Summarize an article fairly
Grade 7 Reading Worksheet
Circle the best answer.
Read this first
From Clay to Cup (article)
[1] Potters begin with wet clay, which is soft enough to press and shape into a bowl, a cup or a vase. [2] The shaped piece must then dry slowly, because water leaves the clay as it dries. [3] If it dries too fast or unevenly, the piece can warp or crack before it ever reaches the kiln.
[4] Once dry, the piece is fired in a kiln, which is a special oven. [5] Heat changes the clay itself, driving out the last water locked inside and fusing the tiny particles together. [6] After firing, the clay is hard and cannot be turned back into soft mud.
[7] A fired piece is still full of tiny pores, so it can leak. [8] To seal it, the potter coats the surface with glaze, a liquid mixture that melts into a glassy skin. [9] The piece then goes back into the kiln for a second firing.
[10] A glaze can also add color and pattern, and potters mix their own to get the shades they want. [11] Different glazes need different firing temperatures, so potters test small samples first. [12] Many potters keep notes on each test so a good result can be repeated.
Jun is writing a summary for a class page. Which summary tells both central ideas and adds no opinion?
- Wet clay is shaped, dried slowly so that it does not crack, and then fired in a kiln, where heat changes the clay itself and makes it permanently hard.
- Clay is shaped and dried slowly, then fired until it is hard, and a glaze, which potters mix themselves and test on small samples at different temperatures, is added afterward.
- Clay is shaped, dried slowly and fired in a kiln until it is permanently hard, and a glaze seals and colors it, which makes pottery the most rewarding craft there is.
- Clay is shaped, dried slowly and fired in a kiln until it is permanently hard, and a glaze melted on in a second firing seals the surface and adds color.
From Clay to Cup (article)
[1] Potters begin with wet clay, which is soft enough to press and shape into a bowl, a cup or a vase. [2] The shaped piece must then dry slowly, because water leaves the clay as it dries. [3] If it dries too fast or unevenly, the piece can warp or crack before it ever reaches the kiln.
[4] Once dry, the piece is fired in a kiln, which is a special oven. [5] Heat changes the clay itself, driving out the last water locked inside and fusing the tiny particles together. [6] After firing, the clay is hard and cannot be turned back into soft mud.
[7] A fired piece is still full of tiny pores, so it can leak. [8] To seal it, the potter coats the surface with glaze, a liquid mixture that melts into a glassy skin. [9] The piece then goes back into the kiln for a second firing.
[10] A glaze can also add color and pattern, and potters mix their own to get the shades they want. [11] Different glazes need different firing temperatures, so potters test small samples first. [12] Many potters keep notes on each test so a good result can be repeated. Draft: Firing is the most magical step, and it makes the cup hard forever.
Kira wants the draft sentence to sound objective. Which rewrite removes the opinion and keeps the main point?
- Firing is one of the steps that potters use to make a cup.
- Firing changes the clay itself, so the cup becomes permanently hard.
- Firing is a wonderful step that makes the cup hard forever.
- Firing changes the clay itself, so the cup becomes hard and waterproof without any glaze.
Finding an Earthquake (article)
[1] An earthquake begins when rock deep underground slips suddenly along a crack. [2] The slip sends out waves of energy that travel through Earth in all directions. [3] Two main kinds reach the surface first: P waves and S waves.
[4] P waves travel faster, so they arrive at a recording station before S waves do. [5] They push and pull the ground in the direction they travel. [6] S waves are slower and shake the ground from side to side.
[7] A seismograph records these waves, and the gap between the first P wave and the first S wave grows with the distance from the quake. [8] The size of that gap therefore tells scientists how far away the earthquake was. [9] One station cannot say in which direction the earthquake happened, only how far away.
[10] To find the location, scientists compare results from at least three stations. [11] They draw a circle around each station with the distance as its radius. [12] The point where the circles cross marks the epicenter, the spot on the surface directly above where the rock slipped. Draft: An earthquake sends out fast P waves and slower S waves. A station records both, and the gap between their arrivals shows how far away the quake was.
Milo's draft summary tells only one central idea. Which statement is the missing idea?
- Using three stations is a brilliant way to solve a hard problem.
- Scientists can find the epicenter with two stations if the quake is strong enough.
- The epicenter is the spot on the surface directly above where the rock slipped.
- Scientists compare results from at least three stations, and the circles they draw around the stations cross at the epicenter.
Finding an Earthquake (article)
[1] An earthquake begins when rock deep underground slips suddenly along a crack. [2] The slip sends out waves of energy that travel through Earth in all directions. [3] Two main kinds reach the surface first: P waves and S waves.
