7th grade, Introduction to Literature
Final Exam Review Guide, Spring 2016
ABOUT THE EXAM
The exam is 7 pages, front and back, and consists of four sections: Grammar, Interpretation of Texts: Multiple Choice, Interpretation of Texts: Short Answer, and Analyzing the Text: Paragraph Writing. The sections, and the benchmarks they are attached to, are described below.
1.Grammar – This section consists of 18 short answer and multiple choice questions to assess your understanding and application of:
-analyze how different parts of a story (such as setting and characters) affect each other ;
-identify the meaning of words and phrases using context clues and your knowledge of prefixes and suffixes;
-assess how a character’s point-of-view affects the story;
-determine the themes, logical inferences, and main ideas of a text; and
-determine the main ideas of an informational text to analyze their development.
-(These last two requirements will demand close reading skills.)
3. Interpretation of Texts: Short Answer – This section consists of 7 short answer questions about the informational text, a new poem that you have not seen before, and AWIT. Each short answer question will require 1-10 sentences. Questions will require you to:
-write one paragraph answering a question about the informational text, in which you need to:
-identify the literary devices (simile, metaphor, onomatopoeia, personification, allusion, alliteration, repetition, and hyperbole) used in a poem, and analyze its impact on the poem;
-explain how historical events and scientific theory from the 1950s affected A Wrinkle in Time. Example: How is Camazotz related to the Red Scare?
4. Analyzing Texts: Paragraph Writing – This section will feature two questions about AWIT. You will choose only one to answer in 3-5 paragraphs. In each paragraph, you will be assessed for:
SAMPLE QUESTIONS
Multiple Choice:
Identify the sentence in which the commas are placed correctly:
a)The book features Meg, Charles Wallace, and Calvin.
b)The book also features Mrs. Which, Mrs. Whatsit and Mrs, Who.
c)The secondary characters, include Sandy, Dennys, and Mr. Jenkins.
d)The featured animals are Fortinbras, a kitten and, a Pegasus.
In AWIT, what is the problem that drives the story?
a. Meg wants to become more beautiful.
b. Mrs. Murry’s chemistry lab is too dangerous.
c. Mr. Murry, Meg’s father, is missing.
d. The Mrs. W’s need the children’s help.
“His voice was low and monotonous.” What does monotonous mean?
a. extremely normal; plain
b. without variation; dull
c. desolate; empty
d. multicultural; diverse
In AWIT, how did Meg’s faults affect the story?
a. Meg was too unintelligent to help Charles Wallace or Calvin
b. Meg was so preoccupied with her looks that she became vain and selfish
c. Meg was so sad about her missing father that she needed to be rescued
d. Meg was so impatient that she couldn’t take orders from IT
“The enormous glasses caught the light again and shone like an owl’s eyes” (p. 42). What is the best explanation of this simile?
a)The glasses catch light like a baseball catcher catches a ball.
b)The glasses reflected light like flashlights.
c) The glasses reflected light like owls’ eyes, which means they were very shiny.
d)The glasses absorbed the light like owls’ eyes, which are dull and unreflective.
Which theme best describes AWIT?
a)Cherish your flaws, because they might be your greatest asset.
b)Value your family, because you never know when they might be gone.
c)Study math, because it will come in handy.
d)Be assertive so that you don’t miss an opportunity.
SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS
All answers must be written in complete setences.
How does the structure (shape) of Pablo Neruda’s poem, Ode to Light, affect the poem’s meaning?
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
What type of poem is this? Why?
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
How did Pablo Neruda use literary devices in his poem (simile, metaphor, onomatopoeia, personification, allusion, alliteration, repetition, and hyperbole)? Identify one literary device and describe how it contributes to the poem.
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
In the 1950s, Russia and the United States were competing to see who had better scientists. In 1959, Russia launched the world’s first rocket into space. How do you think this affected Madeleine L’Engle’s writing of A Wrinkle in Time? ___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
Answer the question below in one paragraph, in which you need to:
Question: Having read about tesseracts, do you think it would be wise for humans to tesser? Why or why not?
ANALYZING THE TEXT: PARAGRAPH WRITING SAMPLE QUESTION
Below there are two questions about A Wrinkle in Time. Choose only one question to answer. Answer the question of your choice in 3-5 paragraphs. In each paragraph, you will be assessed for:
Option 1: Madeleine L’Engle uses science in this story often. Identify examples of science and scientific theory in the story. How would the story be different without science? How does her inclusion of science contribute to the story?
