Language Standards: Building Academic and Domain-Specific Vocabulary (CCSS.L.7.6)
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Common Core 7th Grade ELA › Language Standards: Building Academic and Domain-Specific Vocabulary (CCSS.L.7.6)
After months of protests, the monarch agreed to step down. The official document stated that the king [blank] the throne in favor of his daughter.
Which word best completes the sentence?
abdicated
quit
paused
changed
Explanation
Abdicated is the specific historical term for formally giving up the throne. The other choices are informal or do not convey the legal, ceremonial act.
A historian found a diary from 1863 describing a local battle. She then read a newspaper from the same week to ____ the diary's account before citing it in her essay.
Which word best completes the sentence?
beautify
corroborate
repeat
skim
Explanation
Corroborate is the academic term for confirming a claim with independent evidence; the other choices do not mean verify in a historical research context.
Debates at the convention were intense, but delegates knew they had to form a stable government. They worked to reach a _______ that balanced the interests of large and small states. Which choice best conveys the idea clearly?
fix
agreement
middle
compromise
Explanation
Compromise is the domain-specific civics/history term for a negotiated solution where each side gives up something, which is more precise than general words like agreement or middle.
In our lab, we noticed that plants near the window grew taller. To explain this pattern, the student formed a ____ that could be tested with more trials.
Which word best completes the sentence?
guess
hypothesis
hunch
idea
Explanation
In science, a hypothesis is a specific, testable statement that explains an observation. Guess, hunch, and idea are informal or vague and do not signal a testable claim.
For our science fair project, we predicted that plants watered with saltwater would grow more slowly. In the report, we labeled this testable prediction as a ____.
Which word best completes the sentence?
hypothesis
hunch
guess
thought
Explanation
Hypothesis is the precise scientific term for a testable prediction; hunch, guess, and thought are informal and not appropriate for a lab report.
In her argumentative essay, Talia included statistics from a recent study to _____ her claim. She also explained how each piece of evidence connects to her thesis. Which choice best conveys the idea clearly?
mention
substantiate
repeat
guess at
Explanation
Substantiate is an academic term meaning to support with evidence; the other choices are imprecise and do not convey the formal use of evidence in argumentation.
When writing about the Civil War, Maya used letters written by soldiers who were actually there. These documents are considered ____ sources because they come from the time of the events.
Which word best completes the sentence?
primary
regular
ancient
important
Explanation
Primary identifies sources created during the time under study, a key term in history. Regular, ancient, and important are imprecise and do not describe the source type.
The results from three independent studies point in the same direction. Together, the findings [blank] the claim that sleep improves memory.
Which choice best conveys the idea clearly?
prove
support
back up
go with
Explanation
Support is the appropriate academic verb indicating evidence strengthens a claim without guaranteeing absolute proof. The other choices are either too strong (prove) or too casual (back up, go with).
Each time $x$ increased by 1, the value of $y$ increased by the same amount. This pattern indicates a _______ relationship between the variables. Which choice best conveys the idea clearly?
random
equal
linear
straight
Explanation
Linear is the precise mathematical term for a constant rate of change between $x$ and $y$, whereas words like straight or equal are imprecise in this context.
In our lab report, we compared the mass before and after heating the sample. To avoid errors, we used the same scale and followed the exact procedure so the results would be [blank].
Which word best completes the sentence?
random
cool
fine
replicable
Explanation
Replicable is the precise scientific term meaning results can be repeated under the same conditions, which is essential in laboratory investigations. The other options are casual or imprecise.