WorksheetsQuarter 3 Major Test 1 — ELA Grade 7 (Reading Comprehension)
Total questions: 15
Worksheet time: 1hrs 16mins
Passage 1: The Buzz in the City In many large cities, urban beekeeping has become a surprising success story. Rooftop hives sit above apartment buildings, and community gardens host colonies that help pollinate flowers and produce. While cities may seem inhospitable, they often provide a diverse buffet of blooming plants throughout the growing season. Fewer pesticides are used on ornamental plantings than on some commercial farms, and city microclimates can keep temperatures a few degrees warmer than nearby rural areas. Organizations that sponsor urban hives train volunteer keepers to monitor colony health, provide fresh water, and prevent swarming. Neighborhood workshops teach residents to identify bees and avoid disturbing them. As more people observe bees closely, they learn how critical pollinators are to ecosystems and to agriculture. Despite the benefits, challenges remain: heat-reflecting surfaces can stress hives in summer, and not all rooftops are safely accessible. Even so, city bees are helping researchers study how pollinators adapt to human environments.
Which sentence from the passage best states the central idea?
Urban beekeeping has failed because cities are inhospitable.
City environments can support healthy bee colonies and offer unique advantages.
Rooftop hives are always dangerous and should be avoided.
Researchers no longer study pollinators in rural areas.
Passage 1: The Buzz in the City In many large cities, urban beekeeping has become a surprising success story. Rooftop hives sit above apartment buildings, and community gardens host colonies that help pollinate flowers and produce. While cities may seem inhospitable, they often provide a diverse buffet of blooming plants throughout the growing season. Fewer pesticides are used on ornamental plantings than on some commercial farms, and city microclimates can keep temperatures a few degrees warmer than nearby rural areas. Organizations that sponsor urban hives train volunteer keepers to monitor colony health, provide fresh water, and prevent swarming. Neighborhood workshops teach residents to identify bees and avoid disturbing them. As more people observe bees closely, they learn how critical pollinators are to ecosystems and to agriculture. Despite the benefits, challenges remain: heat-reflecting surfaces can stress hives in summer, and not all rooftops are safely accessible. Even so, city bees are helping researchers study how pollinators adapt to human environments.
Which two details best support the central idea in the previous question?
Community gardens refuse to host colonies.
Cities provide a diverse buffet of blooming plants throughout the season.
Neighborhood workshops teach residents to identify bees.
Heat-reflecting surfaces can stress hives in summer.
Passage 1: The Buzz in the City In many large cities, urban beekeeping has become a surprising success story. Rooftop hives sit above apartment buildings, and community gardens host colonies that help pollinate flowers and produce. While cities may seem inhospitable, they often provide a diverse buffet of blooming plants throughout the growing season. Fewer pesticides are used on ornamental plantings than on some commercial farms, and city microclimates can keep temperatures a few degrees warmer than nearby rural areas. Organizations that sponsor urban hives train volunteer keepers to monitor colony health, provide fresh water, and prevent swarming. Neighborhood workshops teach residents to identify bees and avoid disturbing them. As more people observe bees closely, they learn how critical pollinators are to ecosystems and to agriculture. Despite the benefits, challenges remain: heat-reflecting surfaces can stress hives in summer, and not all rooftops are safely accessible. Even so, city bees are helping researchers study how pollinators adapt to human environments.
How does the structure of the second paragraph contribute to the author’s purpose?
It lists outcomes to persuade readers to ban urban hives.
It provides examples to inform readers about training and education efforts.
It compares city bees with rural bees to entertain the reader.
It defines technical terms that appear in the first paragraph.
Passage 1: The Buzz in the City
In many large cities, urban beekeeping has become a surprising success story. Rooftop hives sit above apartment buildings, and community gardens host colonies that help pollinate flowers and produce. While cities may seem inhospitable, they often provide a diverse buffet of blooming plants throughout the growing season. Fewer pesticides are used on ornamental plantings than on some commercial farms, and city microclimates can keep temperatures a few degrees warmer than nearby rural areas. Organizations that sponsor urban hives train volunteer keepers to monitor colony health, provide fresh water, and prevent swarming. Neighborhood workshops teach residents to identify bees and avoid disturbing them. As more people observe bees closely, they learn how critical pollinators are to ecosystems and to agriculture. Despite the benefits, challenges remain: heat-reflecting surfaces can stress hives in summer, and not all rooftops are safely accessible. Even so, city bees are helping researchers study how pollinators adapt to human environments.
Read the sentence: "Fewer pesticides are used on ornamental plantings than on some commercial farms." What inference can be made from this detail?
Urban bees may encounter fewer pesticide risks than certain farm bees.
City bees never face health challenges.
Commercial farms do not grow food.
Pesticides are banned in all cities.
Passage 1: The Buzz in the City
he Buzz in the City In many large cities, urban beekeeping has become a surprising success story. Rooftop hives sit above apartment buildings, and community gardens host colonies that help pollinate flowers and produce. While cities may seem inhospitable, they often provide a diverse buffet of blooming plants throughout the growing season. Fewer pesticides are used on ornamental plantings than on some commercial farms, and city microclimates can keep temperatures a few degrees warmer than nearby rural areas. Organizations that sponsor urban hives train volunteer keepers to monitor colony health, provide fresh water, and prevent swarming. Neighborhood workshops teach residents to identify bees and avoid disturbing them. As more people observe bees closely, they learn how critical pollinators are to ecosystems and to agriculture. Despite the benefits, challenges remain: heat-reflecting surfaces can stress hives in summer, and not all rooftops are safely accessible. Even so, city bees are helping researchers study how pollinators adapt to human environments.
