Grade 7 Reading OAT Authentic Questions
Acquisition of Vocabulary Standard
Whitewater Porcupine Reading Passage Questions
1. “The porcupine sniffed delicately, standing on her hind feet and running her forepaws over the wellworn ax handle.” In the sentence above, what is the meaning of the word formed by the root word
delicate and the suffix – ly?
A. a fragile object
B. done in a careful way
C. completed in a perfect manner
D. more fragile than something else
2. “With a soft grunt of satisfaction, she began to nibble on the wood that so many human hands had
gripped. “By the time dawn’s approach faded the inky sky to pearl gray, the ax handle had been
neatly severed in half.”
In the last sentence above, what does the word severed mean?
A. torn
B. twisted
C. chosen
D. divided
What Is It? Reading Passage Questions
3. “Of course, cryptozoologists must have an extensive knowledge of all kinds of animals, both living
and extinct.”
In the sentence above, what does the word extensive mean?
A. interesting to nonscientists
B. thorough and complete
C. frequently published
D. carefully hidden
Updated August 2007
Yia-Yia’s Dance Reading Passage Questions
4. “Just as she was learning how to walk, the family packed up everything they owned and crossed
the ocean in a ship. The sailors taught her how to dance to the music of a pipe, while sea gulls
sang overhead.”
What are the sea gulls doing in the excerpt above?
A. letting out loud cries
B. flying back and forth
C. calling out to the family on the ship
D. soaring to the water and then rising to the sky
5. “The guitar music rings in my ears, and the salty-sweet tastes of Greece fill my mouth.” Which
definition of rings is used in the sentence above?
rings (rings) v. 1) makes a clear sound or echo 2) demonstrates a particular characteristic
3) makes a circle around 4) alerts people or signals the start of an event
A. definition 1
B. definition 2
C. definition 3
D. definition 4
A Child Prodigy Reading Passage Questions
6. “He was the ‘headline news’ of the time. When he played in Venice, Italy, in 1771, the event was
noted by newspapers as far away as Hamburg, Germany. Other prodigies labored to make local
reputations—only Mozart was crowned universally.”
In the last sentence above, what does the word universally mean?
A. in print
B. frequently
C. everywhere
D. with enthusiasm
Do You Want to Write Haiku? Reading Passage Questions
7. “...there are specific rules for writing haiku, and many people do not know about them. Often, all
they do know is that the poem is made up of seventeen syllables, that it is usually written in three
lines, and that it does not use rhyme.”
What does the word specific mean in the first sentence above?
A. contrasting
B. popular
C. obvious
D. definite
Updated August 2007
8. “Many of the haiku you read refer to the nature symbols of Japan, but unless you live in or have
visited Japan, you will be better off writing about things you know. For instance, if you read about
a cherry blossom in a Japanese haiku, it means spring. If you live in the United States, you might
want to write about snowdrops, crocuses, or daffodils instead.”
What do the sentences above suggest that snowdrops are?
A. symbols of Japan
B. winter birds
C. flowers
D. poems
The Story of My Life Reading Passage Questions
9. “Miss Sullivan had tried to impress it upon me that ‘m-u-g’ is mug and that ‘w-a-t-e-r’ is water, but I
persisted in confounding the two. ”Which definition of impress is used in the sentence above?
impress
v. 1) to force or command someone to do something 2) to affect or influence
significantly 3) to appear impressive; make a good impression 4) to apply pressure on; to stamp or
print
A. definition 1
B. definition 2
C. definition 3
D. definition 4
10. “I felt my way to the hearth and picked up the pieces. I tried vainly to put them together. Then my
eyes filled with tears; for I realized what I had done, and for the first time I felt repentance and
sorrow.”
In the second sentence above, what does the word vainly mean?
A. in a proud way
B. in a silly or foolish style
C. in an unsuccessful manner
D. in an empty or thoughtless fashion
Updated August 2007
A People and a Tree Reading Passage Questions
11. “Hundreds of years ago, babies born to the Northwest Coast Indians slept in cradles made of
cedar wood. They snuggled under blankets and wore diapers made from cedar bark.”
In the second sentence above, the word snuggled suggests what kind of feeling?
A. health
B. comfort
C. creativity
D. restlessness
Esperanza Rising Reading Passage Questions
12. “‘This whole valley breathes and lives,’ he said, sweeping his arm toward the distant mountains
that guarded them.”
Which meaning of the word sweep is used in the sentence above?
sweep (swØp) v. 1) to remove or carry off 2) to search thoroughly 3) to brush 4) to gesture grandly
A. definition 1
B. definition 2
C. definition 3
D. definition 4
A Man for All Times: Leonardo da Vince Reading Passage Questions
13. “Most amazing of all, his thoughts and inventions took some flying leaps far into the future.”
Explain what the author means by the phrase took some flying leaps far into the future. Support
your explanation with one detail from the passage.
Write your answer on a separate piece of paper. (2 points)
If I Ever Return Again Reading Passage Questions
14. “Dear Abigail, I am not sure now that I should have said that I would come. Is this what I get for
my obstinate ways? Remember how I pleaded with Papa and made such a nuisance of myself
until he and Mother agreed that I could join them?”
What does obstinate mean in these sentences?
A. stubborn and pushy
B. greedy and mean
C. shallow and vain
D. lazy and weak
Updated August 2007
Grade 7 Reading OAT Authentic Questions
Reading Process Standard
Whitewater Porcupine Reading Passage Questions
1.
Which statement describes a characteristic of the porcupine found in the passage?
A. She hopes to be fed by the people in the cottage.
B. She prefers to sleep during the day.
C. She does not know how to swim.
D. She is able to move quickly.
What Is It? Reading Passage Questions
2. Which statement best summarizes the passage?
A. The passage discusses what cryptozoologists do and provides some examples of their work.
B. The passage describes the training cryptozoologists need to do for their work and shows how
they perform their jobs.
C. The passage outlines the kinds of projects cryptozoologists work on and relates how difficult
their work really is.
D. The passage explains why cryptozoologists are important and argues that their work influences
other scientific subjects.
3. Find at least two details from the passage that support the statement below.
The job of a cryptozoologist is similar to the job of a detective. A detective is someone who
investigates and gathers information.
Write your answer on a separate piece of paper. (2 points)
Yia-Yia’s Dance Reading Passage Questions
4. Predict what Yia-Yia would likely do if a great-grandchild were born into the family. Support your
answer with a specific detail from the passage.
Write your answer on a separate piece of paper. (2 points)
5. Why does everyone in the room stop to watch Yia-Yia at the end of the eleventh paragraph?
A. They know Yia-Yia is a beautiful dancer and are happy to see her have a good time.
B. They are waiting for Yia-Yia to finish her dance so that they can join her on the dance floor.
C. They are worried that Yia-Yia is getting too weak to dance as quickly as she did when she was
younger.
D. They are excited to see Yia- Yia and Papou dance because they rarely dance together
anymore.
