ELA Grade 7 Georgia Milestones Study Guide

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1 ELA Grade 7 Georgia Milestones Study Guide Part I of the Georgia Milestones ELA Study Guide will be based on 4 reading passages. Questions will require you to understand the meaning and application of the following terms. While the format for most of the test is multiple choice, you will also have to write a constructed response that will require you to support your claims with evidence from the selection. Theme Cite evidence to support theme Context clues Characterization Direct and Indirect (what is revealed by description, words, actions, thoughts and feelings, what others say) Setting Plot o Exposition o Rising Action o Climax/Turning Point o Resolution Mood Tone Compare/contrast 2 texts Compare/contrast 2 characters Make inferences Identify sentence structure (simple, complex, compound, compound-complex) The following passages are similar to the types of passages and questions you will see on the test. A Bright Idea This is an old story. It was written 100 years ago. So you will find it has a different style from stories people read and write today. For example, you ll read that the children sell popcorn for 5 cents a bag and are thrilled. Today, that s not enough money to buy much. Mrs. Meredith was a most kind and thoughtful woman. She spent a great deal of time visiting the poor. She knew they had problems. She wanted to help them. She brought food. She brought medicine, too. The family lived in a small community with some people who were poor and others who were rich. In the town, some people worked but others had no jobs, and families needed money to pay their bills. Some families were poor because the parents had lost jobs, and the economy was in decline. People tried to help each other meet these challenges. One morning she told her children about a family she had visited the day before. There was a man sick in bed, his wife, who took care of him and could not go out to work, and their little boy. The little boy--his name was Bernard--had interested her very much. "I wish you could see him," she said to her own children, John, Harry, and Clara, "he is such a help to his mother. He wants very much to earn some money, but I don't see what he can do." After their mother had left the room, the children sat thinking about Bernard. "I wish we could help him to earn money," said Clara. His family is suffering so much. "So do I," said Harry. We really should do something to assist them. For some moments, John said nothing, but, suddenly, he sprang to his feet and cried, "I have a great idea! I have a solution that we can all help accomplish." The other children also jumped up all attention. When John had an idea, it was sure to be a good one. "I tell you what we can do," said John. "You know that big box of corn Uncle John sent us for popping? Well, we can pop it, and put it into paper bags, and Bernard can take it around to the houses and sell it."

2 ELA Grade 7 Georgia Milestones Study Guide When Mrs. Meredith heard of John's idea, she, too, thought it a good one. Very soon, the children were busy popping the corn, while their mother went out to buy the paper bags. When she came back, she brought Bernard with her. In a short time, he started out on his new business, and, much sooner than could be expected, returned with an empty basket. Tucked into one of his mittens were ten nickels. He had never earned so much money before in his life. When he found that it was all to be his, he was so delighted he could hardly speak, but his bright smiling face spoke for him. After he had run home to take the money to his mother, John said, "We have corn enough left to send Bernard out ever so many times. May we do it again?" "Yes, said Mrs. Meredith, "you may send him every Saturday morning, if you will pop the corn for him yourselves. John, will you agree to take charge of the work?" "Indeed I will," replied John, and he kept his word. For many weeks, every Saturday morning, no matter what opportunities there were to play, he saw that the corn was all popped, the paper bags filled, and arranged in the basket when Bernard arrived. People began to watch for the "little pop-corn boy," and every week he had at least fifty cents to take home, and often significantly more, income that supported his family. All of this was because of the way John carried out his bright idea. 1. What does the conversation tell you about the mother and her children? 2. What do John s words and actions at the end of the story tell you? 3. What is the theme of this story? 4. Select a sentence from the story that shows evidence to support this theme. 5. What is the story s primary conflict? 6. Identify the following elements of plot in this story. Rising action: Climax/turning point: Resolution: 7. What details do you know about the setting of the story? 8. What are 3 words to describe John?

