Lahore Grammar School Defence

English
Holiday Homework

Grade VII

Name: ________________________________________
 The People of Africa
Africa is a huge continent and has more independent countries in it
than any other continent, over 50 countries. Since Africa extends
thousands of miles from north to south and much of Africa sits on the
equator, there is great variety in the climate and vegetation across the
continent. All of these things influence the culture of people living in
Africa. Unfortunately Africa is the world’s poorest region and this has a
great impact on how the people of Africa live. Most people live in poor
rural areas without roads connecting the villages and no electricity or
clean water. Rural people who move to the cities to look for work end
up living in terrible slums.

The cultures of Africa can be divided into

North Africa and Africa south of the Sahara
Desert. North Africa borders the
Mediterranean Sea and these Africans, like
those in Egypt, traded with Greeks, Romans
and others thousands of years ago using the
Mediterranean Sea for transportation of
goods. Many of these people speak Arabic
and share the ethnic and religious heritage
of the Mediterranean area.

Africa is home to a large number of tribal people. To give an idea of the

diversity of African people, there are over 2,000 languages spoken by
the people living there. For example, Nigeria has 500 languages and
Ethiopia has 80. Africa also has many people of European descent who
migrated there during the period of colonization. European countries
colonized Africa like they colonized North and South America. But the
countries of Africa did not receive their independence until the late
1900s. Namibia became independent in 1990 and Eritrea in 1993. The
Europeans divided Africa into countries without considering old tribal
territories and rival tribes continue to fight amongst each other. The
people of Africa face many difficult problems to provide healthcare,
education and a decent way of life for themselves and their children.

Circle the correct answer.

1. Africa
a. Has more countries than any other continent
b. Has over 2,000 languages
c. Is the poorest area of the world
d. All of the above

2. North African people

a. Are culturally similar to people around the Mediterranean Sea
b. Speak 2,000 languages
c. Are of European descent
d. All of the above

3. The culture of Africa is influenced by

a. Climate
b. Many tribes
c. Both a. and b.
d. None of the above

4. People who live in rural African villages

a. Don’t have electricity
b. Don’t have clean water
c. Don’t have good roads
d. All of the above
5. Countries in Africa that were European colonies received their
independence
in the
a. 1700s like the United States
b. 1800s
c. 1900s
d. None of the above

6. Which of the following countries are in Africa?

a. Egypt
b. Nigeria
c. Eritrea
d. All of the above
 Booker T. Washington
For Booker Taliaferro Washington, born April 5th 1856, life didn’t start
out so well. Booker T. Washington was born on a tobacco farm in
Franklin County, Virginia, to a world of slavery and segregation. By the
time he died on November 14th 1915 Booker T. Washington had
educated the American people, been an orator, an author and most
notably a fierce leader of the nation’s African-American community
from the 1890’s onwards. Booker T. Washington was born with nothing
but the will to make the world a better place, which he accomplished
and is remembered for. Educating a slave was considered a crime at
this time. Booker did go to school, not to learn as he would have liked,
but to carry the books for one of James Burroughs’s daughters.
In Booker T Washington’s book Up from Slavery he
says “I had the feeling that to get into a schoolhouse
and study would be about the same as getting into
paradise.”

In 1865, after the Emancipation Proclamation ended

slavery, Booker’s family moved to Malden, West
Virginia to be with Booker’s stepfather. After being refused the right to
learn and study as a slave, Booker had a great desire to learn, and
attended school in Malden. Booker worked in a salt mine, starting each
day before dawn so he could earn money and have time to go to
school.

He was so desperate to learn that at the age of 16, Booker walked 500
miles back to Virginia to enroll in a new school for black students. At
first, he didn’t make a very good first impression on the head teacher
with his ragged clothes and country ways. It was only after he cleaned a
room to her satisfaction that he was allowed to stay at the school.
Booker went on to teach at Hampton, he then became the principal
and leading force behind the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, which he
founded in 1881.

Booker T Washington never forgot his roots and remained loyal to his
philosophy of hard work. From his book Up from Slavery, Booker says
‘There was no period of my life that was devoted to play. From the time
that I can remember anything, almost every day of my life has been
occupied in some kind of labor.’

In 1881 Booker became recognized as the nation’s foremost black

educator and one of the most influential men of his generation. Booker
T. Washington knew that the end of slavery legally didn’t mean the end
of the fight for his people. Booker knew freedom only began the hard
journey African Americans had ahead for them in becoming equal
citizens.

In the last season of his life, Booker T. Washington openly attacked the
social disease of racism. In 1915, Booker, along with others, protested
against the stereotypical portrayal of blacks in the film Birth of a
Nation.