Updated August 2007
6. The last sentence of the passage recalls which earlier scene?
A. the celebration of Yia-Yia’s birth
B. Papou’s marriage proposal to Yia-Yia on the stoop
C. the time Yia-Yia spent at home caring for her children
D. Yia-Yia and Papou’s greeting of the people at the festival
A Child Prodigy Reading Passage Questions
7. Why did Mozart tour Europe as a young child?
A. to perform in concerts
B. to study the harpsichord
C. to conduct different orchestras
D. to collect music from other countries
Do You Want to Write Haiku? Reading Passage Questions
8. “The next rule is that a good haiku must present a clear picture of something you want to think
about further. It paints a picture in words that stirs your imagination and makes you eager to find
out more.”
In the sentences above, why does the author mention painting?
A. to show the way haiku connects to nature
B. to describe a characteristic of a “good haiku”
C. to explain the meaning of one particular haiku
D. to argue that a “good haiku” should have an illustration
9. Summarize two of the main topics discussed by the author in the passage.
Write your answer on a separate piece of paper. (2 points)
The Story of My Life Reading Passage Questions
10. What is the best purpose for reading this passage?
A. to discover Helen Keller’s likes and dislikes
B. to find out about Helen Keller’s education
C. to compare Helen Keller’s teaching style with Miss Sullivan’s
D. to understand how easily Helen Keller learned sign language
Updated August 2007
11. “I left the well-house eager to learn. Everything had a name, and each name gave birth to a new
thought.”
What does Helen Keller describe in the sentences above?
A. a sense of being overwhelmed by information
B. a breakthrough in her thinking process
C. an interest in the workings of nature
D. an impulse to write her book
12. On the basis of Helen Keller’s experiences by the end of the passage, predict her attitude toward
her future lessons. Support your answer with specific details.
Write your answer on a separate piece of paper. (2 points)
A People and a Tree Reading Passage Questions
13. What is the main idea of the passage?
A. the influence of the environment on a native people’s lifestyle
B. the discovery of an ancient settlement built by native people
C. the migration of a native people across the United States
D. the development of a native people’s arts and crafts
Esperanza Rising Reading Passage Questions
14. How does Esperanza change as the passage progresses?
A. At first Esperanza tells Papa she does not believe that the earth has a heartbeat, but at the end
of the passage she believes that he can feel it even if she cannot.
B. At first Esperanza wants to keep walking through the winding rows of the vineyard, but at the
end of the passage she just wants to lie down on the earth and rest.
C. At first Esperanza thinks that trying to hear the earth’s heartbeat is silly, but at the end of the
passage she comes to feel the truth of what Papa is saying.
D. At first Esperanza feels that the earth is mysterious and frightening, but at the end of the
passage she sees that the earth is a source of protection.
A Man for All Time: Leonardo da Vinci Reading Passage Questions
15. Which would be an appropriate purpose for reading this passage?
A. to understand how Leonardo’s inventions work
B. to analyze Leonardo’s scientific notes and drawings
C. to find out about Leonardo’s contributions to science
D. to learn why Leonardo’s inventions were not widely used in his day
Updated August 2007
If I Ever Return Again Reading Passage Questions
16. What is an appropriate purpose for reading this passage?
A. to learn how sailors plan theirt ravels to avoid difficult weather conditions
B. to understand how sailors in the 1850s used spyglasses to navigate
C. to understand one girl’s difficult experiences on a ship
D. to find out more about cities along the Atlantic coast
17. Predict how Celia will feel when she reaches land. Support your prediction with a detail from the
passage.
Write your answer on a separate piece of paper. (2 points)
18. In paragraph 10, why does Celia look at the clouds passing overhead?
A. She thinks looking up will make her less seasick.
B. She is worried that rough weather might be coming.
C. She is bored looking at scenery that does not change.
D. She feels comforted that Abigail is looking at the same sky.
Updated August 2007
Grade 7 Reading OAT Authentic Questions
Reading Applications: Literary Text Standard
Whitewater Porcupine Reading Passage Questions
1. “Reflected moonlight from the rippled surface of the lake knifed through slits in the dock.”
Which statement best explains the meaning of the sentence above?
A. Water was wearing away at the dock like a sharp tool.
B. Moonlight revealed a knife that had fallen into the lake.
C. Narrow rays of moonlight shone up between the boards of the dock.
D. Moonlight reflected off the water like light gleaming off a sharp knife.
2. How does the author choose to present the story in the passage?
A. by relating the porcupine’s sounds and actions as told by another animal
B. by relating the sounds and actions of all animals as told by a person in the cottage
C. by describing the porcupine’s feelings, sounds and actions through a third person narrator
D. by describing the porcupine’s feelings, sounds and actions from the porcupine’s first person
point of view
3. Using a specific detail from the passage, identify the time of year in which the story takes place.
Then explain why the season is important to the plot.
Write your answer on a separate piece of paper. (2 points)
4. Which theme does the passage illustrate?
A. Nothing in life happens without a plan.
B. Suffering results in wisdom and strength.
C. Adventure can occur when least expected.
D. The laws of nature apply to animals and human beings.
Yia-Yia’s Dance Reading Passage Questions
5. “There was always work to be done at her house—floors to scrub and pots to wash and clothes to
iron and schoolwork to finish late into the night at the kitchen table.”
In the sentence above, what does the word “and” emphasize?
A. the great deal of work Yia-Yia has to do
B. the increasing difficulty of Yia- Yia’s tasks
C. the way Yia-Yia looks forward to doing her chores
D. the way that Yia-Yia’s family relies on her to complete her job
Updated August 2007
6. “She held a tune in her heart and tapped out a beat with her toes, so the time passed quickly by.”
What does the sentence above mean?
A. Yia-Yia spent her time thinking of songs and dancing to them.
B. Yia-Yia always carried songs in her pockets wherever she went.
C. Yia-Yia played the radio and thought about dancing year in and year out.
D. Yia-Yia had to move quickly to keep up with the fast songs playing around her.
7. “She high-stepped her way from the kitchen to the laundry room, from the grocery to the church.
She tied back her long hair with scarves of blue and green.”
Which words best describe Yia- Yia’s attitude toward everyday life in the sentences above?
A. quiet and dutiful
B. careful and anxious
C. joyful and energetic
D. relaxed and peaceful
8. The narrator often uses figurative language to describe Yia-Yia’s movements. Select four
examples from the list below and explain the meaning of each.
• “...she dances like a ribbon, like a smooth, sun-glinting, wind-tossed ribbon.”
• “...she twirled and whirled on her way to school... .”
• “...her feet barely touched the ground.”
• “She high-stepped her way from the kitchen to the laundry room... .”
• “Her arms glide like the wings of a swan.”
• “Her dark, silver-streaked hair comes alive like a moonless night lit by shimmering silver stars.”
• “And it curls in the air like the smoke rising from a village bonfire.”