[4] P waves travel faster, so they arrive at a recording station before S waves do. [5] They push and pull the ground in the direction they travel. [6] S waves are slower and shake the ground from side to side.
[7] A seismograph records these waves, and the gap between the first P wave and the first S wave grows with the distance from the quake. [8] The size of that gap therefore tells scientists how far away the earthquake was. [9] One station cannot say in which direction the earthquake happened, only how far away.
[10] To find the location, scientists compare results from at least three stations. [11] They draw a circle around each station with the distance as its radius. [12] The point where the circles cross marks the epicenter, the spot on the surface directly above where the rock slipped.
Noah is writing a summary for a class page. Which summary tells both central ideas and adds no opinion?
- An earthquake sends out fast P waves and slower S waves, and the gap between their arrivals at a station grows with the distance from the quake.
- An earthquake sends out fast P waves and slower S waves, and the gap between their arrivals gives a station the distance, so three stations can find the epicenter where their circles cross.
- An earthquake sends out fast P waves and slower S waves, and the gap between their arrivals gives the distance, so one station can find the epicenter by listening from several sides.
- An earthquake sends out fast P waves and slower S waves, and the gap between their arrivals gives the distance, so three stations can find the epicenter, which is a stroke of genius.
Finding an Earthquake (article)
[1] An earthquake begins when rock deep underground slips suddenly along a crack. [2] The slip sends out waves of energy that travel through Earth in all directions. [3] Two main kinds reach the surface first: P waves and S waves.
[4] P waves travel faster, so they arrive at a recording station before S waves do. [5] They push and pull the ground in the direction they travel. [6] S waves are slower and shake the ground from side to side.
[7] A seismograph records these waves, and the gap between the first P wave and the first S wave grows with the distance from the quake. [8] The size of that gap therefore tells scientists how far away the earthquake was. [9] One station cannot say in which direction the earthquake happened, only how far away.
[10] To find the location, scientists compare results from at least three stations. [11] They draw a circle around each station with the distance as its radius. [12] The point where the circles cross marks the epicenter, the spot on the surface directly above where the rock slipped. Draft: Three stations are needed, which is a clever and wonderful solution to a hard problem.
Pia wants the draft sentence to sound objective. Which rewrite removes the opinion and keeps the main point?
- Three stations are needed, because each one shows the direction of the quake as well as its exact distance.
- Stations help scientists learn about earthquakes.
- Three stations are needed, which is a smart and useful solution.
- Three stations are needed, because each gives only a distance and their circles cross at the epicenter.
What a Compass Points To (article)
[1] A compass needle is a small magnet that is free to turn in any direction. [2] Earth itself acts like a huge magnet, with a magnetic field that reaches out into space. [3] The needle lines up with that field, so one end of it points toward the north.
[4] The north that the needle finds is called magnetic north. [5] It is not the same place as true north, the point where Earth's turning axis meets the surface. [6] On most maps, true north is the direction toward the top of the page.
[7] The difference between the two directions is called declination, and it changes from place to place. [8] In some regions the difference is only a degree or two, while in others it can be much larger. [9] A traveler who ignores it can end up far from the planned route.
[10] Magnetic north also drifts slowly over time because of changes deep inside Earth's liquid core. [11] Mapmakers therefore print the declination and its year on many maps. [12] Careful hikers check that year before they trust the number. Draft: The compass needle lines up with Earth's magnetic field, which is a really neat trick of nature.
Ren wants the draft sentence to sound objective. Which rewrite removes the opinion and keeps the main point?
- The compass needle lines up with Earth's magnetic field, so one end points toward magnetic north.
- The compass needle is a small magnet that is free to turn.
- The compass needle lines up with Earth's magnetic field, which is a fascinating trick of nature.
- The compass needle lines up with Earth's magnetic field, so it points to true north from any spot.
What a Compass Points To (article)
[1] A compass needle is a small magnet that is free to turn in any direction. [2] Earth itself acts like a huge magnet, with a magnetic field that reaches out into space. [3] The needle lines up with that field, so one end of it points toward the north.
[4] The north that the needle finds is called magnetic north. [5] It is not the same place as true north, the point where Earth's turning axis meets the surface. [6] On most maps, true north is the direction toward the top of the page.
[7] The difference between the two directions is called declination, and it changes from place to place. [8] In some regions the difference is only a degree or two, while in others it can be much larger. [9] A traveler who ignores it can end up far from the planned route.
[10] Magnetic north also drifts slowly over time because of changes deep inside Earth's liquid core. [11] Mapmakers therefore print the declination and its year on many maps. [12] Careful hikers check that year before they trust the number. Draft: A compass needle is a small magnet that lines up with Earth's magnetic field, so one end points toward magnetic north.