At the premature age of 59, Booker T Washington died, but in a few

decades Booker had broken through the obstacles of a corrupt society
and helped African Americans break free from the economic slavery
and injustice that lingered long after the laws had been changed.
 Booker T. Washington: Graphic Organizer

Location:
Best Known for:

Time Period:

Highlights of career/life:

What significant role did he play in

African American history?
 Inferences Worksheet

Directions: Read each passage and then respond to the questions.

Each question will ask you to make a logical inference based on textual
details. Explain your answer by referencing the text.

Every day after work Paul took his muddy boots off on the steps of the
front porch. Alice would have a fit if the boots made it so far as the
welcome mat. He then took off his dusty overalls and threw them into
a plastic garbage bag; Alice left a new garbage bag tied to the porch
railing for him every morning. On his way in the house, he dropped the
garbage bag off at the washing machine and went straight up the stairs
to the shower as he was instructed. He would eat dinner with her after
he was “presentable,” as Alice had often said.
1. What type of job does Paul do?
____________________________________________________

How do you know this?

2. Describe Alice:
__________________________________________________________

What in the text supports your description?

Crack! Thunder struck and rain poured. Max stared blankly out the
window, trying to contain his emotions that raged like the weather. He
was beginning to lose it. Dropping the kite from his hand, Max broke
out into full sobs. His mother comforted him, “There, there, Max.
We’ll just find something else to do.” She began to unpack the picnic
basket that was on the counter and offered him a sandwich. Max
snapped, “I don’t wanna sand-mich!” A flash from the sky lit up the
living room. Boom! Mom sighed.

1. Why is Max upset?

__________________________________________________________

How do you know this?

2. What was Mom planning on doing today?

_________________________________________________________

What in the text supports your description?

“Tommy!” Mom called out as she walked in the front door. “Tommy,”
she continued shouting, “I sure could use some help with these
groceries. There was still no reply. Mom walked into the kitchen to put
the grocery bags down on the counter when she noticed shattered
glass from the picture window all over the living room floor and a
baseball not far from there. “I’m going to kill you, Tommy!” Mom
yelled to herself as she realized that Tommy’s shoes were gone.

1. What happened to the window?

______________________________________________________

How do you know this?

2. Why did Tommy leave?

__________________________________________________________

What in the text supports your description?

Screech! Karen stomped on the gas pedal the moment the light turned
green. She looked over her left shoulder and zigged past a semi-truck.
She zoomed ahead and looked over her right shoulder and then zagged
past a motorbike. She glanced at the clock on the console and darted
into the parking lot. Whipping into a parking spot, she grabbed her
suitcase and ran through the lot, up the escalator, and into the
terminal. Her heavy suitcase was bumping and bouncing the whole
way. Just as she entered the terminal, she heard an announcement
over the loudspeaker, "Final boarding call for flight 205 to JFK..." Karen
looked at her ticket and then at the line to get through the security
checkpoint, which wrapped around several turnstiles and slithered like
a lethargic snake. Karen sighed and then slowly walked to the customer
service desk.

1. Why is Karen in a hurry?

__________________________________________________________

How do you know this?

2. Why does she start walking slowly at the end of the passage?

__________________________________________________________

How do you know this?

 Reading comprehension refers to whether or not a
student understands a text that they have read.
Comprehending a text involves making inferences and
understanding implicit ideas.
The following worksheets aim to help students nourish
their ability to comprehend text is influenced by
readers' skills and their ability to process information.
Passage 1: The Coliseum
Directions: Read the following passage and answer the questions that
follow. Refer to the text to check your answers when appropriate.

The Coliseum is an ancient

stadium in the center of Rome. It is
the largest of its kind. It is very old.
They started building it in the year
70. It took ten years to build. It is
still around today.

The Coliseum has been used in

many ways. In ancient Rome, men
A sketch of the Coliseum
fought each other in it. They fought
against lions, tigers, and bears. Oh
my! It was dreadful. But most of
The Romans of those days were not
the people loved it. As many as
connected to the Coliseum. It had last
80,000 Romans would pack inside
been used as a castle. Before that it was
to watch. These gruesome events
a graveyard. It has been hundreds of
went on until 523.
years since the games. The damage to
the Coliseum was never repaired. It's a
The Coliseum has been damaged
good thing the outer wall of it still
many times over the years. It was
stands strong.
struck by lightning in the year 217.
This started a fire. Much of the
Today the Coliseum is one of Rome's
Coliseum is made of stone. But the
most popular attractions. People from all
fire damaged the upper levels.
over the world come to Italy to see it.
They were made of wood. This
The Pope leads a big march around it
damage took many years to repair.
every Good Friday. It is a symbol that
It was not finished until the year
many know. It has even appeared on the
240.
back of a coin. I guess that makes it a
symbol that many people want too.
The worst damage happened in
1349. A mighty earthquake shook
 Rome and the Coliseum. The south
side of the building collapsed.
Pieces of the arena were all over
the ground. Many people took the
fallen stones. Others took stones
from the seating areas. They used
them to repair houses and
churches.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Which happened first?
a. An earthquake damaged the Coliseum.
b. The Coliseum was struck by lightning.
c. The Coliseum appeared on the back of a coin.
d. The Coliseum was used as a castle.

