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MAP: Grade 7 ELA

Last updated 9 months ago
43 questions
Note from the author:
Important: Here is the transcript necessary for the "presentation" question. You can read these aloud to students or record yourself using the "item type: audio".

Here is the practice form that has been adapted.

Here is the scoring guide you'll need. For your convenience, most of these questions will be auto-graded. But, some will require manual grading using the scoring guide.
Important: Here is the transcript necessary for the "presentation" question. You can read these aloud to students or record yourself using the "item type: audio".

Here is the practice form that has been adapted.

Here is the scoring guide you'll need. For your convenience, most of these questions will be auto-graded. But, some will require manual grading using the scoring guide.

Tom Sawyer Days

“Nice curveball!” Tom said as the ball popped into his glove.

“My dad’s teaching me how to pitch,” Eric said. The boys had met earlier in the day when Tom’s family parked their RV in the campground. Eric was a year younger than Tom, but baseball had instantly given them a common interest. “Does your family come here every year for National Tom Sawyer Days?” Eric asked.

“No, this is our first time. My parents and another family camp together every year at different places. The other family has a daughter, Becky. My mom and Becky’s mom were roommates in college.”

Eric stopped in mid-windup. “Wait a minute. You’re named Tom, and this girl is named Becky. Are you kidding me?”

“I wish I were. Both of our mothers are big fans of Mark Twain.”

“Don’t tell me—your middle name is Sawyer, and her middle name is Thatcher.”

“’Fraid so,” Tom said as he caught Eric’s pitch.

“Hey, we should all enter the fence-painting contest. Do you have a Tom Sawyer costume?” asked Eric.

“Tom, they’re here,” his mother called as a brown-and-white RV crept up the main road of the campground and headed for the parking space next to them.

Tom tossed the ball back to Eric. “I’ve got to go, but we will talk more about that fence-painting contest later!” As he turned back to his own family’s campsite, Tom didn’t know what to expect. He saw Becky only once a year. Last year Becky spent so much time texting that her parents imposed a new policy: no more than one hour each day on electronic devices. Tom hoped a discussion of the events at the festival and the introduction of his new friend, Eric, would give them something to talk about.
“Becky, come out here and say hello,” her mother called into the RV. “Put your phone down!”

With a half-hearted smile, Becky hugged Tom’s parents. She barely nodded at him.

“I’m sure you guys have a lot to catch up on,” Tom’s mother said. “Why don’t you take a walk down to the lake.”

Rolling her eyes, Becky fell into step beside Tom. “So, how are you doing?” he asked.

Becky stuffed her hands into the pockets of her jeans. “I’d be doing a lot better if I weren’t here right now.”

“Hey, I might have something to cheer you up. There’s a fence-painting contest we can participate in, and I think there are other activities that we can do too!”

“Yeah, like what?” Becky growled.

“Let’s go find my new friend, Eric. He comes to the National Tom Sawyer Days every year, and he knows everything there is to do here this weekend. I think there’s live entertainment and fireworks. C’mon, it’ll at least be something to do.”

Becky and Tom found Eric at his campsite.

“Hey, Eric!” Tom called. “This is my friend Becky who I was telling you about. Tell us more about the fence-painting competition.”

“Well, participants have to sprint about fifty feet, and then they have to paint a section of fence and then run back. Judges base their decisions on how quickly the section of fence is painted, how well it is painted, and, most importantly, how good the Tom Sawyer costume looks that each participant is required to wear. They say you need to read the chapter in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer where he tricks the boys into painting the fence to get your ideas for your costume,” explained Eric.

“My mom can definitely help with that,” said Becky. “She has that book memorized.”

The kids headed back to Becky’s campsite. Her mom was there getting things set up.

“Mom, we need to dress up like Tom Sawyer in the chapter where he tricks the boys into painting the fence,” said Becky.

“Oh, of course,” replied her mom. “You will need to be barefoot, wear cut-off jeans, a plaid shirt, and a straw hat.”

Tom, Becky, and Eric decided they would search inside their RVs to see what they could find. After dinner, they met again, and each was enthusiastic about what they were able to find to dress up in. That evening around the campfire, the children eagerly discussed how to paint a fence well and the best way to go about winning the competition.

The next morning, Tom, Becky, and Eric dressed up in their costumes and headed to the park to participate in the fence-painting competition. Their parents eagerly waited in the crowd to cheer the kids on.

After the event, Becky was covered in white paint from head to toe and was grinning from ear to ear, and so were Tom and Eric. “Well, we didn’t win any prizes,” she said, “but that sure was fun!”

