CAASPP Grade 7 ELA
By Formative Staff
starstarstarstarstar
Last updated 3 months ago
31 Questions
Read the text and answer questions 1–8.
The Capture of Father Time
by L. Frank Baum
Jim was the son of a cowboy, and lived on the broad plains of Arizona. His father had trained him to lasso a bronco or a young bull with perfect accuracy, and had Jim possessed the strength to back up his skill he would have been as good a cowboy as any in all Arizona.
When he was twelve years old he made his first visit to the east, where Uncle Charles, his father's brother, lived. Of course Jim took his lasso with him, for he was proud of his skill in casting it, and wanted to show his cousins what a cowboy could do.
At first the city boys and girls were much interested in watching Jim lasso posts and fence pickets, but they soon tired of it, and even Jim decided it was not the right sort of sport for cities.
But one day the butcher asked Jim to ride one of his horses into the country, to a pasture that had been engaged, and Jim eagerly consented. He had been longing for a horseback ride, and to make it seem like old times he took his lasso with him.
He rode through the streets demurely enough, but on reaching the open country roads his spirits broke forth into wild jubilation, and, urging the butcher's horse to full gallop, he dashed away in true cowboy fashion.
Then he wanted still more liberty, and letting down the bars that led into a big field he began riding over the meadow and throwing his lasso at imaginary cattle, while he yelled and whooped to his heart's content.
Suddenly, on making a long cast with his lasso, the loop caught upon something and rested about three feet from the ground, while the rope drew taut and nearly pulled Jim from his horse.
This was unexpected. More than that, it was wonderful; for the field seemed bare of even a stump. Jim's eyes grew big with amazement, but he knew he had caught something when a voice cried out:
"Here, let go! Let go, I say! Can't you see what you've done?"
No, Jim couldn't see, nor did he intend to let go until he found out what was holding the loop of the lasso. So he resorted to an old trick his father had taught him and, putting the butcher's horse to a run, began riding in a circle around the spot where his lasso had caught.
As he thus drew nearer and nearer his quarry he saw the rope coil up, yet it looked to be coiling over nothing but air. One end of the lasso was made fast to a ring in the saddle, and when the rope was almost wound up and the horse began to pull away and snort with fear, Jim dismounted. Holding the reins of the bridle in one hand, he followed the rope, and an instant later saw a man caught fast in the coils of the lasso.
While Jim gazed wonderingly upon him, this venerable old man spoke in an angry voice:
"Now, then—get that rope off as fast as you can! You've brought everything on earth to a standstill by your foolishness! Well—what are you staring at? Don't you know who I am?"
"No," said Jim.
"Well, I'm Time—Father Time! Now, make haste and set me free—if you want the world to run properly."
"How did I happen to catch you?" asked Jim, without making a move to release his captive.
"I don't know. I've never been caught before," growled Father Time. "But I suppose it was because you were foolishly throwing your lasso at nothing."
"I didn't see you," said Jim.
"Of course you didn't. I'm invisible to the eyes of human beings unless they get within three feet of me, and I take care to keep more than that distance away from them. That's why I was crossing this field, where I supposed no one would be. And I should have been perfectly safe had it not been for your beastly lasso. Now, then," he added, crossly, "are you going to get that rope off?"
"Why should I?" asked Jim.
"Because everything in the world stopped moving the moment you caught me. I don't suppose you want to make an end of all business and pleasure? Not a watch has ticked since you tied me up!"
Jim laughed. It really was funny to see the old man wound round and round with coils of rope from his knees up to his chin.
"It'll do you good to rest," said the boy. "From all I've heard you lead a rather busy life."
"Indeed I do," replied Father Time, with a sigh. "I'm due in Kamchatka this very minute. And to think one small boy is upsetting all my regular habits!"
"Too bad!" said Jim, with a grin. "But since the world has stopped anyhow, it won't matter if it takes a little longer recess. As soon as I let you go Time will fly again."
"The Capture of Father Time" by L. Frank Baum, from American Fairy Tales. Copyright © 2011 by The Floating Press.
Read the text and answer questions 9–14.
Who Were the Celts?
by Amy Baskin
"Celt" is a name given to early Indo-European peoples. In the Iron Age they spread out from Central Europe to the British Isles and Spain. In the sixth century BCE the Greeks first named these people "Keltoi." Later the Romans called these same people living in what is now southern France "Galli," or "Gauls."
The Celts or Gauls have often been defined by what they were not: Romans or Greeks. Unfortunately, the ancient Celtic tribes never wrote about themselves. Written accounts were penned by biased narrators: the Romans and the Greeks, warring neighbors with whom they often clashed.
Ammianus Marcellinus, a Roman historian, lived in the fourth century CE. He wrote that the Celts were "terrible for the fierceness of their eyes, fond of quarreling, and of overbearing insolence." This is not a flattering description. Romans and Greeks often saw the Celts as barbaric and uncivilized. They fought to conquer Celtic territory.
Recently archaeologists have excavated many Celtic sites and examined artifacts. These clues paint a fairer, more reliable picture of the Celts. We now use the word "Celt" to describe many distinct groups who never referred to themselves as Celt. The word Celt is used in much the same way as the term "Native American" in that it describes people who share similarities of heritage but are different in meaningful ways.