Tala's draft summary tells only one central idea. Which statement is the missing idea?
- Mapmakers print the declination and its year on many maps.
- Magnetic north moves quickly each day, so a compass must be reset each morning.
- Magnetic north is not the same as true north, and the difference, called declination, changes from place to place and over time.
- Declination is the most confusing part of using a compass.
What a Compass Points To (article)
[1] A compass needle is a small magnet that is free to turn in any direction. [2] Earth itself acts like a huge magnet, with a magnetic field that reaches out into space. [3] The needle lines up with that field, so one end of it points toward the north.
[4] The north that the needle finds is called magnetic north. [5] It is not the same place as true north, the point where Earth's turning axis meets the surface. [6] On most maps, true north is the direction toward the top of the page.
[7] The difference between the two directions is called declination, and it changes from place to place. [8] In some regions the difference is only a degree or two, while in others it can be much larger. [9] A traveler who ignores it can end up far from the planned route.
[10] Magnetic north also drifts slowly over time because of changes deep inside Earth's liquid core. [11] Mapmakers therefore print the declination and its year on many maps. [12] Careful hikers check that year before they trust the number.
Zee is writing a summary for a class page. Which summary tells both central ideas and adds no opinion?
- A compass needle is a small magnet that lines up with Earth's magnetic field, so one end points toward magnetic north.
- A compass needle lines up with Earth's magnetic field and points to magnetic north, which differs from true north by an amount that varies by place and changes over time, so travelers must allow for it.
- A compass needle lines up with Earth's magnetic field and points to magnetic north, and mapmakers print the declination and its year on many maps, which careful hikers check before they trust the number.
- A compass needle lines up with Earth's magnetic field and points to magnetic north, which differs from true north by a fixed amount that is the same on each map.
How Soap Cleans (article)
[1] Water alone does not wash away grease, because oil and water do not mix together. [2] Soap solves this problem because each soap molecule has two different ends. [3] One end is attracted to water, and the other end is attracted to oil and grease.
[4] When soap meets greasy dirt, the oil-loving ends stick into the grease. [5] The water-loving ends point outward into the water, forming tiny clusters around specks of grease. [6] Each cluster is surrounded by a coating that water can carry away.
[7] Rubbing helps the process, because it pulls dirt off the skin and mixes it with soapy water. [8] That is why scrubbing for about twenty seconds works better than a quick splash. [9] The backs of the hands, the fingertips and the spaces between the fingers need the same attention as the palms.
[10] Rinsing completes the job by washing the clusters down the drain. [11] Drying matters too, because damp skin can pick up and spread germs more easily than dry skin. [12] A clean towel or an air dryer finishes the routine.
Ari is writing a summary for a class page. Which summary tells both central ideas and adds no opinion?
- Soap molecules grip grease at one end and water at the other, so water can carry the grease away, and good washing also takes scrubbing, rinsing and drying.
- Soap molecules grip grease at one end and water at the other, so water can carry the grease away, and good washing also takes hot water, which removes germs instantly.
- Soap molecules have one end attracted to water and the other attracted to oil, so they form tiny clusters around specks of grease and coat each cluster, and scrubbing for twenty seconds helps.
- Soap molecules grip grease at one end and water at the other, so water can carry the grease away, and washing with soap is the most satisfying chore there is.
How Soap Cleans (article)
[1] Water alone does not wash away grease, because oil and water do not mix together. [2] Soap solves this problem because each soap molecule has two different ends. [3] One end is attracted to water, and the other end is attracted to oil and grease.
[4] When soap meets greasy dirt, the oil-loving ends stick into the grease. [5] The water-loving ends point outward into the water, forming tiny clusters around specks of grease. [6] Each cluster is surrounded by a coating that water can carry away.
[7] Rubbing helps the process, because it pulls dirt off the skin and mixes it with soapy water. [8] That is why scrubbing for about twenty seconds works better than a quick splash. [9] The backs of the hands, the fingertips and the spaces between the fingers need the same attention as the palms.
[10] Rinsing completes the job by washing the clusters down the drain. [11] Drying matters too, because damp skin can pick up and spread germs more easily than dry skin. [12] A clean towel or an air dryer finishes the routine. Draft: Soap molecules have one end that likes water and one that likes grease. Water carries the grease away in tiny clusters.
Bo's draft summary tells only one central idea. Which statement is the missing idea?
- Good washing also takes scrubbing for about twenty seconds, then rinsing and drying the hands.
- The backs of the hands and the spaces between the fingers need the same attention as the palms.
- Warm water cleans better than cold water because it makes the soap dissolve faster.
- Scrubbing is the dullest part of washing, but it is worth it.