3 3 9. How does the author establish the mood of the story? 10. What is one detail the author learns about Bernard through the narrator? 11. How does John s family differ from Bernard s family? 12. Read the following sentence. Some families were poor because the parents had lost jobs, and the economy was in decline. What is the meaning of the underlined word in the sentence? 13. Read the following paragraph. For some moments, John said nothing, but, suddenly, he sprang to his feet and cried, "I have a great idea! I have a solution that we can all help accomplish." What change occurs in John in this paragraph? 14. What is the main reason the children help Bernard? 15. For each of the following sentences, tell what sentence structure is used. Mrs. Meredith was a most kind and thoughtful woman. Some families were poor because the parents had lost jobs, and the economy was in decline. After their mother had left the room, the children sat thinking about Bernard. He wants very much to earn some money, but I don't see what he can do.

4 4 Movie Theaters and Popcorn In American, we often associate movie theaters with popcorn. So how did this association begin? In 1885, Charles Cretors of Chicago, Illinois, invented the first popcorn machine. Popcorn quickly became a popular treat as street vendors were soon pushing steam or gas-powered poppers through fairs, parks, and expositions. It took a while before popcorn landed in movie theaters, but once it did, it became a staple. The nickelodeons that popped up in small towns across the country in the early 1900s offered five-cent silent movies and the live accompaniment of a piano or organ player but no food. Instead, patrons purchased food and drinks from nearby restaurants and boldly carried their stash in with them, a brazen violation of today s ubiquitous no outside food or drink rules. Industrious vendors set up popcorn poppers or rented storefront space next to theatres and sold popcorn to patrons on their way into the theater. Theaters even allowed self- employed vendors to roam the cinema selling sweet and salty wares like popcorn and peanuts. In the 20s and 30s, nickelodeons were replaced by more upscale movie theaters. These European-inspired palaces with their marble-lined hallways, crystal chandeliers, billiards rooms, and drop-off day care centers courted wealthier customers and were intolerant of messy and disruptive snacks. Many theater owners refused to sell popcorn in the theaters because they felt it was too messy. But ticket holders then, just as today, flouted the rules and smuggled in goodies. When the Great Depression hit, times were tough, and cinema owners needed cash to stay afloat, which meant they no longer had the luxury of ignoring movie refreshments. At first, they simply installed candy dispensers or sold (rather than gave away) space to those entrepreneurial vendors who formerly strolled the aisles. Eventually, though, theater construction itself started to incorporate concession stands into the design. The new star of the concession stand was not candy but popcorn. Many theatre owners began installing popcorn poppers inside their theatres; those who refused to sell popcorn quickly went out of business. Popcorn was easy to store and cheap to produce, and movie-going Americans swallowed it by the bucketful. During the depression, 5 and 10 cent bags of popcorn were one of the few luxuries families could afford. Unlike other confections, popcorn sales actually increased throughout the Depression. A major reason for this increase was the introduction of popcorn into movie theatres. One businessman actually lowered the price of his theatre tickets and added a popcorn machine. He soon saw huge profits. Movie-goers continue this trend of consuming popcorn at the movies in 2015, even though prices have since jumped over 600 percent (when adjusted for inflation). At many cinemas, popcorn remains the number 1 best seller, followed by sodas, pretzels, nachos, and hot dogs. 16. How did the Great Depression contribute to the increase in popularity of popcorn? A. Theaters were required to sell popcorn or go out of business. B. People no longer worried about popcorn making a mess in theaters. C. Theater owners needed to find new ways to make money so they turned to concessions. D. More people began having popcorn poppers in their homes during the Great Depression. 17. According to Movie Theaters and Popcorn why did popcorn sales increase during the Depression?