“Whew! That was a tough competition!” Tom said as he flopped down in a lawn chair.

“I can’t believe how authentic some of those costumes looked,” replied Eric. “And many of the competitors had clearly been practicing their fence-painting skills.”

“I can’t wait to come back and do it again next year!” exclaimed Becky.

The three sets of parents looked at each other and declared that this would be a new yearly tradition.
1

Read the sentence from the passage:
“I can’t believe how authentic some of those costumes looked,” replied Eric.

Which meaning of the word authentic is used in the sentence?

1

Read the statements in the Answer Bank. Write the letter of each statement next to the correct character’s name to show how each character’s actions contribute to the meaning of the passage.

1

The author contrasts Tom’s point of view with Becky’s point of view by describing the different ways that Tom and Becky:

1

PART A
What is the best explanation for why Tom is unsure about seeing Becky?

1

PART B
Which sentences from the passage best support the answer to part A? Choose two answers.

2

Read the summary of the passage:
Three families vacation at a campground that is hosting an event called National Tom Sawyer Days. When Becky arrives, she reluctantly goes with Tom to find Eric. Eric tells Tom and Becky about a fence-painting contest. In spite of losing, the families have so much fun that they decide to come back every year.

Which key events are missing? Choose two answers.

Marvelous Movie Music

Movie lovers look forward to the Academy Awards. Each Academy Award winner receives the classic gold statue called the Oscar for outstanding work in creating movies. The Oscar awards go to famous actors and directors. Awards also go to behind-the-scenes people, such as costume designers, make-up artists, and musicians. These are all people who contribute to the production of films for the big screen.

Several categories of the Academy Awards recognize and reward the artistry of the musicians who compose and produce movie soundtracks. Film music is a fascinating part of moviemaking. With this genre, all possible forms of music can come together to set the tone for each scene in a film. Music affects our emotions, awakening a variety of feelings. Often, when watching a movie, we may not notice the music. But that soundtrack that gets stuck in your head long after the movie is over represents endless hours of creative work and collaboration among many people.

It takes a certain personality to compose music for films, since many years of solitary effort may be required to polish an elaborate symphony. On the other hand, film composers must also work together quickly and be prepared to make changes to how their final product sounds. Jazz and pop composers often perform their music themselves. Most film composers, however, work with different musicians. They may work with singers, instrumentalists, or even an entire orchestra.

In earlier years of moviemaking, a film composer received a script, wrote music, and supervised a recording. Hollywood movie studios had some of the world’s best orchestras and singers. But once the recording had been “cut,” or completed, the director could not ask for changes. These days, a composer can share computer files with the director during the production process. This gives everyone involved flexibility in choosing the lengths of music clips and in deciding where to use them in the film.

A full-length movie requires about an hour’s worth of music. The composer might weave together four or five “themes,” or melodies. Often, these melodies are associated with important places or characters in the story. These melodies occur repeatedly, perhaps on different instruments and maybe with sung lyrics. A listener might notice sound effects embedded in the music, such as a “crash” of piano keys as something hits the floor. A surprising harmony might go along with a surprise on the screen. The film composer’s job is sometimes to communicate ideas in the film with music. Most of the time, though, the music stays in the background and adds to the movie viewer’s emotional experience.

One film composer’s name stands out from the crowd. John Williams wrote the theme music for Star Wars, the Harry Potter films, and many others. Symphony orchestras regularly perform his sophisticated music. Though Williams has written numerous pieces of music not intended for use in films, he is best known for his movie soundtracks. These soundtracks have led to him winning five Oscars.

The first female composer to win an Oscar for her film work was Rachel Portman. She won the Oscar in 1997 for the musical soundtrack to a movie called Emma. She was nominated for two others. Portman’s impressive path to success in composing started when she was only fourteen years old. She began composing music on the piano and moved into more complex arrangements. She’s created many hours of original music, including soundtracks for television. In addition, she has worked with countless well-known movie directors to create film soundtracks. Among her orchestral accomplishments are the opera The Little Prince and a musical called Little House on the Prairie.

There is more than one path in learning to make music for the movies. Many film composers begin with classical training on an instrument, often the piano. However, there are plenty of film composers who are self-taught or who work entirely on computers. It definitely helps composers to listen to a wide variety of music. Student composers often partner with beginning directors. Students sometimes take notes while watching and listening to their favorite movies to help guide them in writing their own music.

