TCAP BLITZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Ms. Mitchell 7th Grade ELA

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Standard Number	Standard
7.RL.KID.1	Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
7.RL.KID.2	Determine a theme/central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.
7.RL.KID.3	Analyze how particular elements of a story or drama interact (e.g., how settings shape the characters or plot).

5

Multiple Choice

An Unusual Trip

1

As Jeremy hurtled beyond the stars in his spacecraft, he watched Earth shrink outside his window. Earth was a grapefruit, then a golf ball, and then a pea, while his heart, in eager anticipation, grew from a marble to a basketball, swelling until he was convinced his chest would no longer contain it.

2

Turning his gaze from the window to his computer, Jeremy realized he had an instant message from his friend Kai: Jeremy, I have been talking to the rest of the guys on my spacecraft, and I am growing concerned…

3

Jeremy glanced around at the boys in his pod. They seemed to be average, healthy seventh grade students just like him. They were meeting each other and discussing the Space Station University where they were heading to spend a year of school. What could Kai have witnessed in his own pod that caused him such concern? Was he trying to warn Jeremy about something?

4

Several conversations began among the boys, and Jeremy tried to listen. "…but sometimes after fielding ground balls in baseball all afternoon, I'm too tired to practice my saxophone…," said one boy to another. Jeremy thought this conversation sounded perfectly normal. In fact, it sounded exactly like something he might say because he was also on the baseball team and in the band. He even played the saxophone just like the boy who was speaking.

5

"…and because my favorite subject in school is ancient history," another boy in a different conversation said, "I wrote my summer thesis on the Neolithic Period." So did I, thought Jeremy, just as another boy stated the same aloud.

6

As Jeremy listened, he began to understand Kai's concern. The boys in his spacecraft all seemed to have a great deal in common with each other. But they were so similar that it was difficult to determine if there were any differences in their experiences. All around him, boys were discussing political ideas, viewpoints on education, even favorite flavors of ice cream, and all were concluding that they had identical preferences.

7

Suddenly, another instant message came through from Kai. He explained to Jeremy that a group leader aboard his spaceship confided in him what had gone wrong. The leaders had attempted to sort the boys into groups of similar interests. But in their attempt to do so, they used a faulty computer program that analyzed their applications and went overboard. Instead of placing them in groups with parallel interests, the computer placed them with boys who had nearly identical lives.

8

Jeremy looked around at the other boys and yearned for the unique personalities of his friends back home. He wanted to be around Kai and his sarcastic sense of humor that was so different from his. He missed his siblings, who were of varied ages and perspectives. As he waited for the spacecraft to reach its destination, he could only hope that this group would be disbanded.

Which paragraph supports the idea that Jeremy is involved in several activities back home?

1

paragraph 6

2

paragraph 4

3

paragraph 2

4

paragraph 8

6

Multiple Choice

An Unusual Trip

1

As Jeremy hurtled beyond the stars in his spacecraft, he watched Earth shrink outside his window. Earth was a grapefruit, then a golf ball, and then a pea, while his heart, in eager anticipation, grew from a marble to a basketball, swelling until he was convinced his chest would no longer contain it.

2

Turning his gaze from the window to his computer, Jeremy realized he had an instant message from his friend Kai: Jeremy, I have been talking to the rest of the guys on my spacecraft, and I am growing concerned…

3

Jeremy glanced around at the boys in his pod. They seemed to be average, healthy seventh grade students just like him. They were meeting each other and discussing the Space Station University where they were heading to spend a year of school. What could Kai have witnessed in his own pod that caused him such concern? Was he trying to warn Jeremy about something?

4

Several conversations began among the boys, and Jeremy tried to listen. "…but sometimes after fielding ground balls in baseball all afternoon, I'm too tired to practice my saxophone…," said one boy to another. Jeremy thought this conversation sounded perfectly normal. In fact, it sounded exactly like something he might say because he was also on the baseball team and in the band. He even played the saxophone just like the boy who was speaking.

5

"…and because my favorite subject in school is ancient history," another boy in a different conversation said, "I wrote my summer thesis on the Neolithic Period." So did I, thought Jeremy, just as another boy stated the same aloud.