5 5 A. Profit margins on popcorn sales were over 600 percent. B. Sales of all confections increased during the Depression. C. It was introduced in movie theaters as an affordable luxury. D. The first popping machine was invented at the beginning of the Depression. 18. Which sentence is true of both selections? A. Both selections talk about helping others. B. Both selections include characters and dialogue. C. Both selections talk about sales of a popular product. D. Both selections talk about the invention of the popcorn popper. Part Two 1. Format of Test: 23 multiple choice and 1 short constructed response question. 1. A(n) is a statement that can be proved, while a(n) expresses a personal belief or feeling. 2. When you make, you use the clues the writer gives you to read between the lines in order to figure out what the writer suggests but does not state directly. 3. Facts in number form are called. 4. The attitude an author takes toward his/her subject is the. 5. is the support or proof that backs up an idea, conclusion, or opinion. 6. A first person account of an individual s life is a(n), while an account of a person s life that is written by another person is a(n). 7. The central focus of a nonfiction selection is the. 8. When answering a question about a passage, it is important to back up what you say or textual evidence. 9. The of a nonfiction passage is the reason the author wrote it. Examples of this term include the following which you should define in the blanks below: expository: persuasive: narrative: descriptive:

6 6 10. The way an author organizes his text is known as. Fill in the chart below with the appropriate structure or definition. Text Structures Focuses on the relationship between causes and effects Chronological order/logical order/sequence Focuses on similarities and differences Problem-solution 11. The of a paragraph is a statement that contains the central idea for the entire paragraph. 12. According to the following bar graph, what percent of middle school students were satisfied with school lunch in 2010? % satisfaction with school lunch In argumentative writing the writer will present a(n) which he/she will back up with evidence. 14. In argumentative writing, the writer will often present information about the opposite side or a.

7 7 Direct Quotations: If you wanted to include a direct quotation from a book, how would you punctuate it in your essay or research paper? Use the following words from Benjamin Franklin. Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn. 15. The following essay is a rough draft written by a student. It contains mistakes. Read and answer the questions that follow. The Most Important Thing My Mother Taught Me 1 Mom said, The early you start, the more money you ll have later. 2 From the time I was very young, she had me set aside part of my weekly allowance. 3 Once I was old enough to babysit and mow lawns, I also saved a part of my pay each time. 4 I liked babysitting more than mowing lawns, but that s a matter of personal preference. 5 If I recieved any gifts of money for my birthday, she even made me save part of that. 6 Of course, I wanted to spend that money on the newest video games for myself. 7 I was glad I didn t, though, as I watched my savings grow. 8 After I had accumulated enough money, I opened a savings account at my mother s bank. 9 Since my money was no longer in my bedroom, I was not as tempted to spend it. 10 Plus, the savings account paid interest, which meant my money was also earning money. 11 Right now, my plan is to save enough to help pay for my college education. 12 After college, once I start working as an adult, I plan to continue saving money out of my income. 13 I recently read that I may be wealthy by the time I reach middle age if I continue to save at least ten percent of everything I earn. 14 When I read that, I was very grateful that my mother wouldn t let me spend all of my allowance on video games. 1. Choose the best first sentence to add to the essay. (W2a) A. Probably the most important thing I ve learned from my mother is to work hard. B. My mother has a saying to fit almost any situation. C. When I was very young, my mother helped me start a habit of saving money. D. My mother has taught me many important things. 2. Read sentence 1. 1 Mom said, The early you start, the more money you ll have later. Choose the correct way to write the underlined part of the sentence. L1c A. early B. earlier C. earliest D. more early 3. Which sentence should be left out of the essay? (W2b) A. sentence 4 B. sentence 9 C. sentence 11 D. sentence Choose the best way to combine sentence 6 and sentence 7. (L1 A. Of course, I wanted to spend that money on the newest video games for myself, though I was

