SBAC Grade 7 ELA 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does the term 'central idea' mean in the context of an informational text?
- The first sentence of a paragraph
- The main point the author wants to communicate (Correct answer)
- The conclusion of an essay
- A detail that supports the main argument
Correct answer: The main point the author wants to communicate
The central idea is the primary message or main point the author conveys throughout an informational text.
Question 2: When analyzing a literary text, which element best helps readers understand a character's motivation?
- The setting of the story
- The author's biography
- The character's actions, thoughts, and dialogue (Correct answer)
- The number of chapters in the book
Correct answer: The character's actions, thoughts, and dialogue
A character's motivation is revealed through their actions, thoughts, and dialogue, which show why they behave as they do.
Question 3: Which of the following is an example of a text structure used in informational writing?
- Rhyme scheme
- Cause and effect (Correct answer)
- Rising action
- Personification
Correct answer: Cause and effect
Cause and effect is a common text structure in informational writing that shows how one event leads to another.
Question 4: In SBAC assessments, what does it mean to 'cite textual evidence'?
- To summarize the text in your own words
- To use specific quotes or details from the text to support your answer (Correct answer)
- To write a personal opinion about the text
- To identify the genre of the text
Correct answer: To use specific quotes or details from the text to support your answer
Citing textual evidence means using specific quotes or details directly from the text to support your claims.
Question 5: A student reads two passages about climate change — one from a scientific journal and one from a newspaper. What is the BEST reason to compare these sources?
- To find grammatical errors in each passage
- To determine which passage is longer
- To understand how different authors present information on the same topic (Correct answer)
- To decide which author is more famous
Correct answer: To understand how different authors present information on the same topic
Comparing sources helps readers see how different authors approach the same topic, including different perspectives, evidence, and purposes.
Question 6: Which literary device involves giving human characteristics to non-human objects or animals?
- Simile
- Metaphor
- Personification (Correct answer)
- Alliteration
Correct answer: Personification
Personification is the literary device that assigns human traits, emotions, or actions to non-human subjects.
Question 7: When determining the meaning of an unknown word in a passage, which strategy is MOST effective?
- Skipping the word and reading the next sentence
- Using context clues from surrounding sentences (Correct answer)
- Replacing the word with a synonym you already know
- Counting the syllables in the word
Correct answer: Using context clues from surrounding sentences
Using context clues — words and ideas surrounding the unknown word — is the most effective strategy for determining word meaning.
SBAC Grade 7 ELA 1
What does the term 'central idea' mean in the context of an informational text?