Write your answer on a separate piece of paper. (4 points)
9. What does Yia-Yia’s dancing symbolize?
A. her love of life
B. her love for Papou
C. her longing for Greece
D. her appreciation of nature
Updated August 2007
The Story of My Life Reading Passage Questions
10. Why did Helen Keller have a conflict with Miss Sullivan?
A. She wanted Miss Sullivan to let her play.
B. She could not follow Miss Sullivan’s rules.
C. She would not go outside with Miss Sullivan.
D. She was frustrated by Miss Sullivan’s lessons.
11. “Suddenly I felt a misty consciousness as of something forgotten—a thrill of returning thought; and
somehow the mystery of language was revealed to me.”
What was the “mystery” that “was revealed” to Helen Keller?
A. the idea that learning involves remembering facts
B. the knowledge that teachers want their pupils to learn
C. the acceptance that it takes time for students to master their lessons
D. the awareness that there is a relationship between words and objects
12. “There were barriers still, it is true, but barriers that could in time be swept away.”
What feeling does the language in the sentence above primarily express?
A. hope
B. regret
C. hostility
D. concern
13. “In the still, dark world in which I lived there was no strong sentiment or tenderness.”
Explain why Helen Keller makes the statement above and whether the statement holds true
throughout the passage. Support each of your explanations with specific details from the passage.
Write your answer on a separate piece of paper. (4 points)
14. Which sentence from the passage illustrates that the narrator’s point of view is subjective?
A. “The morning after my teacher came, she led me into her room and gave me a doll.”
B. “The little blind children at the Perkins Institution had sent it and Laura Bridgman had dressed
It... .”
C. “Running downstairs to my mother I held up my hand and made the letters for doll.”
D. “As we returned to the house every object which I touched seemed to quiver with life.”
Updated August 2007
Esperanza Rising Reading Passage Questions
15. In paragraphs 11–17, how does the narrative viewpoint of the passage affect the reader?
A. Papa’s first-person narration provides the reader with a description of the land.
B. Esperanza’s first-person narration enables the reader to understand how she feels about Papa
and learn why he loves the land.
C. Third-person narration provides the reader with a description of Papa’s and Esperanza’s
actions without revealing their thoughts.
D. Third-person narration allows the reader to understand Esperanza’s actions and Papa’s actions
and hear her thoughts about the land and her papa.
16. Explain the importance of the setting to the passage. Support your answer with one detail from the
passage.
Write your answer on a separate piece of paper. (2 points)
17. How does Esperanza know what Papa is thinking at the end of the passage?
A. She recalls his words.
B. She feels his heartbeat.
C. She listens to his breathing.
D. She watches his expression.
If I Ever Return Again Reading Passage Questions
18. Identify how Celia feels about William not going with the family on the voyage at the beginning of
the voyage and how she feels about this later in the voyage. Support each answer with a detail
from the passage.
Write your answer on a separate piece of paper. (4 points)
19. “I keep my eye on the modest waves, as if my watching will hold them as they are.” What is the
meaning of Celia’s statement above?
A. She is worried that the waves will get rough again as soon as she stops looking at them.
B. She is concerned that the rough waves will force her to go inside to her cabin.
C. She is relieved that the waves will remain calm the rest of the voyage.
D. She is happy that she can see distant waves through the spyglass.
20. “There is no land in sight now. Not even a speck of it. No other ships. Nothing here but sea and
sky.”
How does the author choose specific words to create an effect in these sentences?
A. The author uses the words “no,” “not” and “nothing” to create a feeling of emptiness and
isolation.
B. The author uses the words “land,” “sea” and “sky” to create a sense of natural beauty.
C. The author uses short sentences to create an impression of speed and excitement.
D. The author uses descriptive words to create a sense of variety and change.
Updated August 2007
21. What is the importance of the setting in this passage?
A. The setting provides a learning experience for Celia.
B. The setting proves that superstitions are based on facts.
C. The setting supplies amusing details for Abigail to write about.
D. The setting persuades Abigail to make arrangements for her next sailing trip.
22. What is the effect of the subjective point of view in this passage?
A. The reader receives information that is influenced by the narrator’s emotions.
B. The reader receives information that comes from experienced sailors.
C. The reader receives an accurate account of Celia’s activities.
D. The reader receives a hopeful account of life on the sea.
Updated August 2007
Grade 7 Reading OAT Authentic Questions
Reading Applications: Informational Text Standard
What Is It? Reading Passage Questions
1. “Cryptozoology comes from the Greek word kryptos, which means hidden, and zoology, the study
of animals.”
The sentence above supports which idea?
A. Cryptozoologists are sometimes unable to find out why animals might become extinct.
B. Cryptozoology is becoming an increasingly popular field of science.
C. Cryptozoologists try to determine whether or not animals really exist.
D. Cryptozoology is a scientific profession that requires many skills.
2. Which viewpoint is supported by the text?
A. A scientist should maintain a balance between believing in new possibilities and doubting
unproven ideas.
B. If a particular creature has not yet been found alive, a scientist should assume that it never
really existed.
C. Scientists should focus on proving facts rather than investigating mysteries.
D. If many people report sightings of a strange creature, scientists should believe them.
A Child Prodigy Reading Passage Questions
3. “Mr. [Leopold] Mozart, music director for the Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg, has been in this
capital for several months with two children who cut the most delightful figure. His daughter, aged
11, plays the harpsichord in a distinguished manner; no one could have a more precise and
brilliant execution. His son, who this month reached his 8th year, is a true prodigy.”
Explain the purpose of the Paris newspaper excerpt and the viewpoint expressed by its author.
Write your answer on a separate piece of paper. (2 points)
4. What is the author’s main purpose in this passage?
A. to compare Mozart’s early works with his later works
B. to persuade readers that Nannerl was as gifted as her brother
C. to convince readers of the exceptional talent and abilities of the young Mozart
D. to argue that Leopold’s success as a musician inspired young Mozart to imitate his style
5. The information in this passage would be most useful for a research report on which topic?
A. notable music reviews of the 1700s
B. popular musical instruments of the 1700s
C. European kings and queens of the 1700s
D. famous European composers of the 1700s
Updated August 2007
Do You Want to Write Haiku? Reading Passage Questions
6. Which statement best describes one of the author’s beliefs about haiku poetry?
A. It should seem happy and joyful.
B. It must make the reader curious to learn more.
C. It must describe a person’s needs and wishes.
D. It should tell the reader something about Japan.
7. Read the following haiku carefully. Identify two ways that this haiku meets the rules described in
the passage and two ways that the poem breaks these rules. Make sure to label your answers
clearly.
Last summer I saw
pretty roses, nice sunsets—
This summer,
just rain.
Write your answer on a separate piece of paper. (4 points)
8. A magazine article about Japanese folktales and the information in this passage would be most
useful for a research report on which topic?