8 8 glad I didn t spend that money on those games because I watched my savings grow. B. Of course, spending that money on the newest video games for myself was something I was glad I didn t do, glad because I watched my savings grow. C. Of course, I wanted to spend that money on the newest video games, but, for myself, I was glad I didn t, since I watched my savings grow. D. Of course, I wanted to spend that money on the newest video games for myself, but I was glad I didn t as I watched my savings grow. 5. Which sentence contains a misspelled word? A. sentence 5 B. sentence 8 C. sentence 13 D. sentence 14 Read the following selection and answer the questions that follow. (Lexile 1100) News Debate: Atten- Hut! Should there be restrictions on military recruiters in schools? In San Diego, it s not unusual to see members of the military on high school campuses. They aren t there to keep the peace. They are looking for new recruits. Military personnel set up tables stacked with brochures and videos about the armed forces. They also hand out free gifts and games to students who provide their contact information. The San Diego Unified School District s Board of Education says the military has gotten too aggressive with its recruiting tactics. Board members argue that teens are attracted to the free gifts and sign up for information without considering other options for their future. To limit the military s influence, the board recently approved a policy that would allow recruiters to visit campuses just twice a year. Some San Diego residents are up in arms about the new policy, however. They say that it will bias students against the military and that it is offensive to those who have served our country. Opponents of the policy also point out that because there is no draft, or mandatory enlistment, into the U.S. armed forces, the military relies on volunteers to fill its ranks. Should there be restrictions on military visits to schools? Current Events student reporters Meriem Djelmami-Hani and Devon Robinson battle it out. Go Army! High schools should not place restrictions on military recruiters. That would promote negativity toward the military and discourage students from enlisting in the armed forces. Schools serve many students with different interests. Schools should welcome military recruiters honorably, not keep them away. Guidance counselors, teachers, and administrators should support students wanting to join the military just as much as they support students wanting to attend college. In addition, students at the high school level are not going to base their futures on free gifts. They are much wiser than that. Nothing but their own motivation is going to convince teens to join the military. Teenagers love free stuff, but not if they have to sacrifice anything, says ninth grader Ian Koch from Mequon, Wis. Furthermore, high school students enjoy taking an in-depth look at the possibilities for their futures. If military recruiters can visit high schools only twice a year, students will not get a full picture of how the military works and whether it is right for them.

9 9 Go Home! There should be a limit to how often military recruiters visit high schools. Students need to know that they have other options after they graduate besides joining the military. Their options include two- or four-year colleges and vocational schools. In addition, the military should not target teens, because they are too immature to make decisions about joining the armed forces. Many teens are attracted to the gifts that the recruiters offer and enlist without thinking through their decision. Moreover, many high schools have Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) programs embedded in their curriculums, so military officers work at those schools daily. My school also sponsors Military Day, a day to see the armed forces in action. That is more than enough exposure to get students thinking about whether they want to enlist. Susan Freeman, principal at Deltona High School in Deltona, Fla., agrees. Military recruiters should have limited visits on campus if they are only there to recruit students, she says. 6. How do high school students in San Diego receive free gifts and games from the military? (RI1) A. by enlisting to serve in the military B. by providing their contact information C. by showing proof that they are students D. by signing up for vocational schools 7. The passage shows two sides of this debate: Should there be restrictions on military recruiters in schools? According to the passage, what is one argument in favor of having no restrictions on military recruiter visits? (RI8) A. It lets students get lots of free gifts and games. B. It gives students a full picture of how the military works. C. It discourages students from enlisting in the armed forces. D. It let students see why joining the military is the right choice. 8. What can you most likely infer about San Diego residents after reading the passage? (RI1) A. Most residents agree with the policy to restrict military recruiter visits. B. All the residents have relatives that were once drafted into the armed forces. C. The residents that disagree have children attending high school in San Diego. D. Most residents are upset because they served in the military years ago. 9. Read this sentence from the passage: The San Diego Unified School District s Board of Education says the military has gotten too aggressive with its recruiting tactics. In this sentence, the word tactics means (RI4) A. voluntary members B. awards or honors C. rites of passage D. plans of action 10. The primary purpose of this passage is to (RI6) A. explain why military recruiters choose to visit high schools B. present both sides of a debate about military recruiters C. describe the pros and cons of joining the armed forces D. persuade high school students to learn their future options 11. In this passage, which of the following details supports the argument that recruiters should have limited access to school visits? (RI8)

