ENGLISH 7

Name: __________________________________________ Score: ___________________

Grade&Section: __________________________________ Date: ____________________
ACTIVITY SHEETS
Summarize key information from a text
Direction: Read the passage below and answer the following questions. Encircle the letter of your
answer.

Part I: Age of Innocence

Hi, my name is Sasha. I am a ten-month-old female Bengal tiger cub. I am one of four cubs. We live with our
mother in the hot, humid, mangrove swamps of the Sundarbans in eastern India.

Temperatures in this region can often rise to 110 degrees Fahrenheit in the shade!
Unlike other cats, us Bengal tigers love to swim and play in the water when the weather gets too hot. Today
happens to be a mild day, so my mom has planned to take us hunting. She wants us to learn how to successfully
catch our own food. By the time we are 18 months old, we should be able to feed ourselves.

I have never met my dad. My mom claims that he likes to be alone. Even though I have never seen him, I have
heard stories about him. Supposedly, he spans 10 feet from his head to the tip of his tail and he weighs about 550
pounds. My mom says that if we pay attention in our hunting lessons, we will grow big and strong like dad. We
will be able to stalk and kill deer, wild pigs, and even water buffalo. For now, we can only prey on small animals
like monkeys. That’s no fun.

My mom says that it’s important to stalk our prey because we are not very fast runners. That is why we have
stripes! Our stripes help us blend in with the tall grass and allow us to sneak up on prey. Our camouflage game is
so strong that animals will often walk right by us! Then, once they get too close, pounce! Attack! This is when we
unsheathe our retractable claws, grab the animal, and sink our long, sharp, canine teeth into its neck.

Even though this sounds simple enough, I have seen my mom fail dozens of times before she finally makes a kill.
By that time, we are starving! As an adult, I will need to eat about 15 pounds of meat a day to survive, but I have
seen my mom consume up to 55 pounds when she makes a big kill.

It’s staring to get hot now. I hope the hunting lesson ends soon so I can go play in the water. Mom usually likes to
hunt at night. This is because our eyes are designed to adjust to a nocturnal environment. We have a mirror-like
layer at the back of our eyes that helps to reflect extra light when it is dark out. For now, I think I’ll practice
stalking on my brother while we wait for mom. My tail is twitching with excitement as he comes close to my
hiding spot. That’s it. Closer, closer, pounce! Attack! Gotcha!

Part II: The End of an Era

I am now 25 years old. I am at the end of my life span.

As I sit alone among the lush vegetation under a shade tree, I reflect back on my life, from being a cub through
adulthood. There was a time when the tiger population was plentiful, and we roamed the land free and proud.
Now, there is a new king that has invaded our habitat and threatened our existence. He is called man.

I am one of the lucky tigers. I am both proud and sad because of all that I have witnessed in my lifetime. I am
proud because every other year I have raised a fine litter of cubs and taught them valuable lessons and survival
skills. Many have gone on to raise cubs of their own. Others, mainly my sons, have been illegally poached and
killed by hunters who use their hides to make money. Some people even grind up tiger bones to make medicine.
This is what makes my heart sad. We are now an endangered species. While some humans hunt our kind, others
are fighting for our existence.

I am growing increasingly weak and tired. I lost one of my canine teeth on my last hunting trip, and without it, I
have lost the ability to eat and chew. I know my time has come to an end, but I have lived a successful life. I am a
survivor who will simply die of old age in my natural habitat, instead of at the hands of humans.

As I drift off to sleep, my mind returns to the memories of my youth as an energetic cub. The tall grass towers
over my head as I practice a stalk on my brother. My tail twitches in anticipation as he draws closer. That’s it.
Closer, closer, pounce! Attack! Gotcha!
1. What has changed since the tiger was a cub?
a. Tigers have less food to eat.
b. Tigers have decreased in number.
c. Tigers no longer enjoy playing in water.
d. Tigers no longer pay attention to their young.