Option 2: Identify each of the children's flaws. How did their flaws help and hurt them throughout the story? How can you adopt those lessons into your life? Be specific.
OTHER POSSIBLE OPTIONS
(Note that the options on the exam will be one of the questions listed either above or below.)
Option: How do you think Meg's disadvantages will become advantages throughout the story? Identify her disadvantages, and then use foreshadowing to support your answer.
Option: Now that we know more about dimensions, reevaluate our previous question: What are the Mrs. W's? Why do you think the Mrs. W's need the children? What could 3-dimensional creatures possible offer that the Mrs. W's can't do themselves? Use the informational texts and the book to support your answer.
Option: More than just evil, what do you think the Dark Thing actually is in scientific terms? Use the informational texts and our understanding of tesseracts, space, and dimensions to support your answer.
Option: The Man with the Red Eyes says that he will “assume all the pain, all the responsibility, all the burdens of thought and decision” (p. 134). How is this belief reflected on Camazotz? What does this belief symbolize for the children?
Option: Meg feels guilty and angry for having tessered away from Charles Wallace, even though staying on Camazotz would have meant her failure or death. Why does she feel this way? How do her emotions transform in chapters 10, 11, and 12? How does this transformation relate to her flaws and the climax?
Option: Why does Madeleine L’Engle represent IT as a large, disembodied brain? What is the symbolism? (Be more specific than just "evil.") Make a text-to-world connection: What is Madeleine L’Engle criticizing by representing evil as a large brain? What does L’Engle offer as the solution?
Option: Aunt Beast explains, “We share the same sun as lost Camazotz, but that, give thanks, is all we share” (p. 205). Camazotz and Ixchel share the same sun, but that’s about it. Why is Camazotz a black planet, while Ixchel isn’t? In the novel, what represents evil? What represents goodness? What prevails in the end, and how?
Scoring and benchmarks:
Your final exam grade will be determined by scoring to the benchmarks, as you have seen throughout the year so far. Remember that you can find a description of each benchmark at the beginning of your Collections book. Find the benchmarks below:
READING LITERATURE
Key Ideas and Details:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.1
Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.2
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.3
Analyze how particular elements of a story or drama interact (e.g., how setting shapes the characters or plot).
Craft and Structure:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.4
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of rhymes and other repetitions of sounds (e.g., alliteration) on a specific verse or stanza of a poem or section of a story or drama.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.5
Analyze how a drama's or poem's form or structure (e.g., soliloquy, sonnet) contributes to its meaning
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.6
Analyze how an author develops and contrasts the points of view of different characters or narrators in a text.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.9
Compare and contrast a fictional portrayal of a time, place, or character and a historical account of the same period as a means of understanding how authors of fiction use or alter history.
READING INFORMATIONAL TEXTS
Key Ideas and Details:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.7.1
Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.7.2
Determine two or more central ideas in a text and analyze their development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.
WRITING
Text Types and Purposes:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.1
Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.1.A
Introduce claim(s), acknowledge alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.1.B
Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.1.C
Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s), reasons, and evidence.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.1.D
Establish and maintain a formal style.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.1.E
Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented.
INFORMATIONAL TEXTS
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.2
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.2.A
Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow; organize ideas, concepts, and information, using strategies such as definition, classification, comparison/contrast, and cause/effect; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.2.B
Develop the topic with relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.2.C
Use appropriate transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.2.D
Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.2.E
Establish and maintain a formal style.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.2.F
Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented.
GRAMMAR (LANGUAGE CONVENTIONS)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.7.1.A
Explain the function of phrases and clauses in general and their function in specific sentences.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.7.2
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.7.2.A
Use a comma to separate coordinate adjectives (e.g., It was a fascinating, enjoyable movie but not He wore an old[,] green shirt).
Final Exam Review Guide, Spring 2016
ABOUT THE EXAM
The exam is 7 pages, front and back, and consists of four sections: Grammar, Interpretation of Texts: Multiple Choice, Interpretation of Texts: Short Answer, and Analyzing the Text: Paragraph Writing. The sections, and the benchmarks they are attached to, are described below.
1.Grammar – This section consists of 18 short answer and multiple choice questions to assess your understanding and application of:
- complete versus fragment sentences
- subordinate clauses and their function
- capitalization, punctuation, and spelling
- commas for compound sentences, dialogue, a list of three or more, and subordinate clauses.
-analyze how different parts of a story (such as setting and characters) affect each other ;
-identify the meaning of words and phrases using context clues and your knowledge of prefixes and suffixes;
-assess how a character’s point-of-view affects the story;
-determine the themes, logical inferences, and main ideas of a text; and
-determine the main ideas of an informational text to analyze their development.