Of course, it is rare that film composers start off working with a big studio on next year’s box office hit. They might launch their careers working on TV shows or on job-training videos. They might compose music for video games. It can take years of these types of experiences before a composer gets the opportunity to work on a movie.

Next time Oscar season rolls around, we should all pay closer attention to the awards for movie music. The soundtrack meaningfully adds to the experience of watching a movie. Composing music that people remember long after seeing a movie takes talent and hard work. It sometimes even wins an award!
1

Which excerpt from the passage best supports the author’s claim that film composers must have a special personality?

1

Circle the underlined word that means 'to incorporate or contain as an essential part or characteristic.'

1

PART A
With which statement would the author most likely agree?

1

PART B
Which sentence from the passage best supports the answer to part A?

2

Read the inference:
Becoming a film composer is a difficult task.

Which pieces of evidence from the passage best support the inference? Choose two answers.

2

Which sentences best express the central ideas of the passage? Choose two answers.

The Road Trip


It had been hot and humid since they left Independence, Missouri, on June 19. It was especially steamy on the afternoon of July 5, 1953. The former president of the United States was behind the wheel of his new Chrysler automobile. A man of habit, President Harry S Truman wore an off-white summer suit, a white shirt, and a colorful bow tie. A white hat with a deep-blue band topped his head. During the heat of the day, the president drove in his shirt sleeves with his jacket draped over the seat. Bess Truman, in a simple blue print dress dotted with yellow flowers, sat in the front seat beside her husband.

“Bess,” Harry said as they drove along in the left lane of the highway, “I think this vacation is a wonderful idea. When we were in the White House, we were constantly being surrounded by photographers, security people, and other government officials. With no one bothering us, we are free as birds. Isn’t that grand?”

She looked at her husband out of the corner of her eye, saying, “Watch your speed, Harry.”

“The speed limit posted on this section of road is 60 miles per hour,” Harry argued. “I am not exceeding the speed limit, my dear.”

“Harry, you know you drive too fast,” Bess replied. “You promised you wouldn’t go any faster than 55.”

Harry nodded his agreement and kept the vehicle at the promised speed.

The former president drove through Pennsylvania on the turnpike, which had two eastbound lanes and two westbound lanes. As President Truman continued driving in the left-hand lane, he couldn’t resist remarking about the latest technology in his automobile.

“I think I’ll have to go to engineering school just to figure out all its features,” Harry commented.

“Come now, Harry,” Bess said. “It certainly isn’t that complicated, is it?”

Harry gripped the large steering wheel firmly with both hands. His eyes widened behind his glasses as he spoke of the vehicle’s fantastic features. “Why, this car has power steering, power brakes, and an automatic transmission. Can you imagine that?”

Bess glanced over at the speedometer and, once again, reminded her husband to slow down.

During his nearly eight years in the White House, the president didn’t drive his own car. A chauffeur was employed for the task of driving. Harry loved everything about owning and driving his own automobile. He took meticulous care of his new Chrysler, continuously polishing the shiny black exterior and cleaning the fabric seats. The car, like its owner, was always neat as a pin.

Despite the heat of the day, the couple entertained each other with casual observations and stories from their past, some humorous, some sad, as they continued driving in the left-hand lane.

“I’m glad we have this time to ourselves,” Harry said. “I’m tired of being mobbed by people. Doesn’t it seem the president is always at the center of one sort of commotion or another? Now that’s all over with and we can just be ordinary people and blend in with the crowd.”

“I’m pretty sure we’ll be recognized while we’re on this vacation,” Bess replied. “Our pictures have been in the newspapers a great deal during your presidency, Harry.”

“We are old news,” Harry said, smiling broadly. “There’s someone new in the Oval Office. I don’t think we’ll be recognized as long as we keep a low profile and mind our own business.”

“Watch your speed, Harry,” Bess insisted.

As the couple continued driving in the left lane on the stretch of highway near Bedford, Pennsylvania, they paid no attention to the line of cars following them. However, they were both surprised when a state trooper pulled up alongside them in the right lane. The trooper turned on his flashers and signaled Harry to pull over to the side of the road.

“Oh, Bess,” Harry said, “you might be right after all. I think we’ve been spotted. It looks like this officer wants to meet us.”

Harry pulled off the roadway and watched as the police cruiser pulled in front of them. The trooper grabbed his ticket book and walked back to the shiny black Chrysler. When he looked inside the car, he got the shock of his life.

“Mr. President?” Harry S Truman’s big, toothy grin was unmistakable. Bess, however, was not amused.