2. Which word best fits in the blank?

The tiger's chance of survival was                                              as a young cub.
a. better
b. worse
c. the same
d. difficult to determine

3. According to the narrator, how are Bengal tigers different from other cats?
a. They like to swim.
b. They are very big.
c. They eat a lot of food.
d. They are hunted for their fur.

4. Choose the best word to fill in the blank.

The tiger was                                as a cub.
a. bigger
b. stealthier
c. more beautiful
d. more energetic

5. What is likely to cause the tiger to die? (Choose all that apply)
a. old age
b. an inability to eat
c. being killed by a hunter
d. an attack from another tiger
e. getting lost in the middle of the forest

6. Why did the author most likely write this story?

a. to teach readers about tigers
b. to tell a cute story about a tiger
c. to share about the life of a tiger
d. to raise money to save the tigers

7. Which choice offers the best summary of the story?

a. A tiger tells about her life.
b. A group of tiger cubs go hunting.
c. A mother tiger raises her tiger cubs.
d. A narrator explains how tigers became endangered

Read the following excerpt and answer the questions below. Encircle the letter of your answer.

"I don't want a babysitter. I am eleven years old. My babysitter is only three years older than I am," she
loudly yelled to her Mom. Now, she really wished she had somebody with her as she heard the clicking,
scratching noises outside of the living room window. "This is silly. It's probably the storm," the girl said.
She regretted watching the horror show she had been tuned into for the last half hour. As she searched
for the remote to turn off the vampire movie, the front door blew open with a thunderous noise. Carla
whirled around to see a dark image."

8. Carla didn't want a babysitter because:

a. She believes she is old enough to take care of herself.
b. She wants to watch scary movies.
c. Carla's mother leaves her alone all the time.
d. Carla's babysitter is only three years older than Carla.
 March 2nd was a great day at the New York Public Library. More than 250 first and second graders
wore red-and-white-striped stovepipe hats. They were celebrating The Cat in the Hat's 50th birthday. Dr.
Seuss's The Cat in the Hat picture book has been published for 50 years now. The famous feline danced
with children racing around him. At the same time, pink, purple, and white confetti rained down.

Serena Williams, the tennis champion, read The Cat in the Hat to second graders. They sat on brightly-
colored rugs around her. Two lucky second graders from PS 152 in Manhattan sat next to Williams on a
big red chair. Pink and purple umbrellas hung from the ceiling. The students giggled while Williams
made her voice change from deep to high for the many characters in the story.

After reading the book, Williams shouted, "Tip your hat to the Cat!" The students took off their hats and
waved them excitedly.

9. Which sentence should be included in the summary of the passage above?

a. After reading the book, Williams shouted, "Tip your hat to the Cat!"
b. The students giggled while Williams made her voice change from deep to high...
c. Two lucky second graders from PS 152 in Manhattan sat next to Williams on a big red chair.
d. Serena Williams, the tennis champion, read The Cat in the Hat to second graders.

The faculty at Newtown Elementary School invites you to attend our annual Honors Dinner on Thursday,
June 17, 2005, in the school cafeteria. A meal will be served at 7:00 P.M. The cost of the meal is $7.50
per person. Please respond by June 5th with the number of family members attending. We look forward
to seeing you there.

10. Which of the following is the best summary of the invitation?

a. The teachers at school are having a dinner to which you are invited. It will be at 7 P.M. on June
17 and will cost $7.50 a person.
b. Students need to decide if they want to go to the Honors Dinner with their teachers and family at
Newtown Elementary School.
c. Newtown Elementary School is going to have an Honors Dinner. The teachers hold this dinner
once a year for all of the honors students.
d. The dinner costs $7.50 a person. You need to let the teachers know by June 5 how many people
you are bringing to the dinner.

Worms and viruses are rather unpleasant terms that have entered the jargon of the computer industry to descry some
of the ways that computer systems can be invaded.

