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7th Grade Writing

7th Grade Writing Question of the Day

Practice 7th Grade Writing with the production-style question-of-the-day selection for this public URL.

Question 1

Two students wrote paragraphs about theme in “Rikki-Tikki-Tavi” by Rudyard Kipling. Both were asked to explain how the theme develops through events and character actions, using textual evidence.

Emma wrote: “Rikki-Tikki is brave and defeats the snakes. The theme is courage. He fights Nag and Nagaina and saves the family. The story shows you should be brave and protect people.”

Marcus wrote: “Kipling develops the theme that courage is shown through protecting others, not just fighting. When Rikki hears the cobras planning, he chooses to warn the humans even though he is small: he runs to the bathroom where Teddy’s father is and makes a ‘strange, sobbing noise’ to get attention (scene where Nag is discovered). Later, he risks himself again by attacking Nagaina at the burrow so she cannot harm Teddy, and Kipling describes him as ‘burning with rage and hatred’ as he follows her underground. These events show courage as repeated choices to put others’ safety first, even when fear is present.”

Which paragraph shows stronger grade 7 theme analysis with adequate textual support?

  1. Emma’s, because stating the theme and listing the main battles is enough to prove theme development.
  2. Marcus’s, because he connects specific events and descriptions to how the theme develops and explains what the details show.
  3. Emma’s, because it uses simpler language and does not need quotes to be correct.
  4. Marcus’s, because he includes exciting action, and excitement automatically counts as analysis.
Explanation: This question tests W.7.9.a—apply grade 7 reading standards to literature (analyze theme, character, plot, technique in depth with textual evidence). Writing about literature requires IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS (not plot summary): examining THEME (how develops through details, interpreting message with text support), CHARACTER (describing using thoughts/words/actions from text, analyzing development/motivation with quotes/scenes), TECHNIQUES (explaining how author uses figurative language/symbolism/POV/structure and effects, citing instances). Marcus's paragraph demonstrates strong theme analysis by connecting specific events (Rikki warning humans, attacking Nagaina) with quoted descriptions ("strange, sobbing noise," "burning with rage") to explain how these details develop the theme that courage means protecting others through repeated choices despite fear. Answer B correctly identifies Marcus's paragraph as stronger because he connects specific events and descriptions to theme development and explains what the details show about courage. Emma's paragraph (Answer A) fails because she only states the theme and summarizes events without textual evidence or analysis of development; Answer C fails because simple language doesn't excuse lack of evidence; Answer D fails because exciting action alone doesn't constitute analysis—Marcus's explanations of significance create the analysis.