6

As Jeremy listened, he began to understand Kai's concern. The boys in his spacecraft all seemed to have a great deal in common with each other. But they were so similar that it was difficult to determine if there were any differences in their experiences. All around him, boys were discussing political ideas, viewpoints on education, even favorite flavors of ice cream, and all were concluding that they had identical preferences.

7

Suddenly, another instant message came through from Kai. He explained to Jeremy that a group leader aboard his spaceship confided in him what had gone wrong. The leaders had attempted to sort the boys into groups of similar interests. But in their attempt to do so, they used a faulty computer program that analyzed their applications and went overboard. Instead of placing them in groups with parallel interests, the computer placed them with boys who had nearly identical lives.

8

Jeremy looked around at the other boys and yearned for the unique personalities of his friends back home. He wanted to be around Kai and his sarcastic sense of humor that was so different from his. He missed his siblings, who were of varied ages and perspectives. As he waited for the spacecraft to reach its destination, he could only hope that this group would be disbanded.

What can the reader infer about Jeremy and his travel companions?

1

They had all attended the same school.

2

They chose to travel with each other.

3

They were strangers prior to the trip.

4

They had previous contact with each other.

7

Multiple Choice

Solitude by Ella Wheeler Wilcox Laugh, and the world laughs with you; Weep, and you weep alone, For the sad old earth must borrow its mirth, But it has trouble enough of its own. 5 Sing, and the hills will answer; Sigh, it is lost on the air, The echoes bound to a joyful sound, But shrink from voicing care. Rejoice, and men will seek you; 10 Grieve, and they turn to go. They want full measure of all your pleasure, But they do not need your woe. Be glad, and your friends are many; Be sad, and you lose them all 15 There are none to decline your nectar'd wine, But alone you must drink life's gall. Feast, and your halls are crowded Fast, and the world goes by. Succeed and give, and it helps you live, 20 But no man can help you die. There is room in the halls of pleasure For a large and lordly train, But one by one we must all file on Through the narrow aisles of pain.

Which lines best summarize the central idea of the poem?

1

lines 5 and 6

2

lines 11 and 12

3

lines 17 and 18

4

lines 19 and 20

8

Multiple Choice

Solitude by Ella Wheeler Wilcox Laugh, and the world laughs with you; Weep, and you weep alone, For the sad old earth must borrow its mirth, But it has trouble enough of its own. 5 Sing, and the hills will answer; Sigh, it is lost on the air, The echoes bound to a joyful sound, But shrink from voicing care. Rejoice, and men will seek you; 10 Grieve, and they turn to go. They want full measure of all your pleasure, But they do not need your woe. Be glad, and your friends are many; Be sad, and you lose them all 15 There are none to decline your nectar'd wine, But alone you must drink life's gall. Feast, and your halls are crowded Fast, and the world goes by. Succeed and give, and it helps you live, 20 But no man can help you die. There is room in the halls of pleasure For a large and lordly train, But one by one we must all file on Through the narrow aisles of pain.

How does the meaning of the third stanza contribute to the development of the theme?

1

The idea that people deserve to share in our happiness but should not have to suffer through our struggles highlights the theme that we are responsible for our own happiness.

2

The idea that a life of happiness will lead to many friends but a life of sorrow will result in solitude emphasizes the theme that life is only worth living with many people around us.

3

The idea that we need to share our good times and successes but still be willing to do some things alone stresses the theme that we have to learn to be self-reliant.

4

he idea that happiness helps time go by quickly and sadness makes the days terribly long to endure underscores the theme of time flying by when we are joyful.

9

Multiple Choice

The Trade-Off

1 Elijah lay on the grass in his backyard underneath the ancient maple tree, lost in misery. The blow had come that morning as Elijah’s mother served him pancakes.

2 “Your father got a promotion,” she announced, turning to busy herself at the stove

. 3 Promotions, Elijah had learned the hard way, had a cost. The family would be moving again. Elijah choked down his breakfast and went outside.

4 Lying in his favorite spot under the tree, Elijah tugged his well-oiled baseball glove from his pocket. How will Larry take the news? he wondered, tossing a ball in the air.

