English Language Arts 7 (Grade 7) Midterm — Semester 2, Form B

Part 1: Multiple Choice

1. Read the sentence: "The cat hid under the old porch." Which words form a prepositional phrase?
   1. A. hid under
   2. B. under the old porch
   3. C. cat hid under
   4. D. The cat hid
2. Read the sentence: "When the bell rang, the students left." Which part is the dependent clause?
   1. A. the bell
   2. B. the students
   3. C. the students left
   4. D. When the bell rang
3. Which sentence correctly fixes this dangling modifier? "Walking to school, the rain soaked my backpack."
   1. A. Walking to school the rain, soaked my backpack.
   2. B. Walking to school, my backpack got soaked by the rain.
   3. C. As I walked to school, the rain soaked my backpack.
   4. D. The rain soaked my backpack, walking to school.
4. What is the difference between a phrase and a clause?
   1. A. A clause is always longer than a phrase.
   2. B. A phrase can always stand alone as a sentence.
   3. C. A clause has a subject and a verb; a phrase does not.
   4. D. A phrase has a subject and a verb; a clause does not.
5. Read the sentence: "Although it rained, we went hiking, and we had a great time." What type of sentence is this?
   1. A. Compound
   2. B. Simple
   3. C. Complex
   4. D. Compound-complex
6. When using a direct quotation, a writer must
   1. A. change the words to sound more formal
   2. B. use the source's exact words in quotation marks and give credit
   3. C. leave out the author's name
   4. D. combine it with the writer's own opinion inside the quotation marks
7. Which source would be most useful for an essay on how video games affect teen sleep?
   1. A. A blog post about a gamer's favorite games
   2. B. A movie review of a film about video games
   3. C. A medical journal article on screen time and teen sleep
   4. D. A video game company's ad for a new game
8. Which sentence best fits the formal style of a research essay?
   1. A. The evidence suggests that the policy reduced waste.
   2. B. This policy is totally awesome.
   3. C. The policy was great, no joke.
   4. D. Honestly, the policy kinda worked.
9. Which is the best-focused research question?
   1. A. Are animals interesting?
   2. B. How does plastic pollution affect sea turtles?
   3. C. What is the ocean?
   4. D. Do you like sea turtles?
10. In an argument essay, reasons and evidence are used to
    1. A. support the claim
    2. B. describe the setting
    3. C. introduce a new topic
    4. D. replace the counterclaim
11. Read the poem: "My worries are a flock of crows / that circle overhead at night; / they caw and tumble, come and go, / and scatter with the morning light." What does the comparison suggest about the speaker's worries?
    1. A. They are pleasant and easy to ignore.
    2. B. They are caused by birds near the speaker's home.
    3. C. They grow stronger every morning.
    4. D. They feel loud and restless at night but fade by morning.
12. Which phrase is an oxymoron?
    1. A. Deafening silence
    2. B. Rushing river
    3. C. Gentle breeze
    4. D. Bright sunshine
13. Which line uses imagery that appeals mainly to the sense of smell?
    1. A. The cold metal railing stung my bare hands.
    2. B. Thunder rumbled loudly over the hills.
    3. C. The red and gold leaves glowed in the sunlight.
    4. D. The kitchen filled with the scent of cinnamon and warm bread.
14. Read the passage: "Oh, wonderful. Another Monday morning with a flat tire. Just what I needed." What is the speaker's tone?
    1. A. Peaceful
    2. B. Joyful
    3. C. Sarcastic
    4. D. Grateful
15. An extended metaphor is
    1. A. a comparison using "like" or "as"
    2. B. an exaggeration for effect
    3. C. a word that imitates a sound
    4. D. a comparison developed over several lines or an entire poem

Part 2: Written Response

16. Write a short research-based argument about whether schools should limit cell phone use. Include a claim, two reasons with evidence from credible sources, a counterclaim, and citations.