2. When did the Romans finish building the Coliseum?

a. The year 70 b. The year 523
c. The year 80 d. The year 240

3. What caused the fire that damaged the upper levels of the Coliseum?
a. A bolt of lightning
b. Rowdy people who came to watch the events
c. An attacking army
d. An angry mob

4. For which purpose was the Coliseum not used?

a. People fought other people in it.
b. It was a private castle.
c. People fought animals in it.
d. It was a meeting place for the government.

5. Which caused the most damage to the Coliseum?

a. Fires b. Earthquakes
c. Wars d. Hurricanes

6. What did the people do with the stones that they took from the Coliseum?
a. They repaired buildings. b. They sold them.
c. They used them as weapons. d. They used them as tombstones.

7. Which best defines the word gruesome as it is used in the second paragraph?
a. Exciting b. Funny
c. Horrifying d. Boring

8. Which best describes the main idea in the last paragraph?

a. This is about all the things the Coliseum has been used for throughout history.
b. This is about how the Coliseum is a popular place to visit today.
c. This is about how the Coliseum is a symbol that many people know.
d. This is about how the Coliseum is used today.

9. Which was not a way in which the Coliseum was damaged over the years?
a. Earthquake b. Tornado
c. Lightning d. Fire
10. Which statement would the author most likely agree with?
a. The Coliseum should be replaced with a building that is not damaged.
b. The Coliseum has its place in history but it is not useful today.
c. The Coliseum should be used for fighting once again.
d. The Coliseum is very old and has been used for many purposes.

Q1. Why was the Coliseum repaired after the fire but not after the
earthquake? Use the text in your answer.

Q2.Why did the fire only damage the upper levels of the Coliseum? Refer
to the text in your answer.
Q3.Why is the Coliseum still important today? Use the text in your answer.
Passage 2: Wintertime
Directions: Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow.
Refer to the text to check your answers when appropriate.
Brrrr. Winter is cold in
some places. Many
plants do not grow Other animals tough it out. They do
during winter. Some not leave. They do not hide. They must
plants die. Snow and ice survive. Sometimes nature helps them
may cover the ground. It can be hard out. Some animals grow thicker coats
for animals to find food during in the winter. Other animals change
winter. Animals get through this time color. The arctic fox is brown in the
summer. His coat turns white in the
in many ways.
winter.
Birds and butterflies can fly. Many of
them do not stick around for the winter. Winter may be pretty. It is nice to see
They leave. They go to a place with nice snow on the trees. But it is dangerous
weather. Then they come home in the too. People are also at risk. You can
spring. We call this migration. get frost bitten or worse. How do you
Migrating is a good way to avoid the beat the winter? Do you wear a thick
cold. coat? Do you stay inside? Or do you
live somewhere warm?
Another good way to avoid the cold is
to sleep through it. Many animals hide
during the winter. Their bodies slow
down. They save their energy. They do
not eat. They live off of their fat. They
do this until food returns. We call this
hibernation. Snakes, frogs, and bears
hibernate.

Some animals store food in their homes.

They do not sleep all winter, but they do
much less. They live on what they
saved in the summer and fall. This is
what squirrels, beavers, and raccoons
do. Skunks do this too.
1. Which of these animals migrates during the winter?
a. foxes b. snakes
c. bears d. butterflies

2. Which of these animals survives winter by eating stored food?

a. bears b. raccoons
c. frogs d. birds

3. Why does the arctic fox's coat change white during winter?
a. The white coat is prettier and attracts mates.
b. White absorbs the sun and is warmer.
c. The white coat helps him blend with the snow.
d. His body saves energy by reducing hair color.

4. Which does not hibernate?

a. skunks b. frogs
c. snakes d. bears

5. Why is winter a difficult season in some places?

a. There is less food.
b. It is colder.
c. Snow and ice cover the ground.
d. All of these

6. What does it mean to migrate?

a. To grow a thicker coat
b. To move somewhere warmer for a season
c. To enter a long sleep and survive off of body fat
d. To change colors

7. What is the main idea of this text?

a. Animals do funny and interesting things.
b. Most flowers do not grow during the wintertime.
c. Animals survive the winter in many ways.
d. We must prepare for the dangers of winter.

