Seventh Grade by Gary Soto Vocabulary/ Context Clues

3 They shook hands, raza-style, and jerked their heads at one another in a saludo de vato. “How come you’re making a face?” asked Victor.

4 “I ain’t making a face, ese. This is my face.” Michael said his face had changed during the summer. He had read a GQ magazine that his older brother had borrowed from the Book Mobile and noticed that the male models all had the same look on their faces. They would stand, one arm around a beautiful woman, and scowl. They would sit at the pool, their rippled stomachs dark with shadow, and scowl. They would sit at dinner tables, cool drinks in their hands, and scowl.

When the author wrote that Michael scowled, this meant that Michael...

• smiled

• frowned

• pouted

• laughed

14 The bell rang for first period, and the students herded noisily through the door. Only Teresa lingered, talking with the homeroom teacher.

What was meant by the phrase, "Teresa lingered in homeroom"...

• hurried out

• continued on

• answered a question

• stayed behind

21 In English they reviewed the parts of speech. Mr. Lucas, a portly man, waddled down the aisle, asking, “What is a noun?”

When the author wrote that the English teacher was a portly man, this meant that Mr. Lucas was...

• tall

• thin

• overweight

• short

5 “I think it works,” Michael said. He scowled and let his upper lip quiver. His teeth showed along with the ferocity of his soul. “Belinda Reyes walked by a while ago and looked at me,” he said.

When the author wrote that Michael scowled and let his upper lip quiver, this meant that Michael let his upper lip...

• tucked in

• stick out

• tremble

• remain still

21 In English they reviewed the parts of speech. Mr. Lucas, a portly man, waddled down the aisle, asking, “What is a noun?”

22 “A person, place, or thing,” said the class in unison.

23 Yes, now somebody give me an example of a person--you, Victor Rodriguez.”

When the author wrote that the students in Victor's English class answered the noun question in unison, this meant that the students answered...

• separately

• quickly

• individually

• together

5 “I think it works,” Michael said. He scowled and let his upper lip quiver. His teeth showed along with the ferocity of his soul. “Belinda Reyes walked by a while ago and looked at me,” he said.

When the author wrote that Michael showed the ferocity of his soul while scowling, this meant that Michael showed his...

• shyness

• intensity

• humor

• fear

54 The bell sounded for fifth period, and Victor shot out of the room, avoiding the stares of the other kids, but had to return for his math book. He looked sheepishly at the teacher, who was erasing the board, then widened his eyes in terror at Teresa who stood in front of him. “I didn’t know you knew French,”she said. “That was good.”

When the text stated, Victor gave a sheepish look to Mr. Bueller after trying to speak French, this meant that Victor looked at Mr. Bueller..

• with excitement

• in an angry way

• in a shy way

• with amusement

41 Mr. Bueller asked if anyone knew French. Victor raised his hand, wanting to impress Teresa. The teacher beamed and said, “Tres bien. Parlez-vous francais?”

42 Victor didn’t know what to say. The teacher wet his lips and asked something else in French. The room grew silent. Victor felt all eyes staring at him. He tried to bluff his way out by making noises that sounded French.

Based on the context, when Mr. Bueller asked Victor "Parlez-vous francais"?, Mr. Bueller was asking Victor...

• How are you doing today?

• Do you speak French?

• What is your name?

• Why did you choose to take French?

How would changing the word trudged to sprinted in paragraph 20 alter the meaning?

20 "As Teresa walked down the hall, Victor walked the other way, looking back, admiring how gracefully she walked, one foot in front of the other. So much for being in the same class, he thought. As he trudged to English, he practiced scowling."

• Victor would go from being excited to attend English to dreading it.

• Victor would go from being late to English to on time.

• Victor would go from dreading English class to being excited to attend.

• Victor would go from just walking to class to being in a hurry to attend.

How would the meaning of the paragraph 14 be different if we changed the word herded to gather?

14 The bell rang for first period, and the students herded noisily through the door. Only Teresa lingered, talking with the homeroom teacher.

• Gather implies the students are just standing at the door, while herded shows them moving in a large group.

• Gather implies the students bunching up their homework, while herded shows they are large sized people.

• Gather implies the students are socializing at the door, while herded shows they need help getting through the door.

• Gather implies the students are moving in a large group, while herded shows the students are just standing at the door.