A. Japanese culture
B. Japanese politics
C. American-Japanese relations
D. American poets of the 20th century
9. According to the author, why does the speaker of the haiku in the passage not share some supper
with the flies?
A. He has invited someone else to supper.
B. He worries that the food is not good.
C. He does not have enough to give.
D. He does not really like flies.
10. What was the author’s main reason for including a haiku before the passage?
A. to show readers how easy it is to write haiku
B. to illustrate the rules described in the passage
C. to prove that Basho is the greatest writer of haiku
D. to compare Japanese haiku with American poetry
Updated August 2007
A People and a Tree Reading Passage Questions
11. In the first paragraph, what does the author stress when she discusses cedar objects made for
babies?
A. The Northwest Coast Indians thought cedar was more comfortable than any other material.
B. Cedar was so plentiful that the Northwest Coast Indians grew up taking it for granted.
C. Cedar played a fundamental role in the lives of the Northwest Coast Indians.
D. The Northwest Coast Indians gave cedar only to highly valued individuals. HL Practice C - D
12. Use two pieces of information from the passage to explain how the Indians showed “care and
respect” for the cedar trees.
Write your answer on a separate piece of paper. (2 points)
13. What kind of information is found in the subheading titled “Bark”?
A. names for bark
B. how bark grows
C. ways bark was used
D. why bark was burned
A Man for All Time: Leonardo da Vinci Reading Passage Questions
14. What is the author’s view of Leonardo?
A. Leonardo was the greatest artist of his time.
B. Leonardo’s Mona Lisa was a beautiful painting.
C. Leonardo was a brilliant man whose inventions were ahead of his time.
D. Leonardo’s inventions were interesting but not useful in the 15th century.
15. What words could you type into an internet search engine to find more information on the topic of
this passage?
A. futuristic inventions
B. science and nature
C. modern Italian artists
D. 15th-century inventors
Updated August 2007
Whitewater Porcupine
Gillian Richardson
1 Water droplets pattered onto the gold and brown leaves that covered the forest floor. The last
shreds of cloud glided away toward the low hills, and the moon beamed down in their wake. The
rain stopped just in time for the porcupine’s nightly foraging to begin.
2 The dark brown, chunky figure climbed down the tree trunk and shuffled over the soggy leaf carpet.
Her search for tasty vegetation that might linger in sheltered spots turned up meager pickings,
however. There had already been several nights of hard frost so the animal spent more time
traveling than eating. Before the night was half over, she’d wandered out of her usual territory and
into a clearing where a rustic cottage overlooked a lake.
3 A stick leaning against a shed attracted her attention.
The porcupine sniffed delicately, standing on her hind
feet and running her forepaws over the well-worn ax
handle. A delectable, salty taste met her tongue as she
gave an experimental lick. With a soft grunt of
satisfaction, she began to nibble on the wood that so
many human hands had gripped.
4 By the time dawn’s approach faded the inky sky to
pearl ray, the ax handle had been neatly severed in
half. The porcupine waddled down to the lakeshore for
a drink, then back up the slope, where she crawled into
a space between a woodpile and the shed to sleep
through the daylight hours and another rain shower.
5 In the late afternoon, the porcupine emerged from her
bed and continued exploring. The cottage was well
boarded up and allowed no easy access. On the dock,1
the porcupine found an old rowboat. It was overturned,
but one side had been propped up with a block of
wood. There was ample space for a curious critter to
crawl underneath. Reflected moonlight from the rippled
surface of the lake knifed through slits in the dock. It
bounced off the walls of the shadowy boat-cave and
back onto the dock’s wet surface.
1
dock: a pier used as a landing area for boats
Updated August 2007
6 The oars had been laid across the boat seats for storage, and the animal’s appetite for salt was
aroused again. Her long, curved claws grasped one of the oars and pulled. It began to slide free,
only to become wedged against the boat’s hull.2 The porcupine gave an extra firm tug that
suddenly released the oar and set a whole chain of events in motion.
7 Thrown off balance, she backed into the wooden prop, pushing it over. The boat dropped onto the
slippery dock, pinning the tip of her quill-covered tail. Alarmed, the animal shot forward, yanking the
trapped quills loose and bumping into the opposite side of the boat, giving it the extra momentum it
needed to continue its slide right off the dock. The boat rolled as it fell, landing right side up with a
smack on the water. The porcupine tumbled into it.
8 The impact of the animal’s body drove the boat away from shore. The craft drifted beyond a rocky
headland, where a breeze easily swept it over the surface. The porcupine was now the sole crew of
an oarless rowboat, floating free on a moonlit, wilderness lake.
9 Once she had checked for a possible escape and found none short of swimming, the porcupine
settled down on the rowboat’s flat bottom. She was quite capable of swimming but felt no sense of
urgency. Instead, she did what porcupines do best—she began to gnaw on the seats. When the
sky brightened into morning, she was lulled to sleep by the water’s gentle rocking motion, unaware
that the boat was moving steadily toward a spot where the lake drained into a river.
10
As the water squeezed into the channel, the boat gathered speed. The porcupine was startled
awake by the changing pitch and roll and by the thumping of waves kicked up by rocks just
beneath the surface. The river narrowed into an expanse of rapids.
Reprinted by permission of CRICKET magazine, November 2002, Vol. 30, No. 3, text © 2002 by Gillian
Richardson, art © 2002 by Carus Publishing Company.
2
hull: the body of a ship, including its bottom and sides
Updated August 2007
What Is It?
Joyce Styron Madsen
1
Suppose you discovered an unusual animal, one not described in any current zoology book. How
would you begin to identify a creature that may—or may not— exist? Or suppose you came upon
an animal that scientists thought had been extinct for thousands of years. These are exactly the
kinds of puzzling situations that cryptozoologists deal with every day. Cryptozoology comes from
the Greek words kryptos, which means hidden, and zoology, the study of animals.
2
Of course, cryptozoologists must have an extensive knowledge of all kinds of animals, both living
and extinct. In addition, they must be able to tell the difference between a real discovery and a
hoax or case of mistaken identity. You may have heard of people who claim they’ve seen the Loch
Ness Monster or Bigfoot. Most cryptozoologists doubt that proof of either Nessie1 or Bigfoot will
ever be found. But they have many discoveries of less spectacular creatures, like the pseudoryx2 ,
to investigate.
3
The pseudoryx, from the Vietnamese rain forest, looks like a goat, but it is really more closely
related to the ox. The evidence for the pseudoryx was pieced together from the villagers’ collection
of bones, horns, and hides. Even though the researchers could not find an actual pseudoryx, a
talented Vietnamese taxidermist was able to reconstruct a model from the parts the researchers
brought to him.
4
Scientists also analyzed the genetic material from a pseudoryx’s bones. Their analysis confirmed
that the pseudoryx was definitely a unique new species, unlike any that had been identified
before.
5
Other cryptozoologists are currently working to prove the existence of a small ape called the
orang-pen-dek on the island of Sumatra. Still others are investigating sightings of the moa, a
flightless bird which was thought to be extinct for hundreds of years.
