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2007 Released 7th Grade Reading SOL

Last updated almost 6 years ago
9 questions

2007 Released 7th Grade Reading SOL

Changing the Environment

1 Sara Hayden discovered her private perch on a large boulder about two weeks after her family moved to Poplar Springs. It was the first Friday in April, and Sara’s school had early dismissal. She tossed her jacket over the sofa, dumped her backpack on the floor, and put on her heavy hiking boots. She grabbed a banana and a juice box and hustled out the back door. She still had not made a single friend at her new school; arriving late in the term had been challenging. She felt isolated and alone. As Sara’s loneliness at school continued, trekking through the tract of deep woods behind her house relieved the frustration that had built up in her.

2 That day Sara chose a particularly mucky route adjacent to Willow Creek. Early springmud squished beneath her boots like clay and splattered brown specks on her jeans. Through the woods close to Willow Creek, Sara heard the creek splashing down the falls. Pale green buds announced the late-arriving spring.

3 About half a mile from the house, Sara noticed something rather peculiar—a whittled, pencil-shaped stump where a tall poplar sapling had stood the previous week. She looked around and saw a narrow path marked by broken branches and crushed leaves. Sara carefully picked her way through the underbrush, snagging her jeans on prickly vines.

4 Sara reached Willow Creek and realized immediately what had happened to the poplar sapling. A pair of industrious beavers was actively damming Willow Creek. Sara sat on a boulder about 20 yards from the partially built lodge. As yet, the dam could not stop Willow Creek in full rush, but the beavers had major construction in mind. Sara wondered how long it would take them to finish. One beaver, hauling a heavy branch in its teeth, appeared on the creek bank. For the first time in weeks, Sara was interested in something.

5 Over the next few weeks, Sara monitored the progress of the beavers’ timber-cutting endeavor. She noticed that poplar, birch, and willow saplings had been gnawed into stumps. The newly clear-cut plots allowed sunlight to reach the forest floor, where wildflowers painted the greenery and vines shimmied up narrow tree trunks.

6 The dam increased in size and reduced Willow Creek to a mere trickle. The beavers followed a remarkable work ethic. The dam was never sufficient, never big enough, never strong enough to suit the active beavers. Sara wondered whether the husky adult beavers had newborn kits in their lodge. If so, the offspring had not yet emerged into the open. She did not expect to see any for several weeks.

7 The stone perch gave Sara a front-row seat as the ecosystem engineers converted a rushing stream into a still-pond habitat. Sara scanned the pond daily to see what had changed. It did not occur to her that what had changed the most was her own attitude. She had exchanged loneliness for curiosity, frustration for fascination.

8 As the dam changed the pond’s environment, the population changed as well. A pair of wood ducks became the first visitors to set up housekeeping. The “whoo-eek, whoo-eek” of the green-headed male echoed through the woods. The female replied with a “crreck, crreck, crreck.” Duckweed sprouted around the edges of the pond. Scrawny reeds popped up on the banks, and frogs, salamanders, and a slender snake found their way to the pond. Dragonflies and mayflies buzzed in the warm spring air.

9 In school, Sara’s science class was studying ecosystems. “Pair up and do a report on habitats. Be prepared to give a presentation two weeks from Friday,” said Mr. Hoffinger.

10 Seated alphabetically, Sara sat directly behind Kayla Hammond. Kayla turned around in her seat and whispered, “Do you have a partner?” Sara shook her head. “Want to work together?” asked Kayla.

11 Sara smiled. “I have an inspiration. Come over to my house after school, and I’ll show you.”

12 The day of the presentation came; Sara and Kayla were ready. Kayla ran the slide show while Sara narrated. “This spring, two ecosystem engineers moved to Willow Creek. These engineers have no college degrees, yet they build elaborate habitats. They are Castor canadensis,American beavers.”

13 The slides were impressive and, along with the chart, very instructive. The other students had so many questions and comments that both Kayla and Sara talked with almost everyone in class. The beaver dam had changed both the environment of the pond and Sara herself.
1

What does the word adjacent mean in paragraph 2?

1

2 Which word best describes Sara after her presentation?

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What may the reader best conclude about Sara and Kayla’s science presentation?

1

Based on the last sentence in the story, the reader may best conclude that —

1

The beavers help Sara by —

1

Willow Creek is important to the plot because Sara —

1

In the story, Sara is best described as —

1

Which sentence from the story shows why Sara is frustrated?

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Which of these is the best summary of the story?