10 A. In San Diego, it s not unusual to see members of the military on high school campuses. B. Military personnel set up tables stacked with brochures and videos about the armed forces. C. They say that it will bias students against the military and that it is offensive to those who have served our country. D. The San Diego Unified School District s Board of Education says the military has gotten too aggressive with its recruiting tactics Choose the sentence that best identifies the proposition or proposal of the section labeled Go Army. (RI8) A. High schools should not place restrictions on military recruiters. B. That would promote negativity toward the military and discourage students from enlisting in the armed forces. C. Schools should welcome military recruiters honorably, not keep them away. D. In addition, students at the high school level are not going to base their futures on free gifts. 13. Which of these is an opinion the author uses to support the argument in the section Go Home? (RI8) A. Students need to know that they have other options after they graduate besides joining the military. B. Their options include two- or four-year colleges and vocational schools. C. Moreover, many high schools have Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) programs embedded in their curriculums, so military officers work at those schools daily. D. My school also sponsors Military Day, a day to see the armed forces in action. 14. Which of these is a fact that is used to support the stance that military recruiter visits should be limited? (RI8) A. There should be a limit to how often military recruiters visit high schools. B. Students need to know that they have other options after they graduate besides joining the military. C. In addition, the military should not target teens, because they are too immature to make decisions about joining the armed forces. D. Moreover, many high schools have Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) programs embedded in their curriculums, so military officers work at those schools daily. 15. The author s tone in the section Go Army can BEST be described as: (RI4) A. bitter B. earnest C. happy D. silly 16. A key difference between the section Go Army! and the section Go Home! is (RI9) A. only Go Army! is about military recruiters. B. only Go Home! includes a direct quotation. C. Go Army! supports the military, and Go Home! is completely against the military. D. Go Army! doesn t present a problem with gifts from recruiters, while Go Home! sees the gifts as problematic. 17. If principal Susan Freeman is able to set the policy in her school, what will her policy most likely be?

11 (RI1) A. ROTC programs will be ended in the school. B. Military recruiters should never visit the school. C. Military recruiters would have unlimited visits to the school. D. Military recruiters would have limitations placed on their visits to schools How might principal Susan Freeman feel if military recruiters had unlimited visits to campus? How do you know? Provide evidence from the text. (RI1)

12 Grade 7 ELA GA Milestones Study Guide The test will have several reading passages with multiple choice questions. Some sample questions that you may want to practice answering with any passage are presented below. In addition, it is recommended that students practice with the multiple choice test preparation questions provided in the textbook. What organizational structure is used in this paragraph? Why did the author write the selection? What is the author s purpose? What is the purpose of a specific paragraph in the selection? Who is the author s intended audience? Who is addressed in the letter, speech, etc.? Based on context clues, what does a specific word in the selection mean? What is the author s attitude toward his topic? What is the author s tone in the selection? What is the author s word choice? Which statement provides specific evidence of? In the passage, which details support the author s argument? Which sentence from the passage is the proposition or proposal? What is the author s main argument? Which sentence is a fact that provides support for the author s argument? Read charts and graphs. Based on the passage, what will most likely happen next? Based on the passage, what can be inferred about the author and/or character? What are similarities or differences between the items discussed in the text or between two texts? What would be a good title for the selection? What is the main difference between two passages or between two items discussed in the passage? What is the central idea or theme of a passage? What conclusions can be drawn from an article? Explain how a specific event affected another event or a person? Determine the causes and effects presented in a passage. Part 3 This assessment will consist of multiple parts: Multiple Choice questions related to Writing and Language Standards An informational writing assignment that requires students to read passages and incorporate textual evidence in a compare/contrast essay format Informational Writing: This portion of the test will ask you to examine paragraphs and answer writing- related questions. Read the following paragraphs phs and answer the questions. 1 One theory that many people believe is that a gigantic meteorite smashed into the Earth. 2 Scientists believe that the meteorite was very big and that the impact may have produced a large dust cloud that covered the Earth for many years. 3 The dust cloud may have caused plants to not receive sunlight and the large plant eaters, or herbivores, may have died off, followed by the large meat eaters, or carnivores. 4 Some dinosaurs, like the brontosaurus, never really existed. 5 This theory may or may not be true, it is one explanation as to why these giant reptiles no longer inhabit the Earth.

