Grade 7 ELA | FL B.E.S.T. Standard: ELA.7.R.1.1
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| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| 1 | Marcus feels dismissed, ignored, or unimportant. He's being passive-aggressive - saying "it's fine" but clearly showing through "whatever" and looking at his phone that he's upset. The sarcasm in "it's not like my opinion matters" shows he feels his voice isn't valued. |
| 2 | Lily is cautious, careful, detail-oriented, and anxious about mistakes. Jake is spontaneous, improvising, casual, and optimistic. Their contrast shows how different people approach the same task - Lily through careful planning, Jake through confidence in adapting. |
| 3 | B. Character vs. Self
Aiden is struggling internally with himself - torn between loyalty to his friend and doing what's right. The conflict is within his own mind, not against another person. |
| 4 | Turning point: Devon sat down next to Ben when Ben was upset and asked "Rough day?" The relationship changed from one-sided (Devon trying, Ben rejecting) to mutual - Ben responded, they actually talked, and Ben opened up. Devon's simple act of kindness during a vulnerable moment broke through Ben's walls. |
| 5 | Authors use character foils to highlight specific traits through contrast. When we see a cautious character next to an impulsive one, the cautious character's carefulness stands out more clearly. Contrast helps readers understand characters better - we understand "brave" more deeply when we see it next to "fearful." |
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| 1 | Sofia: Organized, plans ahead, prefers structure, worried about others not doing work, cautious/distrustful. Mia: Spontaneous, creative, open to new ideas, relaxed, optimistic. |
| 2 | Sofia's dialogue reveals she has had negative past experiences with group projects where she ended up doing most of the work. Her statement "'Different' usually means disorganized. I've been on too many group projects where 'creative' meant I did all the work" shows she's been let down before and developed defensive strategies. |
| 3 | B. Sofia agrees to brainstorm despite her concerns
This shows Sofia is willing to step outside her comfort zone and trust Mia, marking a shift from resistance to openness. |
| 4 | Sofia is conflicted between her natural desire for structure/control and her growing interest in Mia's approach. We see this through: 1) "Sofia tried not to smile" - she's fighting her positive feelings; 2) "I doubt it," she said, but she was already taking notes - her actions contradict her words, showing internal conflict between her guarded persona and genuine engagement. |
| 5 | The first paragraph establishes that Marcus has always been the "star" while Noah was overshadowed - just "Marcus's little brother." This shows an unequal relationship where Noah felt invisible compared to his successful older brother. |
| 6 | B. Marcus set down his phone to talk
The text specifically notes this is "something Noah rarely saw him do," marking this as an unusual action that shows Marcus is giving Noah his full attention. |
| 7 | Noah deflects because he's not used to receiving genuine praise from Marcus. His habit of being overlooked has made him uncomfortable with attention. He's also possibly protecting himself from disappointment - if he downplays his achievement, it won't hurt as much if others dismiss it. |
| 8 | The interaction changes Noah's sense of identity. Evidence: "For once, he didn't feel like 'Marcus's little brother.' He felt like himself." Marcus's genuine recognition helped Noah see himself as his own person with his own valuable abilities, not just in relation to his brother. |
| 9 | B. Character vs. Self - Noah struggles with his identity compared to Marcus
Noah's main conflict is internal - struggling with his sense of self-worth and identity in the shadow of his successful brother. |
| 10 | Kaylee is characterized as superficial and performative - her smile is "perfect and practiced," she leads the "popular table," and she dismisses Hannah with "she doesn't really talk to anyone." These details suggest she cares more about social status than genuine connection. |
| 11 | Hannah's shift from "Can I help you?" (defensive, wary, suspicious - expecting rejection or mockery) to "I'm on book five" and "fair warning" (open, sharing, even playful) shows she's moved from guarded self-protection to genuine engagement. Zara's authentic interest in something Hannah loves broke through her walls. |
| 12 | B. To contrast Zara's genuine interest with Kaylee's superficiality
The final line highlights that Kaylee, who sits near Hannah every day, never made a real effort to know her - while Zara immediately showed genuine interest. |
| 13 | Zara chooses connection over popularity; Kaylee values social status over genuine relationships. Zara's authentic interest makes her likeable and kind; Kaylee's superficial approach (never asking what Hannah reads) reveals her shallowness. Their contrast shows that real connection requires genuine interest in others, not just social positioning. |
| 14 | The turning point is when Zara mentions the book series Hannah is reading. Before this, Hannah is defensive ("Can I help you?"). After discovering their shared interest, Hannah opens up, moves her bag, and even makes a playful warning about spoilers. Their shared love of books transforms them from stranger and outcast to potential friends. |
| 15 | Zara faces a social conflict: the easy path would be sitting with the popular group, but she chooses the harder path of reaching out to someone alone. This reflects her values - she prioritizes genuine connection over social status, kindness over popularity. She's willing to risk social standing to do what feels right. |
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| 1 | B. Character vs. Self - Jade struggles between jealousy and sportsmanship
Jade's main conflict is internal - torn between her jealous, protective instincts and her better nature that wants to embrace the opportunity. |
| 2 | B. Jade expects Ava to be arrogant, but Ava is humble and complimentary
Jade "expected gloating, not a compliment." Ava surprises her by praising Jade's skills and asking to learn from her. |
| 3 | B. "That pick-and-roll you ran in the second half was really smart."
This is when Ava reaches out with a genuine compliment, shifting from competitors to potential allies. |
| 4 | B. Jade is surprised by her own decision to be generous
"Heard herself say" suggests her response surprised even her - her generous instincts acted before her protective ones could stop them. |
| 5 | See rubric and sample response below. |
| 6 | C. Leo is anxious while Dylan appears confident |
| 7 | B. It reveals that his confidence is a performance hiding real anxiety
Dylan admits he's been "faking confidence" and has intense anxiety that he manages through extreme preparation. |
| 8 | B. To indicate that Dylan is being genuine instead of performing confidence
His "usual grin" is part of his confident performance; the "smaller, more real" smile shows authentic vulnerability. |
| 9 | See rubric and sample response below. |
| 10 | See rubric and sample response below. |
| Score | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 2 | Clearly describes Jade's change (from jealousy/fear to openness/generosity) AND provides specific text evidence |
| 1 | Describes change but lacks specific evidence OR provides evidence without clear analysis of change |
| 0 | Does not identify meaningful change or misinterprets the character |
| Score | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 2 | Explains how the silly face affects Leo (releases tension) AND what it reveals about their friendship (comfort, support, shared humor) |
| 1 | Addresses effect on Leo OR friendship significance, but not both |
| 0 | Does not meaningfully address the question |
| Score | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 4 | Thoroughly explains how BOTH characters develop through their interaction, with specific text evidence for each |
| 3 | Explains both characters' development with some evidence, but analysis may be uneven |
| 2 | Focuses mainly on one character's development with evidence |
| 1 | Identifies change but lacks specific evidence or analysis |
| 0 | Does not address character development |