puts four words in order from the most admiring to the most critical. Which list is right?
- relaxed, careless, casual, negligent
- negligent, careless, casual, relaxed
- relaxed, casual, negligent, careless
- relaxed, casual, careless, negligent
Pleased, proud, boastful, arrogant. Luz puts four words in order from the most admiring to the most critical. Which list is right?
- arrogant, boastful, proud, pleased
- pleased, boastful, proud, arrogant
- pleased, proud, arrogant, boastful
- pleased, proud, boastful, arrogant
Polite, formal, stiff, cold. Milo puts four words in order from the most admiring to the most critical. Which list is right?
- polite, formal, stiff, cold
- polite, formal, cold, stiff
- cold, stiff, formal, polite
- polite, stiff, formal, cold
“The coach urged the team to finish the drill.” Changed: “The coach pressured the team to finish the drill.” Pia changes the word urged to pressured. What changes for the reader?
- Pressured makes the coach sound gentler and more supportive of the team, as if the coach were helping them.
- Pressured suggests unwelcome force, so the coach sounds demanding, though the same drill is asked for.
- The team now does a different drill, so the facts of the sentence change from the first version.
- Nothing changes, because urged and pressured both mean the coach asked the team to finish.
“The librarian reminded students to return their books.” Changed: “The librarian nagged students to return their books.” Ren changes the word reminded to nagged. What changes for the reader?
- Nagged makes the librarian sound patient and kind to the students, as if the librarian were being gentle.
- The librarian now asks about a different set of books, so the facts of the sentence change in the second version.
- Nagged suggests the librarian keeps repeating the request in an annoying way, though the request is the same.
- Nothing changes, because reminded and nagged both mean the librarian asked about the books.
Read this first
Original
“Noah's room was cozy, with just enough space for a bed and a desk.” Changed: “Noah's room was cramped, with just enough space for a bed and a desk.”
Tala changes the word cozy to cramped. What changes for the reader?
- Nothing changes, because cozy and cramped both mean the room is small, and the size is what the sentence reports to the reader.
- Cramped makes the room sound more comfortable and welcoming than cozy does.
- The room is now a different size, so the facts of the sentence change.
- Cramped makes the small size feel like a problem, though cozy and cramped both describe the same small room.
“After the song, the crowd drifted toward the stage.” Changed: “After the song, the crowd swarmed toward the stage.” Zee changes the word drifted to swarmed. What changes for the reader?
- Nothing changes, because drifted and swarmed both mean the crowd moved to the stage.
- A different crowd is now moving toward a different stage, so the facts of the sentence change in the second version.
- Swarmed makes the crowd sound calm and unhurried, more than drifted does.
- Swarmed makes the crowd sound pushy and overwhelming, though the same people still move to the stage.