What an object in a story stands for

Grade 7 Reading Worksheet - Building Confidence

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   The Porch Lamp (story)

   [1] Each evening at dusk, Luz's grandfather walked to the front porch and switched on the old brass lamp. [2] The glass was cloudy, and moths circled it all summer, yet the grandfather polished it every Sunday. [3] Luz once asked why a porch needed a light when the whole family was already home. [4] The grandfather smiled and kept polishing without answering.

   [5] That autumn, Luz's cousin Ari left for a boarding school three states away. [6] After that, the lamp stayed on until midnight, and the grandfather checked the road twice before bed. [7] The grandfather no longer grumbled about the electric bill. [8] One December night, headlights swept across the porch, and Ari stepped out of a taxi with a suitcase and a tired face. [9] "It looks just the same from the road as it did when I left," Ari said. [10] The grandfather took the suitcase and turned the lamp down to its usual glow, but did not switch it off. [11] Luz sat on the steps beside the moths until the soup was ready.

2. 1.

   Bo reads “The Porch Lamp.” Which object stands for an idea beyond what it plainly is?

   • The moths that circle the cloudy glass of the porch lamp throughout the summer.
   • The suitcase that Ari carries out of the taxi on a December night after the long trip.
   • The soup that is ready by the time Luz finishes sitting on the porch steps outside.
   • The old brass lamp that the grandfather switches on at dusk and polishes every Sunday.
3. 2.

   Esme wants the best reading of what the lamp stands for. Which reading fits the clues in the story?

   • Family members are important and should be kind to one another on each day of their lives.
   • A family keeps a place ready for someone who is away, and welcomes that person back.
   • An old brass lamp with cloudy glass that lights the front porch of the house each night.
   • A warning to travelers that the road ahead is dangerous for anyone who arrives after dark.
4. 3.

   Kira needs two sentences that together show what the lamp stands for. Which pair does?

   • [6] The lamp stays on until midnight after Ari leaves; [9] Ari says it looks the same from the road.
   • [8] Ari steps out of a taxi with a suitcase; [11] Luz sits on the steps until the soup is ready.
   • [6] The lamp stays on until midnight after Ari leaves; [11] Luz sits on the steps beside the moths.
   • [1] The grandfather switches on the lamp at dusk; [2] moths circle the cloudy glass throughout the summer.
5. 4.

   Jun looks for the clue. Which sentence most clearly ties the lamp to the idea of waiting for someone?

   • Luz sat on the steps beside the moths until the soup was ready, and the evening grew quiet.
   • After that, the lamp stayed on until midnight, and the grandfather checked the road twice before bed.
   • Each evening at dusk, Luz's grandfather walked to the front porch and switched on the old brass lamp.
   • Luz once asked why a porch needed a light when the whole family was already home, and got no reply.

6. The Blank Square (story)

   [1] The seventh-grade class was sewing a quilt for the hallway, and each student stitched one square about a favorite place. [2] Noah chose the lakeshore, Tala chose a soccer field, and Zee, who loved the library, stitched a tower of books. [3] When Milo moved to another state in March, Milo's square, a bright orange sunset, was only half finished. [4] The teacher offered to complete it, but the class voted to sew it in as it was, with threads dangling along one edge.

   [5] They also stitched in a square of plain white cloth right beside it and left it empty. [6] "What is that one for?" a visiting parent asked. [7] Pia shrugged and said the class would see. [8] In June, a postcard arrived from Milo with a small drawing of the hallway, and the class pinned it to the white square. [9] Over the summer, students who passed the quilt stopped to read the postcard. [10] On the first day of eighth grade, the class sewed a new student's square onto the far side of the quilt, away from the white one.

7. 5.

   Ren reads “The Blank Square.” Which object stands for an idea beyond what it plainly is?

   • The square of plain white cloth that the class stitches in beside Milo's half-finished sunset.
   • The tower of books that Zee stitches to show a favorite place in the busy school library.
   • The lakeshore that Noah chooses to stitch as a favorite place on a square of the quilt.
   • The soccer field that Tala chooses to stitch as a favorite place on a square of the quilt.
8. 6.

   Bo wants the best reading of what the white square stands for. Which reading fits the clues?

   • A square of plain white cloth that was sewn in beside Milo's sunset on the class quilt.
   • A sign that the class ran out of time and could not finish the rest of the squares for the quilt.
   • A place held open for a classmate who has left but still belongs to the class.
   • Classmates should take care of each other and keep the promises that they make to friends.

9. The Bent Umbrella (story)

   [1] It rained on each day of the school trip to the nature center, and Ren owned the one umbrella in the group. [2] Pia had forgotten a raincoat, so on the pond path Ren tilted the umbrella toward Pia. [3] By the time they reached the dock, Ren's left sleeve was soaked through. [4] The guide said the cold was nothing to worry about, but Ren shivered while the group watched herons.

   [5] Pia offered to carry the umbrella for a while, but the wind caught it and bent two of the ribs. [6] For a moment both of them laughed so hard that they forgot the rain. [7] On the walk back, the group shared the guide's spare tarp, and Ren and Pia each held a corner of it above the others. [8] That evening, Ren hung the bent umbrella to dry in the hallway, and no one asked to replace it. [9] The next week, Pia brought a small green umbrella to school and left it by Ren's locker.

10. 7.

    Esme reads “The Bent Umbrella.” Which object stands for an idea beyond what it plainly is?

    • The herons that the group watches from the dock while the rain falls steadily.
    • The raincoat that Pia forgot to bring on the school trip to the nature center.
    • The dock where Ren and Pia stand while the group looks out over the pond.
    • The umbrella that Ren owns and tilts toward Pia on the path to the pond.
11. 8.

    Noah wants the best reading of what the umbrella stands for. Which reading fits the clues?

    • A rain shield that keeps one person dry, then bends in the wind during the long trip to the pond.
    • Friends should be nice to each other and be good company on school trips and everyday outings.
    • Looking after others, even when it costs you some comfort, and being looked after in return.
    • A sign that Ren is clumsy and breaks things that other people borrow during trips and outings.
12. 9.

    Tala needs two sentences that together show what the umbrella stands for. Which pair does?

    • [3] Ren's left sleeve is soaked from tilting the umbrella; [9] Pia leaves a green umbrella by Ren's locker.
    • [3] Ren's left sleeve is soaked from tilting the umbrella; [6] both of them laugh so hard they forget the rain.
    • [1] It rains on each day of the trip; [4] the guide says the cold is nothing to worry about.
    • [5] The wind bends two ribs of the umbrella; [8] Ren hangs the bent umbrella to dry in the hallway.
13. 10.

    Milo looks for the clue. Which sentence first ties the umbrella to the idea of sharing shelter?

    • Pia had forgotten a raincoat, so on the pond path Ren tilted the umbrella toward Pia.
    • That evening, Ren hung the bent umbrella to dry in the hallway, and no one asked to replace it.
    • It rained on each day of the school trip to the nature center, and Ren owned the one umbrella in the group.
    • The guide said the cold was nothing to worry about, but Ren shivered while the group watched herons.