Paragraph 1 says Elijah is “lost in misery.” Which event most directly causes Elijah to feel this way?

1

packing in preparation for moving day

2

waiting for Larry to meet him by the maple tree

3

learning about his father’s job promotion

4

worrying that he won’t make new friends

10

Multiple Choice

The Trade-Off

1 Elijah lay on the grass in his backyard underneath the ancient maple tree, lost in misery. The blow had come that morning as Elijah’s mother served him pancakes. 2 “Your father got a promotion,” she announced, turning to busy herself at the stove. 3 Promotions, Elijah had learned the hard way, had a cost. The family would be moving again. Elijah choked down his breakfast and went outside. 4 Lying in his favorite spot under the tree, Elijah tugged his well-oiled baseball glove from his pocket. How will Larry take the news? he wondered, tossing a ball in the air. 5 Because moving frequently had made Elijah wary of forming new friendships, he had few people he counted as friends— but with Larry there had been an instant connection. 6 What bound them together was their deep passion for baseball. They played baseball, talked baseball, and watched every TV broadcast of their favorite team’s games. During the off-season, they scoured the news for trade talks, and when spring training rolled around again, their hearts lifted with the joy of another season. 7 “Hey—caught you napping!” 8 Elijah looked up to see Larry wheeling his bike across the grass. Propping the bike against the tree, he saw the look on Elijah’s face and asked, “What’s wrong?” 9 Elijah broke the bad news, and both boys sat in stunned silence. “How long until you move?” Larry asked. 10 “Probably a month, maybe two. I didn’t ask. Want to hit a few baseballs?” He might as well enjoy the time they had left before it came to a crashing halt. 11 That night, Elijah thought about his friendship with Larry. Unlike the temporary friends he’d made at other schools, Elijah knew that if Larry promised to stay in touch with him, he would. They had to talk baseball, didn’t they? Who else understood what the game meant—and who else understood him? 12 As moving day finally approached, Elijah fretted over what gift would demonstrate the importance of Larry’s friendship. The perfect present, he decided, was a new catcher’s mitt—but with all the moving expenses, money in his household was tight, so he didn’t dare ask his parents for a loan. And when he checked his own wallet, all he found was a five-dollar bill. 13 That night, Elijah pulled items from his closet as he packed and found a box he overlooked unpacking after the last move. Opening it, his eyes fell on his prized possession—an autographed baseball, sitting on a pedestal inside a plastic cube. His uncle had given it to him when he was seven. 14 Out of curiosity, Elijah searched the Web to see what a baseball like his was worth. He was astonished to find that if he sold his baseball online, he could afford the catcher’s mitt. For a minute he wavered, then steeled himself and began typing. By morning, Elijah had five offers for his baseball. 15 When Elijah asked his dad’s advice in evaluating the offers, he advised Elijah to think carefully before selling such a valuable possession. “But it’s your baseball, so it’s your decision.” 16 Within a week, Elijah had mailed the baseball to an office building in the city, received payment, and purchased the catcher’s mitt. The night before the moving van was set to arrive, Larry’s family invited Elijah’s family over for a farewell barbecue. After they ate, Larry handed Elijah a package, and Elijah handed Larry his own gift. Neither boy seemed eager to open his present. It was as if opening the boxes would make the move final. 17 When they finally ripped open their presents, Larry shrieked with delight at his catcher’s mitt, and Elijah stared in mute wonder at the small plastic box with an autographed baseball nestled inside. 18 “I didn’t know what to get you, and when I saw this baseball online with your favorite pitcher’s autograph, I knew you’d like it. My dad bought it for me. I’m going to be mowing lawns until October to repay him, but it’ll be worth it. You do like it, don’t you?” 19 “More than I can say,” said Elijah. 20 He smiled as he tucked his new old baseball in the pocket of his sweatshirt, thinking about how friends always knew just what you needed.

What is the major conflict of the story?

1

Elijah is not certain about what to buy for Larry.

2

Elijah wants to buy a catcher’s mitt for Larry but can’t afford it.