6
New types of animals are continuing to be discovered. The cryptozoologist is constantly analyzing
the facts and trying to solve the mysteries. For every mystery that is solved, a new one is likely to
appear.
“What Is It?” by Joyce Styron Madsen, Boy’s Quest Magazine. December/January 2004. Volume 9,
Number 4. pp. 36–37.
1
Nessie: another name for the Loch Ness Monster
pseudoryx: This word is pronounced soo’do-rix.
2
Updated August 2007
Yia-Yia’s Dance
Laurie Halse Anderson
1
The night she was born, everyone danced.
2
My Yia-Yia,1 my beautiful grandmother—she dances like a ribbon, like a smooth, sun-glinting,
wind-tossed ribbon.
3
Yia-Yia was born in a tiny village in Greece. Her four brothers, her grandparents, and all the aunts,
uncles, and cousins danced around a bonfire long into the night when she was born. Her mother
and father had waited many years for a girl child. Their love for her was as deep as the sea. Her
father took her outside to the happy relatives when she was only one hour old. She opened her
eyes. She watched the firelight and smoke curl up to the stars that hung above their village.
4
Just as she was learning how to walk, the family packed up everything they owned and crossed
the ocean in a ship. The sailors taught her how to dance to the music of a pipe, while sea gulls
sang overhead.
5
When she got bigger, she twirled and whirled on her way to school in the morning. She snapped
her fingers and clicked her heels on the way home in the afternoon. There was always work to be
done at her house—floors to scrub and pots to wash and clothes to iron and schoolwork to finish
late into the night at the kitchen table. She held a tune in her heart and tapped out a beat with her
toes, so the time passed quickly by.
6
Back then my Papou2 stood tall and strong. He fell in love with the way Yia-Yia’s black hair glowed
in the candlelight of their church. He talked to each one of her four brothers and her father and
then her mother to get permission to sit next to her on the stoop3 and drink lemonade. They ate
sweet cakes she made with her slender hands. When he asked her to marry him he had a spot of
honey on his chin.
7
At their wedding, her feet barely touched the ground. The voices of the singers and the perfume of
the incense coiled around her heart and made her eyes wet. Wearing their wedding crowns, she
and her beloved walked three times around the altar and became partners for life.
8
Later came babies—my mom, my Aunt Helena, and my Uncle Costas. Yia-Yia danced with them
all so they wouldn’t fuss. She played old records and whispered stories of a faraway village. With
a baby in her arms, she hummed the tunes of far away. She high-stepped her way from the
kitchen to the laundry room, from the grocery to the church. She tied back her long hair with
scarves of blue and green.
1
Yia-Yia: the Greek word for “grandmother”
Papou: the Greek word for “grandfather”
3
stoop: front porch
2
Updated August 2007
9
When the children grew older she taught them the right steps: chin up, back straight, eyes clear
and steady. She kissed Papou on the chin when he came home in the evening, tired from the mill.
She pulled him to the soft chair and served him thick coffee and figs while dinner cooked.
10 Uncle Costas married Aunt Tessa, and Aunt Helena married Uncle Roy, and my mom married my
dad. Then came the grandchildren—roly-poly grandchildren who loved pastries and cookies and a
spinning grandmother who hummed.
11 These days the best place to see my Yia-Yia dance is at the church festival. The guitar music
rings in my ears, and the salty-sweet tastes of Greece fill my mouth. Yia-Yia and Papou sit at the
end of a long table. They watch the young people dance in graceful lines that snake in and out of
the room. They smile at their friends and wave to their children and grandchildren, but Yia-Yia
does not dance ... until the band plays the sailor’s song. She takes the snow-white handkerchief
from Papou’s jacket pocket and slides the scarf from her hair. Everyone in the room stops to
watch her.
12 She dances. Her arms glide like the wings of a swan. Her feet stomp and her legs leap, harder
and higher than the youngest girl. Her proud face is strong, like the faces in the paintings in the
church. The music grows louder, and her children and grandchildren cheer. She throws back her
head. Her dark, silver-streaked hair comes alive like a moonless night lit by shimmering silver
stars. And it curls in the air like the smoke rising from a village bonfire.
Copyright © 1998 by Highlights for Children, Inc., Columbus, Ohio.
Updated August 2007
A Child Prodigy
Cliff Eisen
1
There were child prodigies before Mozart and child prodigies after him—but few, if any, of them
made the impact young Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart made. When he was four, he started to learn
short harpsichord pieces; at five, he began to compose music. In fact, Mozart was so bright that, in
1762, his father, Leopold, took him to Munich and then to Vienna, where he gave concerts at the
imperial courts. Both trips were a success and gave Leopold the idea to undertake a European
wide tour. In June 1763, Mozart, his father, mother, and sister Maria Anna (better known as
Nannerl) set out traveling through Germany, France, and the Netherlands, before reaching
England, then back through France, Switzerland, and Bavaria. More than three years passed
before their carriage again entered the gates of their native Salzburg, Austria.
2
It was this extended concert tour that made Mozart’s name. At first, he played only works by other
composers. But before long he began performing his own works as well. By the time the family
reached Paris in 1764, Mozart was ready to publish his first opus (work), a set of sonatas for violin
and harpsichord. He composed his first symphony in London later that year and his first opera in
Vienna in 1768.
3
Nannerl was a prodigy as well. A fine harpsichordist, she could hold her own with her brother, at
least technically. What distinguished Mozart from all other musicians, however, was his
extraordinary musical talent, his natural understanding of what music was about, and his capacity
to absorb musical styles and ideas and make them his own. His earliest compositions may fall into
the traditional categories, such as sonatas or symphonies, but the style was entirely his own.
4
Whatever Mozart did seemed to enchant kings and queens, music impresarios (managers and
conductors), and the general public all across Europe. He was the “headline news” of the time.
When he played in Venice, Italy, in 1771, the event was noted by newspapers as far away as
Hamburg, Germany. Other prodigies labored to make local reputations—only Mozart was crowned
universally.
5
Numerous reports documented both the interest Mozart aroused and his astonishing
accomplishments. He had barely turned eight when the first of several articles about him appeared
in a Paris newspaper: 6 Mr. [Leopold] Mozart, music director for the Prince-Archbishop of
Salzburg, has been in this capital for several months with two children who cut the most delightful
figure. His daughter, aged 11, plays the harpsichord in a distinguished manner; no one could have
a more precise and brilliant execution. His son, who this month reached his 8th year, is a true
prodigy.
Excerpts from CALLIOPE’s April 2003 issue: Mozart, © 2003, Carus Publishing Company, Published by
Cobblestone Publishing, 30 Grove Street, Suite C, Peterborough, NH 03458. All Rights Reserved.
Reprinted by permission of the publisher.
Updated August 2007
Do You Want to Write Haiku?
Myra Cohn Livingston
If things were better
for me, flies, I’d invite you
to share my supper.