“Was he driving too fast?” she asked pointedly. “I kept reminding him to watch his speed.”

“No, ma’am,” the trooper replied. “There was a line of cars behind you, and in Pennsylvania it’s against the law to pass on the right.” The officer swallowed hard before continuing. “The president was driving too slowly.”
1

“Road Trip” is set in 1953. How does Harry S. Truman’s character in the passage reflect this historical time period?

1

How does the author develop the differences in the points of view of Bess and Harry S. Truman?

2

Read the sentences from the passage.
“Come now, Harry,” Bess said. “It certainly isn’t that complicated, is it?”

Which words best express the tone created by Bess’s word choice in the sentences? Choose two answers.

2

Read the chart and the choices in the Answer Bank. Identify the overall structure of the passage and how the structure contributes to the meaning of the passage. Write the letters of the correct answers in the chart.

2

Circle the two underlined phrases that provide clues to the meaning of the word signaled as it is used in the passage.

Real Life in the Classroom

Many students achieve good grades throughout middle school and high school. Yet, when they graduate, they are unable to cook a meal or create a spending budget. All students need to know these basic, important life skills. They also need to develop independent thinking and problemsolving skills that appeal to future employers. However, many schools do not offer courses that teach any of these skills. Instead, courses focus mainly on academic subjects, like math, English, history, and science.

Schools need to offer classes that relate more directly to real life. Then, students will be more engaged in school and better prepared to deal with life’s challenges when they become adults. Capturing students’ interest helps ensure that they will stay in school and graduate. Classes that relate to real life meet this goal. In fact, four out of five students who dropped out of school said they wanted more-interesting classes with real-life learning.

Oftentimes, this means hands-on learning. The good news is that some middle schools are finding ways to bring together academic and life skills. In North Carolina, career exploration labs require students to learn math, science, and social studies as they develop job skills and learn about different future career options. In another program, Illinois students learn academic subjects by studying local businesses. Based on their interests, students are paired with businesses and become familiar with the latest technology in the business world. In Wisconsin, students study topics based on ideas that come directly from the students, such as family, community, and career. The units of study join together academic, business, and home-economics skills.

Practical life-skill programs such as these not only are enjoyable for students but also prepare young people for the demands of real life. They expose students to a variety of different career options. Students learn to work as a team and solve problems. Schools should not neglect teaching their pupils the valuable skills that employers are seeking. Schools should also teach basic skills that students need in life and that are just as important as reading novels and solving equations.
1

Which sentence from “Real Life in the Classroom” provides the most relevant and sufficient evidence for the claim that taking practical types of classes may help students stay engaged in school?

1

PART A
Based on “Real Life in the Classroom,” which inference can **best** be made about the merit of programs like those in North Carolina and Illinois?

1

PART B
Which sentences from the passage provide the **best** evidence for the answer to Part A? Choose **two** answers.

2

Which sentences best express the central ideas of “Academics in Middle School”? Choose two answers.

1

Based on “Academics in Middle School,” which detail best supports the author’s claim that it is impractical for schools to offer life-skill classes?

1

Read the sentence from “Academics in Middle School.”
Recently, teachers at this level have been pushed to develop curricula that help students explore skills outside of the usual academic courses.

How does the word choice of "pushed" contribute to the tone of the sentence?

1

Which clue can indicate that an online source is not credible?

1

Students are trying to prove the claim that daily exercise helps people sleep better. Which research question would help them prove the claim?

Henry Ford is understandably one of the most important figures in transportation history. His Model T car was the beginning of an entire lifestyle focused on driving. Cars can now be found all over the world. Every one of them, from compact cars to giant SUVs, are thanks to Ford. The Model T originally sold for only $850. The first production plant was in Detroit, Michigan, and the first car rolled off the assembly line in 1908. The assembly line was another of Ford’s major contributions. To reduce the cost of making the cars, he created a system where people were responsible for building one part of the car. That part then moved along a conveyor belt where the next person would add his part. This system of specialized assembly continues today in plants across many different industries.
2

A student has written a draft paragraph from her research on automobiles, but the paragraph is overly broad. Read the paragraph (left)

The student wants to narrow the topic of the paragraph. Which two research questions would help narrow the topic appropriately?

2

A student is writing an argumentative report about the cost of hosting the Olympic Games. He found sources for his report. Mark an X beside each source to indicate whether it is relevant or not relevant to the topic.