These tribes had different ways of life and were only loosely related. For instance, while the Romans pledged allegiance to a single emperor, the Celts never had a unifying leader. What they did share in common were similar languages, elegant artistic styles, and complex mythologies. Trade also connected these tribes when they were not fighting each other.
Three Periods of the Ancient Celts
There are three major periods of early Celtic history. Clues found in one chieftain's burial site in Austria give us information about the Hallstatt Period from the ninth century BCE to the fifth century BCE. The chieftain's clothing was made with silk. Silk was obtained from China. This is evidence that even this far back into history, this Celtic tribe engaged in trade with distant cultures. Since ancient salt mines were also found near the site, we can reasonably conclude that the Celts traded salt for the silk. In those times salt was valuable, as it was used to preserve foods.
Artifacts from many sites across Europe show that Celts were active and talented traders, metalworkers, and farmers. They wove and dyed their own cloth, made their tools, weapons, and ornaments out of iron and bronze, and traded widely.
The next era is called the La Tène Period. It lasted from the fifth century BCE to the first century BCE. During this time tribes spread throughout Europe. The Celts adorned metal and stonework with exquisitely rounded shapes and swirling lines, as well as with complex symbolic images of animals and people.
As far north as Denmark, archaeologists have reconstructed whole villages based on patterns of holes in the ground. These holes once held wooden posts. From this they have determined that Celtic tribes typically lived in rounded huts. Thatched roofs with holes in the middle let out smoke from their fires. Steep mud walls surrounding the villages kept enemies out.
In Ireland and other regions, scientists have found bodies of Celts in peat bogs. They are astonishingly well preserved. These Celts had manicured fingernails. Some even used an early form of gel to style their hair. The Celts used colorful dyes to decorate their plaid fabrics.
The third major time frame is the Romano-Celtic Period. This period lasted from the first century BCE through the fifth century CE. During this time the Romans conquered all of what is now France, and much of Britain. Many Celts were assimilated into the Roman Empire and much Celtic culture was lost. Their lack of unity against the Romans may have led to their eventual demise.
Most of mainland Western Europe eventually adopted the culture of the Romans. In some parts the old Celtic culture disappeared entirely. There are very few signs of Celtic culture left which have survived over time, especially in lands closest to Rome.
Celtic Culture Today
In areas where the Celts resisted the Roman invasion, the Celts held on to more of their traditions. On the fringes of Western Europe— Scotland, Ireland, Wales, and even France—sleek, rounded Celtic designs still decorate homes and architecture. People wear plaid fabrics inherited from their Celtic ancestors. Traces of the ancient Celts can be found in the names of some places in Europe, especially rivers. The rivers Thames, Seine, Danube, and Rhine all have names derived from Celtic languages.
The Celts may not have kept written records of themselves, but thankfully, they were great storytellers. Much of their oral tradition has been passed down from one generation to the next. Today we have the Celts to thank for many famous legends of the British Isles. Tales of King Arthur and the Mabinogion stem from Wales. Stories of the Irish High King Brian Boru and Scotland's William Wallace, known as Braveheart, are also Celtic lore. Though the ancient Celts are long gone, Celtic stories are very much alive and inspiring artists today. "Celtic of any sort," observed the English writer J. R. R. Tolkien, is "a magic bag, into which anything may be put, and out of which almost anything may come." Without Celtic folklore, Tolkien could never have written The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
If you ever have the opportunity to travel through Europe, listen very carefully. You will hear people speak and sing in Celtic languages: Gaelic in Ireland, Welsh in Wales, and Breton in Western France. The old expression "all the world loves an underdog" seems to apply to how the Celts are thought of in contemporary culture. We remain fascinated by the history, myths, languages, and artistic expressions of a culture once conquered by Rome but, remarkably, still thriving.
Sculpting Lincoln
Listen to the presentation. Then answer questions 22–25.
"Sculpting Lincoln" by Vicky L. Lorencen. Copyright © 2013 by Highlights for Children. Reused by permission of Highlights for Children.
Pre-Ordered Healthy Lunches
Listen to the presentation. Then answer questions 26-28.
A student is writing an argumentative research report about the development of the United States Postal Service. He found possible sources for his report. Read the sources and the directions that follow.
Source 1: "The Creation of the U.S. Postal Service" by Hanna Macannis, historian
When the American colonies decided to separate from the British government, American leaders recognized that they needed a strong national communication system in order to build the nation. Leaders believed that citizens should be informed and that the government should spread knowledge of every kind throughout the United States.
Therefore, they wasted no time establishing a postal system. In 1775, the American Continental Congress appointed Benjamin Franklin the first national Postmaster General. He laid the foundation for the postal service that still operates today. The 1792 Postal Act created a postal service that better served the needs of its citizens. The service began delivering newspapers in 1792, but the Postal Act kept government employees from reading or interfering with citizens mail.
Source 2: "The Colonial Postal Service" by Rena Keeler-Weiss, history professor
During the early colonial days, American colonists sent messages to England and to other colonies through friends and merchants. Shops and inns were used as mail drops. In 1639, Massachusetts established the first colonial postal service, using a Boston inn as the drop. Other colonies soon set up their own postal services, and in 1691, the British government created a North American postal service. Benjamin Franklin became postmaster of that postal service in 1737, and he made improvements, such as creating newer and shorter routes. In 1775, when the Continental Congress established a post office for the planned independent American government, once again Franklin was appointed postmaster.