8. How does a hibernating animal survive?

a. A hibernating animal lives off of stored food.
b. A hibernating animal lives off of body fat.
c. A hibernating animal lives somewhere warm.
d. A hibernating animal lives off of the land.

9. How would a thicker coat help an animal survive winter?

a. A thicker coat would help an animal hide better.
b. A thicker coat would protect an animal against attacks.
c. A thicker coat would help an animal stay warm.
d. A thicker coat would help an animal migrate.

10. Which title would best describe this text?

a. Winter: A Time to Migrate
b. Hibernation: Sleeping it off
c. Survive: How Animals Beat the Winter d. Birds and Butterflies: Nature's
Movers and Shakers
Q1. Describe how a skunk survives the winter. List the steps
that the skunk must take to survive in chronological order.

Q2. Why is migrating a good way to get through the winter?

Refer to the text in your answer.
Q3. How is the way that frogs and snakes get through the winter
different from how squirrels and beavers survive?
Passage 3: Understanding the
genre
Instructions: Read the
descriptions of the texts. Look
for details that reveal the genre.
Write the genre and subgenre on
the lines and write a sentence
explaining your answer.
1. The Hard Way Out by Terry Vaughn

In this novel, Brian is struggling. After

losing both of his parents in a tragic car
accident, Brian is living at his Aunt's
house and sharing a room with his
cousin. Basketball is his only escape.
But after getting benched for low
progress report grades, Brian's world
shatters. Does he have it in him to
improve his grades? Will Brian come to
peace with his emotions? Can anyone
help him?

Genre: Subgenre:
Explain your Answer
 "If a Tree Falls" adapted by Stan Tanner

This is the very short story of a buck. The buck was admiring his horns in
the water's reflection and feeling bad about his skinny legs. Then a hunter
tries to kill him. As the buck tries to escape, his big horns get stuck in
some tree branches, but his skinny legs manage to pull him free. The
moral is that what is truly valuable is often unappreciated.

Genre: Subgenre:

Explain your Answer

The Tinfoil Key by Rob Burnside

When young Ian Bradley accidently switches suitcases with an

intergalactic space explorer, he ends up going on the trip of a lifetime. Now
that he's left holding the bag, Ian must deliver it to the light scientists on
Gamma Outpost 9 in time. Every life form in the galaxy is unknowingly
depending on the success of Ian's efforts.

Genre: Subgenre:
Explain your Answer
Seeing More, Being More by Fletch Carpenter

"Dr." Fletch gives readers a dose of hard medicine. He believes that most
people cause their own problems. Fletch teaches readers to solve
problems such as bullying, insecurity, and relationship troubles. He does
this with a three-step strategy: letting go of ego, seeing the "real" reality,
and finding a role. Some readers find Carpenter's ideas to be refreshing.
Others find them to be offensive.
Genre: Subgenre:
Explain your Answer

"Rapunzel" adapted by Craig Hooper

Once upon a time a young girl named Rapunzel was running an errand for
her mother. An evil witch kidnaps Rapunzel and imprisons her in the tower
of a castle. After years in the tower, Rapunzel grew long, beautiful hair.
Having seen nobody but the evil witch her whole life, Rapunzel is very
lonely. One day a prince wanders by and climbs up her hair. The witch
doesn't like this and action ensues. Eventually the prince and Rapunzel live
happily every after.

Genre: Subgenre:
Explain your Answer
Q1. Write a letter of thanks to your best friend for sending a
wonderful present your way to celebrate your 13th birthday.
Include details describing the present and why it was so
special:

Q2. Write a letter to your mother apologizing for misbehaving

during a family gathering:

Q3. Write a letter of Complaint to the sales manager of

Cadbury regarding an order you had placed earlier. Include
details such as the complaint you have and any possible
solutions or expectations:
Now write a limerick of your
own on the given topic:

There was an old man with a

beard
Instructions: Write a story using the given scenario as the
prompt. Details regarding the main characters, the setting,
conflicts and resolution must be added. To help in
brainstorming your idea, use the story maps given
 Scenario 1

Genre: Fantasy
Write about a character who finds an odd-looking
egg in the forest. When they take it home, they
never COUld have predicted what was inside it.

Scenario 2
YOUR character develops a
new device yoU implant in
your ear that reads the minds of those they foCUs on. After
light testing, they accidentally discover that the local baker
has a massive, dangEROUS, potentially even deadly secret.