— Basho
1
Some of you may recognize that this short poem, written in just seventeen syllables, is called a
haiku. Haiku poetry has been written in Japan for centuries and has become popular in the United
States during the past forty years. But there are specific rules for writing haiku, and many people
do not know about them. Often, all they do know is that the poem is made up of seventeen
syllables, that it is usually written in three lines, and that it does not use rhyme.
2
It would be impossible to list all of the rules about writing haiku, but the most important thing to
know is that the word “haiku” itself means “a beginning phrase.” The haiku was originally the
beginning of a longer poem, and the first seventeen syllables were written to introduce the reader
to the rest of the poem. Today haiku is considered a form in itself.
3
The first rule for writing haiku is that the poem must always refer to something in nature or use
what is called a “season word.” Many of the haiku you read refer to the nature symbols of Japan,
but unless you live in or have visited Japan, you will be better off writing about things you know.
For instance, if you read about a cherry blossom in a Japanese haiku, it means spring. If you live
in the United States, you might want to write about snowdrops, crocuses, or daffodils instead. You
do not have to use the terms “spring,” “summer,” “autumn,” or “winter” to identify the season when
you write a haiku—if you use the word “snow,” for example, it becomes a season word for “winter.”
4
Another rule is that the haiku must be about one thing only. A haiku is not a poem that describes
several different subjects or events. A good writer of haiku observes one thing carefully and writes
about only that.
5
The third rule is that a haiku must be written as though you are just seeing or experiencing what
you write about. It should happen now, not yesterday or the day before or last year. Therefore,
haiku is usually written in the present tense. 6 The next rule is that a good haiku must present a
clear picture of something you want to think about further. It paints a picture in words that stirs
your imagination and makes you eager to find out more.
7
Look back at the haiku by Basho, translated into English by Harry Behn, at the beginning of this
article. See how it follows the rules:
8
First, it is written in seventeen syllables and without rhyme. Next, nature and a season are both
indicated in the word “flies.” Flies are certainly a part of nature, and they are also a season word
for summertime. This haiku is about just one thing—someone talking to flies—and even though it
was written many years ago, it sounds as though the conversation were happening this very
minute.
Updated August 2007
9
Finally, think about the picture this haiku suggests. Is it of a king sitting at a banquet table brushing
away the flies? What sort of person is speaking? The words “If things were better for me” give you
a clue. The man or woman speaking would like to share some food with the flies, but apparently
things are so bad that he or she can’t even spare a few crumbs. The picture, then, is of someone
who must be very poor. Each of us will see something different in these words and will probably
want to know more: who is this person, what made him or her poor, and how does he or she
speak to the flies—in a complaining or sad or humorous voice? This haiku arouses our
imaginations and gets us thinking more about the picture Basho has painted in words.
“Do You Want to Write Haiku?” by Myra Cohn Livingston. Copyright © 1976 by Harry Behn. Haiku
from CRICKET SONGS trans. By Harry Behn. Copyright © 1964**
**Harry Behn. © Renewed 1992 by Prescott Behn, Pamela Behn Adam, and Peter Behn. Used by
permission of Marian Reiner.
Updated August 2007
The Story of My Life
Helen Keller
1 The morning after my teacher came she led me into her room and gave me a doll. The
little blind children at the Perkins Institution had sent it and Laura Bridgman1 had dressed
it; but I did not know this until afterward. When I had played with it a little while, Miss
Sullivan slowly spelled into my hand the word “d-o-l-l.” I was at once interested in this
finger play and tried to imitate it. When I finally succeeded in making the letters correctly I
was flushed with childish pleasure and pride. Running downstairs to my mother I held up
my hand and made the letters for doll. I did not know that I was spelling a word or even
that words existed; I was simply making my fingers go in monkey-like imitation. In the
days that followed I learned to spell in this uncomprehending way a great many words,
among them pin, hat, cup, and a few verbs like sit, stand, and walk. But my teacher had
been with me several weeks before I understood that everything has a name.
2 One day, while I was playing with my new doll, Miss Sullivan put my big rag Doll into my
lap also, spelled “d-o-l-l” into my hand, and tried to make me understand that “d-o-l-l”
applied to both. Earlier in the day we had had a tussle over the words “m-u-g” and “w-a-te-r.” Miss Sullivan had tried to impress it upon me that “m-u-g” is mug and that “w-a-t-e-r”
is water, but I persisted in confounding the two. In despair she had dropped the subject for
the time, only to renew it at the first opportunity. I became impatient at her repeated
attempts and, seizing the new doll, I dashed it upon the floor. I was keenly delighted when
I felt the fragments of the broken doll at my feet. Neither sorrow nor regret followed my
passionate outburst. I had not loved the doll. In the still, dark world in which I lived there
was no strong sentiment or tenderness. I felt my teacher sweep the fragments to one side
of the hearth, and I had a sense of satisfaction that the cause of my discomfort was
removed. She brought me my hat, and I knew I was going out into the warm sunshine.
This thought, if a wordless sensation may be called a thought, made me hop and skip with
pleasure.
3 We walked down the path to the well-house,2 attracted by the fragrance of the
honeysuckle with which it was covered. Some one was drawing water and my teacher
placed my hand under the spout. As the cool stream gushed over one hand she spelled
into the other the word water, first slowly, then rapidly. I stood still, my whole attention
fixed upon the motions of her fingers. Suddenly I felt a misty consciousness as of
something forgotten—a thrill of returning thought; and somehow the mystery of language
was revealed to me. I knew then that “w-a-t-e-r” meant the wonderful cool something that
Updated August 2007
was flowing over my hand. That living word awakened my soul, gave it light, hope, joy, set
it free! There were barriers still, it is true, but barriers that could in time be swept away.
4 I left the well-house eager to learn. Everything had a name, and each name gave birth to
a new thought. As we returned to the house every object which I touched seemed to
quiver with life. That was because I saw everything with a strange, new sight that had
come to me. On entering the door I remembered the doll I had broken. I felt my way to the
hearth and picked up the pieces. I tried vainly to put them together. Then my eyes filled
with tears; for I realized what I had done, and for the first time I felt repentance and
sorrow.
1
2
Laura Bridgman: a student from the Perkins Institution
well-house: a shed housing a water pump
Excerpt from The Story of My Life by Helen Keller, pp. 35-37, © copyright 1902, 1903, 1905 by
Helen Keller.
Updated August 2007
A People and a Tree
Christine Graf
1 Hundreds of years ago, babies born to the Northwest Coast Indians slept in cradles made
of cedar wood. They snuggled under blankets and wore diapers made from cedar bark.
As the babies grew, they came to understand how important the cedar tree was to their
way of life.
2 Northwest Coast Indian tribes have always lived along the western shores of Canada and
the northwestern coast of the United States. Long ago, the Indians relied on the western
red cedar in every part of their lives. It was so important to them that they called it the
Tree of Life.
