First and Last Name__________________________ Period________________________

7th Grade
Regular English
Fall Final Exam

Section I: Reading Comprehension

Grade 7 Regular English Fall Final Exam Page 1

Read these poems and answer the questions that follow.

Ode to enchanted light
by Pablo Neruda

10

15

Under the trees light

has dropped from the top of the sky,
light
like a green
latticework of branches,
shining
on every leaf,
drifting down like clean
white sand.
A cicada sends
its sawing song
high into the empty air.
The world is
a glass overflowing
with water.

Snow in the Suburbs

by Thomas Hardy

Every branch big with it,

Bent every twig with it;
Every fork like a white web-foot;
Every street and pavement mute:
Some flakes have lost their way, and grope back upward, when
Meeting those meandering down they turn and descend again.
The palings are glued together like a wall,
And there is no waft of wind with the fleecy fall.

A sparrow enters the tree,

Whereon immediately
A snow-lump thrice his own slight size
Descends on him and showers his head and eyes,
And overturns him,
And near inurns him,
15
And lights on a nether twig, when its brush
Starts off a volley of other lodging lumps with a rush.
10

20

The steps are a blanched slope,

Up which, with feeble hope,
A black cat comes, wide-eyed and thin;
And we take him in.

Grade 7 Regular English Fall Final Exam Page 2

Use Ode to enchanted light to answer these questions.

____

1. The imagery in Nerudas poem appeals primarily to the senses of

A
B
C
D

____

2. Which one of the following lines contains alliteration?

F
G
H
J

____

latticework of branches (line 5)

drifting down like clean (line 8)
high into the empty air (line 12)
a glass overflowing (line 14)

3. Which one of the following images is an example of a simile?

A
B
C
D

____

taste and sight

touch and taste
sight and hearing
smell and touch

light / has dropped from the top of the sky (lines 12)
light / like a green / latticework of branches (lines 35)
its sawing song (line 11)
The world is / a glass overflowing / with water (lines 1315)

4. The image in A cicada sends / its sawing song appeals to the sense of
F
G
H
J

hearing
smell
sight
taste

Use Snow in the Suburbs to answer these questions.

____

5. Which line describes a fence covered with snow?

A
B
C
D

____

6. Which statement describes the pattern of rhyme in this poem?

F
G
H
J

____

Every branch big with it (line 1)

The palings are glued together like a wall (line 7)
A snow-lump thrice his own slight size (line 11)
The steps are a blanched slope (line 17)

Only the first four lines rhyme.

Every other line rhymes.
Every pair of lines rhymes.
Most lines do not rhyme.

7. Which expression refers to objects as if they were people?

Grade 7 Regular English Fall Final Exam Page 3

A
B
C
D

Some flakes have lost their way (line 5)

A sparrow enters the tree (line 9)
The steps are a blanched slope (line 17)
A black cat comes, wide-eyed and thin (line 19)

Use both selections to answer this question.

____

8. A theme of both poems is

F
G
H
J

Nature comforts people

Nature is destructive
Snow and light are natural elements
Nature is powerful
Section II: Revising and Editing

Beths principal wants to cancel the end-of-year seventh-grade school carnival because several students
skipped class and caused trouble. The carnival has been a tradition and is seen as a reward for students hard
work during the year. Beth wrote the following essay to convince the principal to change her mind. Read the
essay and decide how Beth could make it better. Then answer the questions that follow.
(1)

I think that canceling the carnival because a few students skipped class is too harsh of a punishment.

(2) Consider all of the students who would be punished for the action of a few students unfairly. (3) Think of
another punishment for the students who broke the rules, and of the purpose of the carnival. (4) Then think
about how this would affect all of us who did nothing wrong. (5) I think that you will see that not having the
carnival it is not the best option.
(6)

First, consider that they made that decision themselves. (7) I dont think that those students who

stayed in class should have to pay for something they didnt do. (8) If you cancel the carnival you will punish
everyone. (9) It is true that students who skipped class should get in trouble. (10) They should avoid the
carnival. (11) They were trying to avoid school. (12) It makes sense to tell them they cannot participate in this
school activity. (13) I really think it would make a major impression on them.
(14)

Finally, the carnival is a reward for all are hard work. (15) Please think of all that weve done well

this year. (16) I believe that there is better solutions than cancelling the carnival. (17) Please dont punish the
good students. (18) I think there are many other ways to handle this situation, and I ask you to consider my
arguments.

Grade 7 Regular English Fall Final Exam Page 4

____

9
A
B
C
D

Which sentence should be deleted from paragraph 1?

Sentence 1
Sentence 3
Sentence 4
Sentence 5

____

10
F
G
H
J

What is the BEST way to rewrite sentence 2?

Consider all of the students who would be unfairly punished for the action of a few students.
Consider how unfair: all of the students who would be punished for the action of a few students.
Consider all of the students who would be punished for the action of a few unfair students.
Consider all of the unfair students who would be punished for the action of a few students.

____

11
A
B
C
D

What change, if any, should be made in sentence 6?

Remove the comma after first
Change themselves to themself
Change consider to considers
Make no change

____

12
F
G
H
J

What change, if any, should be made in sentence 7?

Change dont to dont
Change students to students
Change stayed to staid
Make no change.

____

13
A
B
C
D

What change, if any, should be made in sentence 8?

