How word choice sets the tone

Grade 7 Reading Worksheet - Challenge Me

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   The Prize Pumpkin (original story)

   [1] Every October, Teodor Brandt wheeled his pumpkin to the county fair as if escorting royalty. [2] The pumpkin, a bulging orange monument, had consumed most of his summer and a startling quantity of his garden hose. [3] He polished it with a soft cloth, murmuring encouragement that the pumpkin received without comment. [4] Neighbors strolled past, offering the polite nods people give to someone else's trophy. [5] “Magnificent,” Teodor announced to nobody in particular, and he straightened a ribbon that had not moved.

   [6] When the judge finally arrived, Teodor held his breath so tightly that his ears turned pink. [7] The judge tapped the pumpkin twice, scribbled a note, and moved on to a squash. [8] Teodor's shoulders sagged, and the ribbon lay unclaimed. [9] Then a small child tugged Teodor's sleeve and asked whether the pumpkin could be a carriage. [10] Teodor blinked, considered the question with enormous dignity, and began to smile. [11] That evening, the great orange monument rolled home on a wagon, carrying two children and an excellent amount of glory.

2. 1.

   Ari reads the story. What attitude toward Teodor do “escorting royalty” in [1] and “bulging orange monument” in [2] show?

   • Deep admiration: the grand words show the narrator truly believes the pumpkin is royal.
   • Harsh mockery: the grand words show the narrator thinks Teodor is foolish.
   • Affectionate amusement: the grand words tease Teodor's pride while staying kind.
   • Plain reporting: the narrator just tells what Teodor does, with no attitude.
3. 2.

   Bo reads the story. In sentences [6]–[8], Teodor's feelings change. Which choice separates Teodor's feelings from the narrator's tone?

   • Teodor feels amused; the narrator sounds gently humorous.
   • Teodor feels anxious, then crushed; the narrator sounds anxious and crushed too.
   • Teodor feels anxious, then crushed; the narrator sounds gently humorous.
   • Teodor feels anxious, then crushed; the narrator sounds plain and serious.
4. 3.

   Esme reads the story. If “monument” in sentence [2] became “vegetable”, how would the tone and its link to “glory” in [11] change?

   • It would lose playful grandness in [2] alone; “glory” in [11] would not be affected.
   • It would add playful grandness: “vegetable” would make the pumpkin sound more important.
   • It would stay the same: “vegetable” and “monument” both describe the pumpkin.
   • It would lose playful grandness: “glory” in [11] would no longer echo the pumpkin's grand title.
5. 4.

   Jun reads the story. What attitude toward Teodor do the polite nods in [4] and the ribbon “that had not moved” in [5] show?

   • Plain description: the narrator just reports how neighbors and ribbons behave.
   • Gentle teasing: the narrator smiles at how much Teodor fusses over a prize.
   • Cruel mockery: the narrator wants readers to laugh at Teodor's failure.
   • Shared worry: the narrator is as anxious as Teodor about the judge.
6. 5.

   Luz reads the story. Sentence [11] ends with “an excellent amount of glory.” Which choice separates what Teodor feels from the narrator's tone?

   • Teodor feels pleased and surprised; the narrator sounds warmly amused.
   • Teodor feels warmly amused; the narrator sounds pleased and surprised.
   • Teodor feels pleased and surprised; the narrator sounds pleased and surprised too.
   • Teodor feels pleased and surprised; the narrator sounds bitter about the lost prize.

7. Thunder Day (original poem)

   Stanza 1
   [1] The sky cracks open, crash on crash,
   [2] and rain comes rattling, rough and rude;
   [3] the windows shudder, the gutters gush,
   [4] and the whole house holds its breath.

   Stanza 2
   [5] Then thunder trips and tumbles off
   [6] beyond the hills, beyond the hush,
   [7] and what was clatter turns to drip,
   [8] and what was drip turns slow and soft.

   Stanza 3
   [9] A puddle holds the passing light.
   [10] A robin tests one trembling note.
   [11] The yard breathes out, the day grows bright,
   [12] and I, at the window, breathe out too.

8. 6.

   Noah reads the poem. If “rattling” in line [2] became “falling”, how would the tone and its link to “clatter” in line [7] change?

   • It would lose noisy harshness: “clatter” in line 7 would no longer echo line 2.
   • It would lose noisy harshness in line 2, but “clatter” would still echo it.
   • It would gain noisy harshness: “falling” would make the rain sound louder.
   • It would stay the same: “falling” and “rattling” both describe rain moving.
9. 7.

   Pia reads the poem. What attitude does the speaker show toward the ending storm in lines [10]–[12]?

   • Peaceful relief: the speaker breathes out with the yard, robin and all.
   • Wild celebration: the speaker bursts out dancing at the window.
   • Calm observing: the speaker only lists what the yard looks like.
   • Lingering fear: the speaker is still shaking like the “trembling note”.
10. 8.

    Ren reads the poem. What do the soft sounds in “hush”, “slow” and “soft” add to the tone of lines [6] and [8]?

    • Soothing: the gentle h and s sounds help the storm fade into calm.
    • Consonance: the sounds s and h repeat across the lines.
    • Tense: the whispering sounds make readers wait for more thunder.
    • Soothing: the hard sounds in line 1 are the ones that calm the storm.
11. 9.

    Tala reads the poem. Line [2] calls the rain “rough and rude.” Which choice separates the storm's behavior from the speaker's attitude?

    • The storm is loud and rough; the speaker sounds playful, treating the rain like a rude guest.
    • The storm is polite and quiet; the speaker sounds playful, treating the rain like a guest.
    • The storm is loud and rough; the speaker sounds loud and rough too, matching the storm.
    • The storm is loud and rough; the speaker sounds furious, blaming the rain for ruining the day.
12. 10.

    Zee reads the poem. What does the repeated “breathe out” in lines [11] and [12] add, compared with line [4]?

    • Release: the repeated phrase answers the held breath in line 4 and calms the poem.
    • Tension: the repeated phrase builds toward more thunder.
    • Repetition: the same phrase appears in two lines.
    • Release: the repeated “breath” in line 4 shows the storm calming.