3 The Indians used the cedar trees with care and respect. Of the hundreds of things they
made from the trees, only a few used up whole trunks. Trunks were taken only for special
purposes, such as house or canoe building. Amazingly, the Indians had learned how to
take bark, roots, and branches without killing the tree.
Bark
4 Large pieces of the cedar’s outer bark were cut into strips to make boxes and other kinds
of containers. Narrow strips were woven into mats, which were used for bedding, room
dividers, and tablecloths.
5 The inner bark would be pounded with a stone until it was soft and fluffy. It would also be
shredded, using tools made of whale or deer bone. Women worked on pieces of inner
bark until they were soft enough to make diapers and crib padding. Before taking bark,
women said special prayers of thanks to the tree. They knew how much bark they could
take without harming the cedar. Bark was also used to make masks, skirts, headbands,
blankets, ropes, and more.
Wood
6 The Indians used cedar wood to build their longhouses. These buildings were large
enough to be home to 20 people. Whole trees were cut down to provide the large logs
needed for house beams.
7 One method the Indians used to cut down a tree was to set the bottom of the tree on fire.
Above the fire, wet clay was packed on the tree to keep the fire from spreading upward.
After burning for a while, the fire was put out and burnt wood was scraped away. The
whole process was repeated several times until the tree fell.
Excerpts from APPLESEEDS’ October 2003 issue: Exploring Forests, © 2003, Carus Publishing Company, published by
Cobblestone Publishing, 30 Grove Street, Suite C, Peterborough, NH 03458. All Rights Reserved. Reprinted by permission
of the publisher.
Updated August 2007
Esperanza Rising
Pam Munoz Ryan
1 “Our land is alive, Esperanza,” said Papa, taking her small hand as they walked through
the gentle slopes of the vineyard. Leafy green vines draped the arbors and the grapes
were ready to drop. Esperanza was six years old and loved to walk with her papa through
the winding rows, gazing up at him and watching his eyes dance with love for the land.
2
“This whole valley breathes and lives,” he said, sweeping his arm toward the distant
mountains that guarded them. “It gives us the grapes and then they welcome us.” He
gently touched a wild tendril that reached into the row, as if it had been waiting to shake
his hand. He picked up a handful of earth and studied it. “Did you know that when you lie
down on the land, you can feel it breathe? That you can feel its heart beating?”
3
“Papi, I want to feel it,” she said.
4
“Come.” They walked to the end of the row, where the incline of the land formed a grassy
swell.
5 Papa lay down on his stomach and looked up at her, patting the ground next to him.
6 Esperanza smoothed her dress and knelt down. Then, like a caterpillar, she slowly inched
flat next to him, their faces looking at each other. The warm sun pressed on one of
Esperanza’s cheeks and the warm earth on the other.
7 She giggled.
8 “Shhh,” he said. “You can only feel the earth’s heartbeat when you are still and quiet.”
9 She swallowed her laughter and after a moment said, “I can’t hear it, Papi.”
10 “Aquántate tantito y la fruta caerá en tu mano,” he said. “Wait a little while and the fruit
will fall into your hand. You must be patient, Esperanza.”
11 She waited and lay silent, watching Papa’s eyes.
12 And then she felt it. Softly at first. A gentle thumping. Then stronger. A resounding thud,
thud, thud against her body.
13 She could hear it, too. The beat rushing in her ears. Shoomp, shoomp, shoomp.
14
She stared at Papa, not wanting to say a word. Not wanting to lose the sound. Not
wanting to forget the feel of the heart of the valley.
Updated August 2007
15 She pressed closer to the ground, until her body was breathing with the earth’s. And with
Papa’s. The three hearts beating together.
16 She smiled at Papa, not needing to talk, her eyes saying everything.
17 And his smile answered hers. Telling her that he knew she had felt it.
From ESPERANZA RISING by Pam Munoz Ryan. Copyright © 2000 by Pam Munoz Ryan.
Reprinted by permission of Scholastic Inc.
Updated August 2007
A Man for All Time: Leonardo da Vinci
Margaret Cooper
1 One of the world’s most famous paintings, Mona Lisa, was created by the 15thcentury
Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci. Remarkably, Leonardo the master artist was also a
master scientist. Recognizing that science depends on understanding the workings of
nature, he studied everything from the movements of water and wind to the structure of
the human body. Leonardo also believed in putting the knowledge of science to practical
use, and he continually thought of ways to do so. His inventions ranged from household
aids such as a self-turning spit1 for roasting meat to industrial machines such as a coin
stamper and even an armored tank. He also concerned himself with scientific
instruments—for example, a device to measure how much water expands when it turns to
steam.
2 Few of Leonardo’s inventions were put to use, possibly because once he had worked out
an idea, he went rushing on to the next one. We know of his inventions because he kept
detailed notebooks—thousands of pages covered with his strikingly beautiful drawings
and small mirror writing. (Leonardo wrote words backward; nobody knows exactly why.)
Everything, no matter how small, was important enough to be noted. On a single page,
you might find a sketch of a horse, notes on pulleys, and a list of household expenses.
3 Leonardo called science “the knowledge of things possible in the future, of the present
and of the past,” and he tried to know all three. In the 15th century, mastering the science
of the past became easier with the invention of the printing press, which made possible a
wider distribution of the science classics written by the ancient Greeks. Through his own
studies, Leonardo improved the practical and theoretical science of his time, “the present.”
Most amazing of all, his thoughts and inventions took some flying leaps far into the future.
Four centuries before the invention of the radio or telephone, he wrote, “Men from the
most remote countries shall speak to one another and shall reply.” His inventions included
not only a two level bridge to accommodate traffic jams but also an automatic wagon, a
parachute, and a helicopter.
Excerpts from FACES’ September 1994 issue: Great Inventions of the World, © 1994, Cobblestone Publishing,
30 Grove Street, Suite C, Peterborough, NH 03458. All Rights Reserved. Reprinted by permission of Carus
Publishing Company.
1
spit: a pointed, thin rod used to hold meat over a fire
Updated August 2007
If Ever I Return Again
Corinne Demas
1
October 28, 1856
2
My Dearest Abigail—
3
I could not write for many days.
4
It seems so smooth at first I thought that I would prove a seaman from the start. How wrong I
was! Out past the bay in open ocean the waves were peaked with white, and the ship began to
pitch and roll. I felt so sick I stumbled to my cabin where I stayed until this morning, when Papa
took me up on deck, saying the air would do me good. Which it has done. Perhaps I have my sea
legs, as they call it, at last.
5
When we left New Bedford it was cold but clear, a fair wind, Papa said. Mother was in her cabin
arranging things, but I wanted to be out on deck. I kept my eye on the sweet shoreline till it
disappeared from me, bit by bit, till it was just a line. I held it there in memory long after it was
gone. Papa passed me his spyglass1 and through it I could see what had been lost before.