-(These last two requirements will demand close reading skills.)
3. Interpretation of Texts: Short Answer – This section consists of 7 short answer questions about the informational text, a new poem that you have not seen before, and AWIT. Each short answer question will require 1-10 sentences. Questions will require you to:
-write one paragraph answering a question about the informational text, in which you need to:
- introduce your answer clearly in a topic sentence;
- cite 2-3 pieces of textual evidence to justify your point;
- use appropriate transition words to clarify and organize your writing;
- use precise language and relevant vocabulary;
- establish and maintain a formal, academic style of writing; and
- provide a concluding statement.
-identify the literary devices (simile, metaphor, onomatopoeia, personification, allusion, alliteration, repetition, and hyperbole) used in a poem, and analyze its impact on the poem;
-explain how historical events and scientific theory from the 1950s affected A Wrinkle in Time. Example: How is Camazotz related to the Red Scare?
4. Analyzing Texts: Paragraph Writing – This section will feature two questions about AWIT. You will choose only one to answer in 3-5 paragraphs. In each paragraph, you will be assessed for:
- introducing your claim clearly in a topic sentence;
- supporting each claim with 2-3 pieces of textual evidence to justify your point, when appropriate;
- using transition words (However, Also, Therefore, In conclusion, Additionally, Firstly, etc.) to clarify and organize your writing;
- using precise language and relevant vocabulary;
- establishing and maintaining a formal, academic style of writing; and
- providing a concluding statement.
SAMPLE QUESTIONS
Multiple Choice:
Identify the sentence in which the commas are placed correctly:
a)The book features Meg, Charles Wallace, and Calvin.
b)The book also features Mrs. Which, Mrs. Whatsit and Mrs, Who.
c)The secondary characters, include Sandy, Dennys, and Mr. Jenkins.
d)The featured animals are Fortinbras, a kitten and, a Pegasus.
In AWIT, what is the problem that drives the story?
a. Meg wants to become more beautiful.
b. Mrs. Murry’s chemistry lab is too dangerous.
c. Mr. Murry, Meg’s father, is missing.
d. The Mrs. W’s need the children’s help.
“His voice was low and monotonous.” What does monotonous mean?
a. extremely normal; plain
b. without variation; dull
c. desolate; empty
d. multicultural; diverse
In AWIT, how did Meg’s faults affect the story?
a. Meg was too unintelligent to help Charles Wallace or Calvin
b. Meg was so preoccupied with her looks that she became vain and selfish
c. Meg was so sad about her missing father that she needed to be rescued
d. Meg was so impatient that she couldn’t take orders from IT
“The enormous glasses caught the light again and shone like an owl’s eyes” (p. 42). What is the best explanation of this simile?
a)The glasses catch light like a baseball catcher catches a ball.
b)The glasses reflected light like flashlights.
c) The glasses reflected light like owls’ eyes, which means they were very shiny.
d)The glasses absorbed the light like owls’ eyes, which are dull and unreflective.
Which theme best describes AWIT?
a)Cherish your flaws, because they might be your greatest asset.
b)Value your family, because you never know when they might be gone.
c)Study math, because it will come in handy.
d)Be assertive so that you don’t miss an opportunity.
SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS
All answers must be written in complete setences.
How does the structure (shape) of Pablo Neruda’s poem, Ode to Light, affect the poem’s meaning?
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
What type of poem is this? Why?
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
How did Pablo Neruda use literary devices in his poem (simile, metaphor, onomatopoeia, personification, allusion, alliteration, repetition, and hyperbole)? Identify one literary device and describe how it contributes to the poem.
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
In the 1950s, Russia and the United States were competing to see who had better scientists. In 1959, Russia launched the world’s first rocket into space. How do you think this affected Madeleine L’Engle’s writing of A Wrinkle in Time? ___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
Answer the question below in one paragraph, in which you need to:
- introduce your answer clearly in a topic sentence (W.7.2.A);
- cite 2-3 pieces of textual evidence to justify your point (W.7.2.B);
- use appropriate transition words to clarify and organize your writing (W.7.2.C);
- use precise language and relevant vocabulary (W.7.2.D);
- establish and maintain a formal, academic style of writing (W.7.2.E); and
- provide a concluding statement (W.7.2.F).
Question: Having read about tesseracts, do you think it would be wise for humans to tesser? Why or why not?