13 Grade 7 ELA GA Milestones Study Guide 1. This paragraph is missing a topic sentence. What would be a good topic sentence for this paragraph? A. Many people enjoy studying dinosaurs. B. Do you know about different types of dinosaurs? C. Dinosaurs are huge creatures who walked the earth many years ago. D. There are many theories about why the dinosaurs vanished from the planet. 2. Which sentence is unrelated to the topic of the paragraph and should be removed? A. Sentence 1 B. Sentence 2 C. Sentence 3 D. Sentence 4 3. Which transitional word best completes sentence 5? A. and B. but C. however D. in addition to 4. What organizational structure is used in the paragraph above? A. Cause and effect B. Compare and contrast C. Order of importance D. Question and answer The following paragraph and answer the questions. 1 Lightning is a sudden, violent flash of electricity that occurs between a cloud and the ground or between two clouds in the sky. 2 Lightning and thunder are related events. 3 It is very hot, with an average temperature of degrees Celsius. 4 A lightning bolt can be several miles long and can be straight or forked. 5 It is this sound energy that we hear as thunder. 6 This causes the air around the electric bolt to expand, producing lots of sound energy. 7 So, lightning and thunder are caused by the same event, but lightning is light energy, or electromagnetic energy, whereas thunder is sound energy.

14 Grade 7 ELA GA Milestones Study Guide 5. What is the correct order of the sentences in the paragraph above? A. 2, 1, 4, 3, 6, 5, 7 B. 7, 3, 4, 2, 5, 6, 1 C. 2, 7, 1, 3, 4, 6, 5 D. 2, 4, 3, 1, 7, 5, 6 6. What would make the best concluding sentence for this paragraph? Language A. Thus, we see lightning and hear thunder. B. Many fires are associated with lightning strikes. C. Lightning and thunder are closely related events. D. Therefore, we both hear and see thunder and lightning. Fill out the chart below. In the second column, write the definition of the sentence structure. In the third column, write a sentence that demonstrates that structure. Sentence Structure Definition Sentence simple compound complex Compound-complex Identify the structure for each of the following sentences. 1. Todd and Nick are eating chips and salsa on a park bench before dinner. 2. When I get home from school, I'm going to take a nap. 3. I can t go to the party, but it would have been fun. 4. I left early so that I could get some work done, but I'll be back soon.

15 2. What is a run-on sentence? Grade 7 ELA GA Milestones Study Guide What is a sentence fragment? Correct the following run-on sentence. He went to the store, he bought a candy bar. Correct the following sentence fragment When I went to the park to sit on the swings. Turn the following compound sentence into a complex sentence. Education is the key to success, so you should always try your best. What is the best way to combine the following sentences? Hannah had a summer job. She worked as a proofreader for the newspaper. Now she writes features about our school.

16 Correct the misplaced modifier in the following sentence. Grade 7 ELA GA Milestones Study Guide The child ate a cold dish of cereal this morning. How should you punctuate the following dialogue? Do you know her name Ji-li asked Which underlined word in the following sentence is not spelled correctly? An astronot has to study mathematics, technology, and science. Which sentence has correct verb usage? A. Last summer snails eat my pea plants and ruined my garden. B. Tomorrow I will arrive early and started working right away. C. Next winter the sun will shine more often and was more intense. D. Yesterday the bus came around the corner and stopped suddenly.