Source A
Computer viruses pose a great risk to people of all ages. People rely on the Internet to find much of the information they need, so it is common to be fooled by a bad link or email attachment. Some viruses are easy to spot and fix, but others can damage a computer so badly that it needs to be replaced entirely
1

Which sentence from the student’s notes correctly paraphrases, or restates, information from both sources?

Source
Filmmakers have used name-brand products in their movies since 1919. The process has developed much since then. The method of choosing which brand to use has become an important part of movie production. The legal aspects of using brand names has created an entire legal industry. Film companies establish regulations that determine how a product is used in their films. They also decide on the financial terms with a brand’s company. Brands often are secondary to the film, acting only as background or props. However, some products become central to the story. Some film companies choose to use fictitious products to avoid branding altogether.
1

A student is writing a report about using name-brand products in films. Read the source the student found (left)

The student wants to include information from the source in her report but does not want to plagiarize the author’s ideas. Read the paragraph from the student’s report. Circle the sentence in the paragraph that is plagiarized.

The wind swirled around Annaka, moving at a fevered pitch and roaring with the power of a thousand lions. Her mind raced as she thought through her options, but each one seemed as fruitless as the last. Her heart was beating in her chest. Suddenly, she bolted upright and looked confusedly around her. She saw her phone, glowing on the nightstand, and her alarm clock proclaiming the time. She felt her bed, solid and secure, beneath her. “A dream,” she whispered. “It was just a dream.”
1

A student is writing a narrative for a creative writing class assignment. Read an excerpt from the draft (left)

Which revision to the underlined sentence uses the most precise language for the style of writing?

2
Read the draft from a student’s report about color.

__________Artists who work with paint often use the three primary colors: yellow, blue, and red. From those three colors, all other possible colors are created. To get shades of green, yellow and blue are mixed in different amounts. For purples, blue is mixed with red. On the other hand, light has different primary colors: red, green, and blue. Mixing red light with blue light still produces shades of purple, but green and red light becomes yellow! Even more interesting is how black and white are created in the different mediums. For paint, white is the absence of color, and black is all three colors combined. Light is the opposite. Combine red, green, and blue light to get white, while black is the absence of light. __________

What are the best introductory and concluding sentences for the paragraph? Choose one answer for each blank.
1

Read the paragraph from a student’s draft of a letter to the editor of the school newspaper.
Circle the sentences that should be revised to better match the style of the letter. Circle two answers.

2
A student is writing an essay about going on a school field trip. Read the sentences from the essay. Select transitional word or phrase that best completes each sentence.

When going on a field trip, there is one tip you need to remember above all else: wear comfortable shoes. __________, students wear shoes that look good but are not appropriate for walking all day.

As a result, students’ feet become sore and tired. __________, students still have fun and look forward to the next field trip.
1

Read a student's draft narrative

I had never taken pictures with anything other than my phone until I joined the yearbook club. The yearbook adviser outfitted me with a camera, gave me a brief lesson, and assigned me to my first project: capture the action at the student-versus-staff annual kickball game this coming Friday night. I was nervous and excited at the same time.

During the week, I decided it would be a good idea to practice taking pictures. My adviser gave me a few tips and told me to capture the ball and players in motion. Luckily, my sister had a softball game Wednesday night where I was able to practice using the camera. Taking action shots was harder than I had thought. I took several ordinary shots before I was able to master the action shots.

By Friday, I felt ready to represent the yearbook club at the kickball game. I took pictures of the students in the stands and our school mascot leading a cheer. I got a great action shot of Mr. Paris, the math teacher, diving to catch the ball. I also captured the game-winning play by the students at the end of the game! The students and the players celebrated their victory while I also celebrated mine.

Which sentence best concludes the last paragraph of the student’s narrative?

Listen to the presentation. Then answer the questions.

Is Studying the Only Way to Improve Academic Performance?
1

According to recent studies, how can smelling rosemary help children?

2

According to the presentation, what are two benefits of listening to music before studying?

1

How does the speaker present the evidence to support the claim in the presentation?

1

PART A
Which statement best expresses the speaker’s claim?

1

PART B
Which evidence from the presentation best supports the answer to Part A?

Listen to the presentation. Then answer the questions.

The Rain Forests of the Sea
1

According to the presentation, how can people help protect reefs?

1

Which statement best expresses the speaker’s claim in the presentation?

1

Which detail does the speaker use to **best** provide evidence for the claim that coral reefs are important for sea life?

1

What are the main pieces of evidence the speaker provides to support the claim of the presentation? Choose two answers.