Scenario 3
Genre: Mystery
Jason knew something was wrong
when the third package arrives, the
same way as always. Every Friday
morning the doorbell woULD ring.
When the door is answered there is no one bUT a mysterioUS
black package with the message “Open at yoUR own risk!”
 Scenario 4
Genre: Adventure
Alex, Mason and Jake
decide to go on a
camping trip in the
forest on the OUTSkirts
of their hometown.
They choose a spot
near the lake and set UP their tents and BUILd a fire. It is all
fUN and games Until the next morning they realiZe, they can’t
find their way oUT of the forest!
Section 4: Grammar
 Parts of speech; Nouns

Identifying Nouns

Circle each noun in the given sentences. (Hint: There is more than one
in each sentence)

1. The city of Metropolis needs a real superhero to fight crime.

2. The superheroes in Metropolis have some pretty silly superpowers.

3. John has the most amazing superpower.

4. With just a little caffeine, John can study all night!

5. Cowboy Boy lives in a quiet little town in New Mexico.

6. Captain Football can throw a football over Mount Everest with one
hand!

7. Birdman can talk to birds but the birds have been getting bored
with his conversation recently.

8. The Grasshopper can jump over cars, trees, and buildings.

9. The Flea is always itchy and never hesitates to bite his enemies.

10. All good superheroes fight for truth, justice, and the right to wear
spandex.

11. Homework Girl can complete any task that her teacher assigns in a
single class period.

12. Mister Invisible is awfully hard to find, unless there is snow on the
ground.
 OR

Directions: Circle the correct form to complete the sentences given

below.

1. The student wanted to finish her homework quick / quickly .

2. Todd walked very sneaky / sneakily down the hallway.

3. The student was in such a hurry that she did bad / badly on the
assignment.

4. The girl sang beautiful / beautifully .

5. The classroom was very noisy / noisily .

6. Antonio wound up and threw the football hard / hardly .

7. Whoever made the cake did a wonderful / wonderfully job.

8. She was running down the hallway crazy / crazily

9. She answered the question wrong / wrongly .

10. The flowers smelled good / well .

 Punctuation
Semicolon or Comma?

Directions: Determine whether

the clauses need to be joined with
commas or semicolons. Put the
proper punctuation on the blank.

1. The artist preferred to paint in oils he did not like

watercolors.

2. Even when the house looks clean there is usually a

bunch of dirt swept under the rug.
3. I’m going to leave early today unless the boss comes
back from the meeting.
4. The computer can perform many calculations at once
however, it cannot reason like a human.
5. In the first place, it was snowing too hard to see the road
in the second place, we had no chains.
6. Italy is my favorite foreign country in fact, I plan on
staying there for three weeks this summer.
7. The challenges are not impossible but they are very
hard to clear.
8. I’m going to do all of my English homework every night
because that’s how you get an “A”.
Instructions: Choose the correct word.

1. "I can't believe this class is one hour / our long," said John.

2. "I know, that's a long thyme / time , right?" I replied.

3. John is my best friend and I'll never meat / meet a better friend
than him.

4. Our teacher was giving us a lessen / lesson on homophones.

5. It was still pretty early in the morning / mourning.

6. That was when those ninjas jumped threw / through the window.

7. I was worried because ninjas are masters of the marshal / martial

arts.

8. I could feel their cold stairs / stares on me.

9. "John, they are here to steal / steel our teacher's answer keys," I
said.

10. John didn't seam / seem that worried.

11. I exclaimed, "We can knot / not let that happen, John!"

12. John said, "I just don't sea / see why we should put ourselves in
danger for more homework."

13. I stood up and said, "Because it's the right / write thing to do,
John."
14. Some of these ninjas were twice my sighs / size so I had to be
smart.

15. I grabbed the answer keys and ran toward the principal's /
principle's office.

16. The ninjas were chasing me so I dropped a banana peal / peel on the
ground.

17. One of the ninjas slipped and fell into the garbage chute / shoot
face first.

18. I said, "What a waist / waste ," as I heard him fall into the
dumpster with a crash.

19. The ninjas were still chasing me so I lead / led them downstairs.

20. I grabbed a handful of tacks / tax from a bulletin board and tossed
them on the floor.

21. Then I hid in a supply closet as the ninjas ran passed / past me.

22. I knew / new when they ran over my trap because several ninjas
started howling.

23. Those ninjas must have been in a lot of pain / pane because they
left the school after that.

24. I returned to class with the answer keys and everyone rose / rows
and cheered for me.

25. Except for John, he was to / too / two mad at me to celebrate.