Change If you to If we
Add a comma after carnival
Change punish to punishment
Make no change.

____

14
F
G
H
J

Which word or phrase BEST replaces avoid in sentence 10?

run away from
miss out on
skip
attend

____

15
A
B
C
D

Which transitional word or phrase is BEST added to the beginning of sentence 11?
Somehow
However,
That is why
After all,

____

16 What would be the best way to combine sentences 12 and 13?

Grade 7 Regular English Fall Final Exam Page 5

F It makes sense to tell them that they cannot participate in this school activity!
G It makes sense to tell them that they cannot participate in this school activity, and it would make a major
impression on them.
H It makes sense to tell them that they cannot participate in this school activity, and I really think it would make
a major impression on them.
J It makes sense to tell them that they cannot participate in this school activity-major impression!
____

17
A
B
C
D

What change, if any, should be made to sentence 14?

Delete the comma after Finally
Change are to our
Change hard work to working hard
Make no change.

____

18
F
G
H
J

What change, if any, should be made to sentence 16?

Change believe to belief
Change better to good
Change is to are
Make no change.
Jackson wrote this essay for a class assignment. Read the essay and decide how he could make it better. Then
answer the questions that follow.
(1)

I used to think that school had no value outside the classroom. (2) Maybe you felt this way, too. (3)

When someone talks about education, you may picture yourself sitting in a classroom, listening to teachers
talk, and doing homework. (4) Do you wonder how all of the school work will really help you? (5) When will
I need to know this you might say as you are doing homework.
(6)

Like you, I used to listen eagerly for the bell to ring. (7) I did not think school had any meaning for

me. (8) Then I met Juan. (9) He told me that his parents came here from mexico. (10) They moved here
because they wanted him to be able to get a better education and have opportunitys they had not had
themselves.
(11)

Now I see the world differently. (12) I realize that what I learn in school is helpful to me all the time.

(13) Even when I go to the mall. (14) If I buy something then I use math skills. (15) If I want to find a store, I
need map skills. (16) Whenever I buy a snack, I think about what Ive read in health class. (17) Of course, the
mall is not the only place where I use my education. (18) Its just a good example. (19) It is also one of the
better places to use what Ive learned in school.
Grade 7 Regular English Fall Final Exam Page 6

____

19
A
B
C
D

What change, if any, should be made in sentence 2?

Change you felt to you have felt
Change this to that
Delete the comma
Make no change.

____

20 What is the BEST way to revise sentence 3?

F When someone talks about education, you may picture yourself listening to teachers and doing homework
in a classroom.
G Someone talks about education: you think of sitting in a classroom, listening to teachers talk, and doing
homework.
H You may picture yourself sitting in a classroom, listening to teachers talk about education or doing
homework.
J When you hear the word education, it might make you think of sitting in a classroom or doing homework.

____

21
A
B
C
D

What is the BEST way to revise sentence 5?

You might ask yourself whats the point.
When will I need to know this, you might ask yourself while doing homework?
As you are doing homework, When will I need to know this? you might ask yourself.
As you are doing your homework, you might ask yourself, When will I need to know this?

____

22
F
G
H
J

What change, if any, should be made in sentence 9?

Add a comma after told me
Change his parents to his parents
Change mexico to Mexico
Make no change.

____

23
A
B
C
D

What change, if any, should be made in sentence 10?

Change moved to move
Change opportunitys to opportunities
Change themselves to themself
Make no change.

____

24
F
G
H
J

Which sentence BEST replaces sentence 11 so that the ideas progress logically?
Now I look at the world from new eyes.
I now know that the world is bigger than I once thought.
I am so glad that I met Mesfins parents.
Now I think of education in a whole new way.

____

25 What change, if any, should be made to sentence 14?

A Change buy to bought
Grade 7 Regular English Fall Final Exam Page 7

B Add a comma after something

C Change math to Math
D Make no change.
____

26
F
G
H
J

What change, if any, should be made to sentence 18?

Change Its to Its
Change good to better
Change example to sample
Make no change.
Section III: Composition
The following was a writing prompt Juliana received in English class for a personal narrative.
Write a narrative about a time when you were surprised.

____ 27
A
B
C
D

Which story would best fit this prompt?

discovering that a class she thought would be boring was exciting and interesting
taking a STAAR test
winning a game against the weakest team in the district
None of the above

____ 28
F
G
H

Which of the following is the most effective hook?

Let me tell you about a time I was surprised.
Have you ever been surprised?
I trudged into class, spotted the writing covering the boards, and thought, this is going to be
another boring summer school class!
J I walked into class, saw the boards, and thought this is going to stink!

The following was a writing prompt Cameron received in English class for an expository essay.
Write an essay about whether or not people appreciate what they have in life.

____ 29 Which of the following is the BEST thesis statement for this prompt?
Grade 7 Regular English Fall Final Exam Page 8

A
B
C
D

People do appreciate what they have in life.

People do not appreciate what they have in life.
People appreciate what they have in life if they think positively and reflect on their lives.
None of the above

____ 30 If Cameron does not know what the word appreciate means, what should she do?
F Look it up in the dictionary to find the definition
G Look it up in the thesaurus to find synonyms
H Ask the teacher because he/she can explain it to you during the STAAR

Grade 7 Regular English Fall Final Exam Page 9

J F and/or G

Grade 7 Regular English Fall Final Exam Page 10