Grade 7 indigenous languages – Reading for Information Quiz

1. When reading an informational paragraph in an indigenous language, which word most often tells you what is happening?

Preposition
Verb
Noun
Adjective
Explanation:

A verb names the action or state in a sentence, so it shows what is happening and helps you understand the information in the text.

2. In many indigenous languages, which element signals who or what performs the action in a sentence?

Conjunction
Interjection
Adverb
Subject
Explanation:

The subject is the person or thing that performs the action; identifying it helps readers know who or what the sentence is about.

3. Which grammatical feature helps you know whether an event happened in the past, is happening now, or will happen later?

Noun class
Tense markers
Demonstratives
Word order only
Explanation:

Tense markers (such as particles, prefixes, or verb endings) show time reference and tell whether an action is past, present, or future.

4. When an informational sentence contains a word that describes a noun (for example, 'big' or 'small'), that word is called a:

Verb
Adverb
Adjective
Conjunction
Explanation:

An adjective modifies a noun by giving more information about qualities like size, color, or shape, helping readers picture concepts in the text.

5. If a sentence in an indigenous language shows agreement between a noun and an adjective, this agreement usually helps the reader identify:

The relationship between subject and verb only
Which adjective belongs to which noun
The length of the sentence
Where the sentence came from
Explanation:

Agreement (such as matching prefixes or endings) links adjectives to their nouns, clarifying which words describe which things when reading.

6. Which words join ideas or sentences and help readers follow the flow of information in an indigenous-language text?

Pronouns
Interjections
Particles
Conjunctions
Explanation:

Conjunctions (like 'and', 'but', 'because') connect clauses and sentences, showing relationships and making the information easier to follow.

7. When an informational sentence asks about time, place, manner or reason, the words used to begin such questions are called:

Negatives
Question words
Possessives
Demonstratives
Explanation:

Question words (who, what, where, when, why, how) introduce questions and guide readers to find specific information in a text.

8. In many indigenous languages, a short word attached to a verb that shows who is doing the action is called a:

Conjunction
Adverbial phrase
Interjection
Subject marker
Explanation:

Subject markers (often prefixes or suffixes on verbs) indicate the person or noun doing the action, helping readers identify the agent quickly.

9. Which grammatical element replaces a noun to avoid repetition and make informational text clearer?

Conjunction
Adverb
Tense marker
Pronoun
Explanation:

Pronouns (he, she, it, they, etc.) stand in for nouns so the text is less repetitive and easier to read.

10. What is the main purpose of a relative clause in an informational sentence?

To give extra information about a noun
To change tense
To ask a question
To express emotion
Explanation:

Relative clauses add details about a noun (for example, 'the farmer who grows maize'), which helps readers learn important specifics.

11. If you see a negative particle in a sentence, what does it tell you about the action?

The speaker is asking permission
The action did not or will not happen
The action is completed perfectly
The action is repeated
Explanation:

Negative particles (words that make a sentence negative) show that the event does not occur or did not occur, which affects the meaning of information.

12. When reading a factual report in an indigenous language, which structure usually puts the most important information first?

Inverted pyramid with main idea first
Random ordering
Alphabetical order
Long descriptive sentences only
Explanation:

Informational writing often presents the main point early, followed by supporting details; recognizing this structure helps readers find key facts quickly.

13. Which grammatical device shows possession (for example, 'the farmer's field') in many indigenous languages?

Relative pronouns
Possessive markers
Interjections
Question words
Explanation:

Possessive markers (such as suffixes, particles, or separate words) indicate ownership, helping readers understand relationships between people and things.

14. In reading for information, why is it important to recognize the difference between a main clause and a subordinate clause?

Because the main clause gives the central fact while the subordinate clause adds details
Because only subordinate clauses carry main ideas
Because subordinate clauses always contain verbs only
Because main clauses never contain nouns
Explanation:

Knowing which clause is main helps readers identify the central fact and separate it from supporting information.

15. Which element often indicates a change of topic or contrast in an informational indigenous-language text?

Possessive adjectives
Demonstrative pronouns
Contrasting conjunctions or transition words
Numeral markers
Explanation:

Words like 'but', 'however', or their equivalents show contrast or topic shifts, guiding readers through the information.

16. When a verb appears in its basic, non‑marked form in an indigenous language, it is often called the:

Imperative only
Past tense
Infinitive or root form
Negative form
Explanation:

The infinitive or root form is the base form of a verb before tense or subject markers are added; recognizing it helps analyze sentence structure.

17. Which grammatical item helps a reader identify which noun is being pointed out (this, that, these, those)?

Question particles
Demonstratives
Conjunctions
Negation markers
Explanation:

Demonstratives indicate proximity or distance of a noun and help readers know which specific item the text refers to.

18. In many Kenyan indigenous languages, nouns may belong to classes. Why does recognizing noun classes help when reading information?

They determine which verbs or adjectives agree with the noun
They are only used in songs, not in texts
They change the tense of the verb
They tell you the exact age of the noun
Explanation:

Noun classes affect agreement patterns; knowing them helps match adjectives, verbs, and pronouns correctly while reading.

19. Which form of a verb is used to give instructions or commands in informational texts like guides or manuals?

Passive participle
Imperative form
Interrogative form
Subjunctive form
Explanation:

The imperative form issues commands or instructions (e.g., 'Boil water'), which is common in how‑to texts and manuals.

20. When an informational sentence uses passive voice, what happens to the usual subject and object?

The object becomes the focus and the subject may be omitted
There is no verb in the sentence
Tense cannot be shown
All adjectives are removed
Explanation:

Passive voice shifts focus onto the object (the receiver of the action), which can be used in informational texts to emphasize results rather than actors.

21. Which short words or affixes often indicate location, direction or time when reading an indigenous-language passage?

Prepositions or locative markers
Question particles only
Possessive pronouns only
Adjectival prefixes only
Explanation:

Prepositions or locative markers show time and place (e.g., 'in', 'on', 'at' or their equivalents), which is important for understanding contexts in informational texts.

22. What does subject-verb agreement ensure in a sentence written in an indigenous language?

That the sentence is a question
That nouns are always plural
That verbs always come at the end of a sentence
That the verb matches the subject in person and number
Explanation:

Subject-verb agreement makes sentences clear by matching verb forms to the subject (singular/plural, first/second/third person), aiding comprehension.

23. Which grammatical signal often introduces examples or explanations in informational writing?

Imperative verbs
Negation particles
Illustrative markers or phrases like 'for example' or equivalents
Interrogative particles
Explanation:

Phrases meaning 'for example' introduce illustrations or explanations that clarify information, helping readers understand details.

24. When you find a shortened word attached to a noun showing who owns it, that attachment is commonly called a:

Tense marker
Conjunction
Possessive suffix
Relative pronoun
Explanation:

A possessive suffix attaches to a noun to show ownership (like 'my' or 'his' attached), which tells the reader who the thing belongs to.

25. Why is it important to recognize question intonation or question markers when reading spoken informational material in an indigenous language?

Because they always change nouns to verbs
Because they lengthen the sentence
Because they remove adjectives
Because they show the sentence is asking for information rather than giving it
Explanation:

Question markers or intonation signal that the speaker seeks information; distinguishing questions from statements helps listeners and readers respond correctly.

26. Which grammatical process turns verbs or clauses into nouns so they can be used as subjects in informational sentences?

Nominalization
Conjunction
Interrogation
Negation
Explanation:

Nominalization converts verbs or clauses into noun phrases (e.g., 'the planting of trees'), allowing actions to be treated as things in informational texts.