Select TWO phrases from the passage that convey a positive mood toward urban bees.
surprising success story
heat-reflecting surfaces can stress hives
diverse buffet of blooming plants
not all rooftops are safely accessible
Passage 2: A Turn in the Trail
I had mapped the trail three times, but the switchbacks still felt new under my feet. Morning fog lifted in slow ribbons, revealing glistening leaves and a creek whispering along the rocks. My best friend Eli jogged beside me, teasing, "You’ll set a course record if you ever remember to breathe." We rounded a bend and reached the footbridge—narrow planks hovering over the water like a balance beam. I hesitated. Eli stepped across, arms out for balance. A woodpecker rattled somewhere up the slope. Then the creek swelled, churning over the stones. I backed away. "Your pace is fine," Eli said, softer now. "We don’t have to race the clock." I inhaled, tasting cool pine. The fear was still there, but it loosened when I matched his stride. We crossed together, feet in careful rhythm, and the fog dissolved into sun.
Which statement best describes how the narrator’s perspective shifts over the passage?
From confident to reckless.
From hesitant to more assured with support.
From joyful to bored.
From angry to apologetic.
Passage 2: A Turn in the Trail
I had mapped the trail three times, but the switchbacks still felt new under my feet. Morning fog lifted in slow ribbons, revealing glistening leaves and a creek whispering along the rocks. My best friend Eli jogged beside me, teasing, "You’ll set a course record if you ever remember to breathe." We rounded a bend and reached the footbridge—narrow planks hovering over the water like a balance beam. I hesitated. Eli stepped across, arms out for balance. A woodpecker rattled somewhere up the slope. Then the creek swelled, churning over the stones. I backed away. "Your pace is fine," Eli said, softer now. "We don’t have to race the clock." I inhaled, tasting cool pine. The fear was still there, but it loosened when I matched his stride. We crossed together, feet in careful rhythm, and the fog dissolved into sun.
Read the sentence: "Morning fog lifted in slow ribbons." Which figure of speech is used, and how does it affect the tone?
Simile; creates a humorous tone.
Metaphor; creates a calm, reflective tone.
Personification; creates an urgent tone.
Hyperbole; creates an excited tone.
Passage 2: A Turn in the Trail
Which TWO details best reveal Eli’s character?
He teases about the course record.
He steps across the bridge first and encourages the narrator.
He ignores the narrator’s fear.
He tells the narrator to hurry.
Passage 2: A Turn in the Trail
How do the descriptive details of the setting help develop the plot?
They introduce obstacles (fog, narrow bridge) that the characters must navigate, moving the action forward.
They provide background history about the town’s founding.
They explain how footbridges are engineered.
They reveal a mystery unrelated to the characters.
Passage 2: A Turn in the Trail
Select TWO phrases from the passage that convey an anxious mood before crossing the bridge.
I hesitated
the creek swelled, churning over the stones
Your pace is fine
the fog dissolved into sun
Passage 3: Community Composting, Community Growth
Across neighborhoods, shared compost hubs turn kitchen scraps into soil that nourishes local gardens. Volunteers collect fruit peels, coffee grounds, and yard clippings, layering them with dry materials like leaves and shredded cardboard. Over time, microorganisms break the layers down into a dark, crumbly mix called compost. Many hubs post signs showing what belongs in each bin. They weigh weekly collections to set goals and celebrate progress. Schools use the sites to teach science concepts, and apartment dwellers sign up for drop-off windows. The program does face hurdles: contamination from plastics can slow decomposition, and summer heat may produce odors if piles are not turned. Even so, the effort reduces trash, builds soil, and strengthens community ties.
Which sentence best summarizes the passage?
Composting is impossible in cities because volunteers are unavailable.
Shared compost hubs help communities turn waste into useful soil while educating residents and addressing challenges.
Only schools benefit from composting programs.
Composting always produces strong odors and should be avoided.
Passage 3: Community Composting, Community Growth
Underline THREE central ideas developed in the passage.
community education
reduced waste
engineering of bridges
summer challenges
soil building
Passage 4: Quiet Oceans, Busy Seas
Beneath the waves, marine animals rely on sound to navigate, find food, and communicate. Whales sing complex patterns that travel for miles; dolphins click and whistle; even fish drum or hum. In recent decades, human-made noise—from shipping, construction, and motorized recreation—has grown, creating a crowded soundscape. Scientists are testing solutions: slowing ship speeds can reduce low-frequency noise and collisions with whales; rerouting traffic away from sensitive habitats gives animals acoustic breathing room. Ports now pilot "quiet zones" during migration seasons. These approaches balance commerce with conservation by listening to the ocean’s needs.
What is the author’s purpose in this passage?
To entertain with sea legends.
To inform about how sound affects marine life and describe possible solutions.
To argue that ocean travel should be banned.
To explain how to build a boat motor.
Revise the sentences to correct the fragment: "By the time the bell rang. The lab reports were still on the table." Which revision is best?
By the time the bell rang. The lab reports were still on the table.
By the time the bell rang, the lab reports were still on the table.
The lab reports were still on the table, by the time the bell rang.
By the time the bell rang; the lab reports were still on the table.
Choose the best concluding sentence for a paragraph about learning a new instrument: Practice builds skill; mistakes teach technique; patience makes performance possible.
In conclusion, instruments are loud and confusing.
Therefore, music is only for experts.
Together, these habits turn effort into music that grows better each day.
Consequently, students should stop practicing.
