“The First Seven Years”: SOL Practice
Part One: Vocabulary
Here is a list of vocabulary words found within the story:
1. Diligently (989)
2. Meddling (989)
3. Grotesquely (989)
4. Pittance (991)
5. Magnitude (992)
6. Noncommittal (993)
7. Weary (994)
8. Haphazardly (994)
9. Devious (995)
10. Deceit (995)
As you read, take note of these words. Make a guess as to what each word means, given the context
of the sentence it is found in. These should be YOUR OWN GUESSES. We will check the
dictionary meaning later.
Part Two: Characterization
Fill out the following chart. For each character, give an example of direct AND indirect
characterization found within the story. Then, write what you know about each character given
these examples.
Character
Feld
Sobel
Max
Miriam
Direct Characterization
Indirect Characterization
Inference About
Character
1. Which characters from the story are round? How do you know?
2. Which characters from the story are flat? How do you know?
3. Which character in the story do you identify with most? Why? What about the character
relates to you?
4. Based on the interactions between characters during the story, what do you predict will
happen to each person on down the road?
5. Complete the following Venn diagram. Compare and contrast Feld’s and Miriam’s ideas
about how Miriam should live her life.
Part Three: Conflict
1. What conflicts arise between Miriam and Feld because of the differences outlined in the
Venn diagram above? What type of conflict is this?
2. At the beginning of the story, when Feld considers whether or not he should talk to Max, is
his primary conflict internal or external? Explain.
3. At the beginning of the story, what do the interactions between Feld and Sobel suggest about
a conflict between the two men? Who is upset? Why? What type of conflict is this?
4. After reading the whole story, what more do you learn about the conflict between the two
men? Who was upset? Why? What type of conflict is this?
5. Explain the internal conflicts at the end of the story. Who is struggling with what?
Part Four: Putting it all together
Use the space below to explain how the relationships between the characters change throughout the
course of the story. How do their individual changes affect their relationships? Make sure to mention
conflict and characterization in your answer.