A worm can be defined as a program that transfers itself from computer to computer over a network and plants itself
as a separate file on the target computer's disks. One worm was injected into an electronic mail network where it
multiplied uncontrollably and clogged the memories of thousands of computers until they could no longer function.

A virus is a set of illicit instructions that passes itself on to other programs or documents with which it comes on
contact. It can change or delete files, display words or obscene messages, or produce bizarre screen effects. In its
most vindictive form, a virus can slowly sabotage a computer system and remain undetected for months,
contaminating data or wiping out an entire hard drive. A virus can be dealt with using a vaccine, or antivirus, which
is a computer program that stops the virus form spreading and often eradicates it.

11. As it is used in the passage, what does the word sabotage mean?
a. destroy or damage
b. cause to go off course
c. mark with graffiti
d. improve or make better

12. Which detail from the text provides the best clue to the meaning of the word?
a. a set of illicit instructions that passes itself on to other program
b. produce bizarre screen effects.
c. contaminating data or wiping out an entire hard drive
d. A virus can be dealt with using a vaccine, or antivirus,
13-15. Identify three details that should be included in a summary of the passage.
a. Worms and viruses are rather unpleasant terms that have entered the jargon of the computer
industry to descry some of the ways that computer systems can be invaded.
b. A worm can be defined as a program that transfers itself from computer to computer over a
network and plants itself as a separate file on the target computer's disks.
c. One worm was injected into an electronic mail network where it multiplied uncontrollably and
clogged the memories of thousands of computers until they could no longer function.
d. A virus is a set of illicit instructions that passes itself on to other programs or documents with
which it comes on contact.
e. It can change or delete files, display words or obscene messages, or produce bizarre screen
effects.
f. A virus can be dealt with using a vaccine, or antivirus, which is a computer program that stops
the
virus form spreading and often eradicates it.
g. In its most vindictive form, a virus can slowly sabotage a computer system and remain undetected
for months, contaminating data or wiping out an entire hard drive.

16. In paragraph 1 of the text, what does the word jargon mean?
a. made-up words used by people
b. dictionary-defined words
c. words used by kids
d. words related to a particular field

17. Which words from paragraph 1 best support the answer to Part A?
a. worms and viruses
b. rather unpleasant terms
c. to descry
d. systems can be invaded

Travis and Frederick went to the mall to buy shoes. Frederick decided that he was going to steal pair of
shoes from the mall. Travis tried to talk Frederick out of doing it. When they got to the mall and
entered the shoes store Travis went to look at some shoes. Frederick pretended to be looking at shoes,
when he suddenly bolted for the door with a pair of Nikes. The security guard reached out and grabbed
Frederick's arm and took him to the station. Travis just called his mom to pick him up.

18. What is the most appropriate summary?

a. Travis wanted a pair of shoes from the mall so he got his friend Frederick to steal them.
b. Frederick thought he could get away with stealing shoes from the mall and he did.
c. Travis had no idea that Frederick planned to steal from the mall when they planned to buy shoes.
d. Travis tried to talk his friend Frederick out of stealing shoes from the mall, but when he did it
anyway he got caught.

Cornelia wanted to get out of taking her test in Science. She asked to go to the restroom during science
class. As she wandered along the hall the shiny red fire drill seemed to call her name. Cornelia looked
left and then right, and pulled the alarm. Green spray came out all over her arms, just as she began to
run away. Ms. Singelton saw Cornelia's green arms and took her straight to the office. Turns out she still
had to take the test, but from ISSP.

19. Which answer choice is the best summary?

a. Cornelia did not study for a test so she made a plan to hide out in the restroom during that class.
b. Cornelia wanted to get out of a science test so she pulled the fire alarm. she got caught and ended
up in ISSP.
c. Cornelia hates tests so she decided to skip school instead of going to class on test days.
d. Cornelia pulled the fire alarm so that Hannah could get out of taking a science test.

20. Which word means to tell how or put it in your own words?
a. summarize
b. explain
c. infer
d. evaluate