Sometime in the world maybe there will be a spyglass so strong I could see not just New Bedford,
but all the way back home, to you in Eastham, or even as far as our cousins in Salem, and
beyond.
6
I feel much better now and have begun to eat again, but I am nervous as I had not been when we
first started out. The Jupiter is sailing smoothly now, but I no longer trust this sea to keep itself this
tame, this ship to keep itself this steady. I keep my eye on the modest waves, as if my watching
will hold them as they are.
7
Mr. Prater, the steward,2 said it was bad luck to set sail on a Friday, but Papa would have none of
it—“foolish superstition,” he called it, and since the winds were right on the seventeenth, on a
Friday we set sail. Of course I know that Papa is right and I take no stock in Mr. Prater’s notions,
till, it made me uneasy when Mr. Prater shook his head and mumbled, “Let no one say I didn’t try
to warn you, sir.”
8
Dear Abigail, I am not sure now that I should have said that I would come. Is this what I get for my
obstinate ways? Remember how I pleaded with Papa and made such a nuisance of myself until
he and Mother agreed that I could join them? I knew if he did not take me now he never would. I
had thought, poor William, so hard for him to be left behind. Though I imagined he would be
happier staying there with you with Charles and Sam for company, than here on board with no boy
his age. And Papa promised him next trip he’ll be the one to go.
9
And now I think of William in that lovely house on firm ground and envy him. I think of all things
firm: the chimney, brick upon brick no wind could tumble, the great stones of the hearth, the trees.
These masts were once the tallest, straightest of the trees, but here, deprived of roots and
fastened to this ship instead, they are all at the mercy of the whims of the sea. They tilt at the
slightest provocation.
10 There is no land in sight now. Not even a speck of it. No other ships. Nothing here but sea and
sky. In all directions it is the same. Nothing to amuse the eye except the shape of clouds. One
above That looks like a legless horse, another that looks like the profile of Mr. Soames, the
Schoolmaster, his nose, though white instead of red.
11 How desolate this sea! I have never been so far from land before. So far I have to wonder if it
really still is there, and did not simply vanish in the sea.
Updated August 2007
12 I’m wanted now, below. I’ll continue this letter soon as I am able.
13
In haste—Celia
1
spyglass: a small telescope
steward: a person who works on a ship
2
“If I Ever Return Again” by Corinne Demas, copyright © 2000. Used by permission of
HarperCollins Publishers.
Updated August 2007
Grade 7 Reading OAT Authentic Questions
Answer Key
Question
Answer
No.
Type
Content Standard
Content
Standard
Benchkmark(s)
E
A
A
B
F
A
A
A
F
A
C
F
B
A
March 2006
March 2006
March 2006
March 2006
March 2006
March 2006
March 2006
March 2006
Half-Length Practice
Half-Length Practice
Half-Length Practice
May 2007
May 2007
May 2007
Test Date
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
B
D
B
A
A
C
D
C
B
C
B
D
S
A
MC
MC
MC
MC
MC
MC
MC
MC
MC
MC
MC
MC
SA
MC
Acquisition of Vocabulary
Acquisition of Vocabulary
Acquisition of Vocabulary
Acquisition of Vocabulary
Acquisition of Vocabulary
Acquisition of Vocabulary
Acquisition of Vocabulary
Acquisition of Vocabulary
Acquisition of Vocabulary
Acquisition of Vocabulary
Acquisition of Vocabulary
Acquisition of Vocabulary
Acquisition of Vocabulary
Acquisition of Vocabulary
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
B
A
S
S
A
A
A
B
S
B
B
S
A
C
C
C
S
C
MC
SA
SA
SA
SA
MC
SA
MC
SA
MC
MC
SA
MC
MC
MC
MC
SA
MC
Reading Process
Reading Process
Reading Process
Reading Process
Reading Process
Reading Process
Reading Process
Reading Process
Reading Process
Reading Process
Reading Process
Reading Process
Reading Process
Reading Process
Reading Process
Reading Process
Reading Process
Reading Process
C
B
B
B
C
C
C
C
B
A
C
B
B
B
A
A
B
C
March 2006
March 2006
March 2006
March 2006
March 2006
March 2006
March 2006
March 2006
March 2006
Half-Length Practice
Half-Length Practice
Half-Length Practice
Half-Length Practice
May 2007
May 2007
May 2007
May 2007
May 2007
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
C
A
S
C
D
B
E
MC
MC
SA
MC
MC
MC
ER
Reading Applications Informational Text
Reading Applications Informational Text
Reading Applications Informational Text
Reading Applications Informational Text
Reading Applications Informational Text
Reading Applications Informational Text
Reading Applications Informational Text
D
D
D
D
E
D
C
March 2006
March 2006
March 2006
March 2006
March 2006
March 2006
March 2006
Please refer to the specific test answer key for all extended responss and short answer scoring rubrics.
Grade 7 Reading OAT Authentic Questions
Answer Key
Question
Answer
No.
Type
Content Standard
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
A
C
B
C
S
C
C
D
MC
MC
MC
MC
SA
MC
MC
MC
Reading Applications Informational Text
Reading Applications Informational Text
Reading Applications Informational Text
Reading Applications Informational Text
Reading Applications Informational Text
Reading Applications Informational Text
Reading Applications Informational Text
Reading Applications Informational Text
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
C
C
S
C
A
A
C
E
A
D
D
A
E
D
D
S
D
E
A
A
A
A
MC
MC
SA
MC
MC
MC
MC
ER
MC
MC
MC
MC
ER
MC
MC
SA
MC
ER
MC
MC
MC
MC
Reading Applications Literary Text
Reading Applications Literary Text
Reading Applications Literary Text
Reading Applications Literary Text
Reading Applications Literary Text
Reading Applications Literary Text
Reading Applications Literary Text
Reading Applications Literary Text
Reading Applications Literary Text
Reading Applications Literary Text
Reading Applications Literary Text
Reading Applications Literary Text
Reading Applications Literary Text
Reading Applications Literary Text
Reading Applications Literary Text
Reading Applications Literary Text
Reading Applications Literary Text
Reading Applications Literary Text
Reading Applications Literary Text
Reading Applications Literary Text
Reading Applications Literary Text
Reading Applications Literary Text
Content
Standard
Benchkmark(s)
E
B
D
D
D
A
D
A
March 2006
March 2006
March 2006
Half-Length Practice
Half-Length Practice
Half-Length Practice
May 2007
May 2007
G
D
B
E
G
G
A
G
E
A
G
G
A
D
D
B
A
A
G
G
B
D
March 2006
March 2006
March 2006
March 2006
March 2006
March 2006
March 2006
March 2006
March 2006
Half-Length Practice
Half-Length Practice
Half-Length Practice
Half-Length Practice
Half-Length Practice
May 2007
May 2007
May 2007
May 2007
May 2007
May 2007
May 2007
May 2007
Test Date
Please refer to the specific test answer key for all extended responss and short answer scoring rubrics.