3

Elijah and Larry are surprised and thrilled when they exchange gifts

4

Elijah sells his prized baseball and buys Larry the mitt.

11

Multiple Choice

The Trade-Off

1 Elijah lay on the grass in his backyard underneath the ancient maple tree, lost in misery. The blow had come that morning as Elijah’s mother served him pancakes. 2 “Your father got a promotion,” she announced, turning to busy herself at the stove. 3 Promotions, Elijah had learned the hard way, had a cost. The family would be moving again. Elijah choked down his breakfast and went outside. 4 Lying in his favorite spot under the tree, Elijah tugged his well-oiled baseball glove from his pocket. How will Larry take the news? he wondered, tossing a ball in the air. 5 Because moving frequently had made Elijah wary of forming new friendships, he had few people he counted as friends— but with Larry there had been an instant connection. 6 What bound them together was their deep passion for baseball. They played baseball, talked baseball, and watched every TV broadcast of their favorite team’s games. During the off-season, they scoured the news for trade talks, and when spring training rolled around again, their hearts lifted with the joy of another season. 7 “Hey—caught you napping!” 8 Elijah looked up to see Larry wheeling his bike across the grass. Propping the bike against the tree, he saw the look on Elijah’s face and asked, “What’s wrong?” 9 Elijah broke the bad news, and both boys sat in stunned silence. “How long until you move?” Larry asked. 10 “Probably a month, maybe two. I didn’t ask. Want to hit a few baseballs?” He might as well enjoy the time they had left before it came to a crashing halt. 11 That night, Elijah thought about his friendship with Larry. Unlike the temporary friends he’d made at other schools, Elijah knew that if Larry promised to stay in touch with him, he would. They had to talk baseball, didn’t they? Who else understood what the game meant—and who else understood him? 12 As moving day finally approached, Elijah fretted over what gift would demonstrate the importance of Larry’s friendship. The perfect present, he decided, was a new catcher’s mitt—but with all the moving expenses, money in his household was tight, so he didn’t dare ask his parents for a loan. And when he checked his own wallet, all he found was a five-dollar bill. 13 That night, Elijah pulled items from his closet as he packed and found a box he overlooked unpacking after the last move. Opening it, his eyes fell on his prized possession—an autographed baseball, sitting on a pedestal inside a plastic cube. His uncle had given it to him when he was seven. 14 Out of curiosity, Elijah searched the Web to see what a baseball like his was worth. He was astonished to find that if he sold his baseball online, he could afford the catcher’s mitt. For a minute he wavered, then steeled himself and began typing. By morning, Elijah had five offers for his baseball. 15 When Elijah asked his dad’s advice in evaluating the offers, he advised Elijah to think carefully before selling such a valuable possession. “But it’s your baseball, so it’s your decision.” 16 Within a week, Elijah had mailed the baseball to an office building in the city, received payment, and purchased the catcher’s mitt. The night before the moving van was set to arrive, Larry’s family invited Elijah’s family over for a farewell barbecue. After they ate, Larry handed Elijah a package, and Elijah handed Larry his own gift. Neither boy seemed eager to open his present. It was as if opening the boxes would make the move final. 17 When they finally ripped open their presents, Larry shrieked with delight at his catcher’s mitt, and Elijah stared in mute wonder at the small plastic box with an autographed baseball nestled inside. 18 “I didn’t know what to get you, and when I saw this baseball online with your favorite pitcher’s autograph, I knew you’d like it. My dad bought it for me. I’m going to be mowing lawns until October to repay him, but it’ll be worth it. You do like it, don’t you?” 19 “More than I can say,” said Elijah. 20 He smiled as he tucked his new old baseball in the pocket of his sweatshirt, thinking about how friends always knew just what you needed.

What is the major resolution of the story?

1

Elijah sells his prized baseball and buys Larry the mitt.

2

Elijah wants to buy a catcher’s mitt for Larry but can’t afford it.

3

Elijah and Larry are surprised and thrilled when they exchange gifts.

4

Elijah sells his prized baseball and buys Larry the mitt.

12

Multiple Choice

TCAP BLITZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

TCAP BLITZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

TCAP BLITZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

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