ANALYZING THE TEXT: PARAGRAPH WRITING SAMPLE QUESTION
Below there are two questions about A Wrinkle in Time. Choose only one question to answer. Answer the question of your choice in 3-5 paragraphs. In each paragraph, you will be assessed for:
- introducing a claim with a topic sentence (W.7.1.A);
- supporting your claim with 2-3 pieces of textual evidence to justify your point, if appropriate (W.7.1.B);
- using transition words to organize your paragraph correctly and smoothly (W.7.1.C);
- establishing and maintaining a formal, academic style of writing (W.7.1.D); and
- providing a concluding statement (W.7.1.E).
Option 1: Madeleine L’Engle uses science in this story often. Identify examples of science and scientific theory in the story. How would the story be different without science? How does her inclusion of science contribute to the story?
Option 2: Identify each of the children's flaws. How did their flaws help and hurt them throughout the story? How can you adopt those lessons into your life? Be specific.
OTHER POSSIBLE OPTIONS
(Note that the options on the exam will be one of the questions listed either above or below.)
Option: How do you think Meg's disadvantages will become advantages throughout the story? Identify her disadvantages, and then use foreshadowing to support your answer.
Option: Now that we know more about dimensions, reevaluate our previous question: What are the Mrs. W's? Why do you think the Mrs. W's need the children? What could 3-dimensional creatures possible offer that the Mrs. W's can't do themselves? Use the informational texts and the book to support your answer.
Option: More than just evil, what do you think the Dark Thing actually is in scientific terms? Use the informational texts and our understanding of tesseracts, space, and dimensions to support your answer.
Option: The Man with the Red Eyes says that he will “assume all the pain, all the responsibility, all the burdens of thought and decision” (p. 134). How is this belief reflected on Camazotz? What does this belief symbolize for the children?
Option: Meg feels guilty and angry for having tessered away from Charles Wallace, even though staying on Camazotz would have meant her failure or death. Why does she feel this way? How do her emotions transform in chapters 10, 11, and 12? How does this transformation relate to her flaws and the climax?
Option: Why does Madeleine L’Engle represent IT as a large, disembodied brain? What is the symbolism? (Be more specific than just "evil.") Make a text-to-world connection: What is Madeleine L’Engle criticizing by representing evil as a large brain? What does L’Engle offer as the solution?
Option: Aunt Beast explains, “We share the same sun as lost Camazotz, but that, give thanks, is all we share” (p. 205). Camazotz and Ixchel share the same sun, but that’s about it. Why is Camazotz a black planet, while Ixchel isn’t? In the novel, what represents evil? What represents goodness? What prevails in the end, and how?
Scoring and benchmarks:
Your final exam grade will be determined by scoring to the benchmarks, as you have seen throughout the year so far. Remember that you can find a description of each benchmark at the beginning of your Collections book. Find the benchmarks below:
READING LITERATURE
Key Ideas and Details:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.1
Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.2
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.3
Analyze how particular elements of a story or drama interact (e.g., how setting shapes the characters or plot).
Craft and Structure:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.4
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of rhymes and other repetitions of sounds (e.g., alliteration) on a specific verse or stanza of a poem or section of a story or drama.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.5
Analyze how a drama's or poem's form or structure (e.g., soliloquy, sonnet) contributes to its meaning
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.6
Analyze how an author develops and contrasts the points of view of different characters or narrators in a text.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.9
Compare and contrast a fictional portrayal of a time, place, or character and a historical account of the same period as a means of understanding how authors of fiction use or alter history.
READING INFORMATIONAL TEXTS
Key Ideas and Details:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.7.1
Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.7.2
Determine two or more central ideas in a text and analyze their development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.
WRITING
Text Types and Purposes:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.1
Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.1.A
Introduce claim(s), acknowledge alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.1.B
Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.1.C
Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s), reasons, and evidence.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.1.D
Establish and maintain a formal style.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.1.E
Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented.
INFORMATIONAL TEXTS
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.2
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.2.A
Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow; organize ideas, concepts, and information, using strategies such as definition, classification, comparison/contrast, and cause/effect; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.2.B
Develop the topic with relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.2.C
Use appropriate transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.2.D
Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.2.E
Establish and maintain a formal style.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.2.F
Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented.
GRAMMAR (LANGUAGE CONVENTIONS)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.7.1.A
Explain the function of phrases and clauses in general and their function in specific sentences.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.7.2
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.7.2.A
Use a comma to separate coordinate adjectives (e.g., It was a fascinating, enjoyable movie but not He wore an old[,] green shirt).