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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What covers the pages of this poem reflect what?
(a) The food the beetles eat.
(b) The ways in which the beetles move.
(c) The habitat of the beetles.
(d) The way the beetles think.

2. "Cicadas" tells of the _________ that cicadas feel.
(a) Joy.
(b) Anger.
(c) Hatred.
(d) Fear.

3. What happens when the water boatmen reach their destination?
(a) They die.
(b) They turn around and head back to where they came from.
(c) They are allowed to rest.
(d) They start families.

4. What are the cicadas celebrating?
(a) Winter.
(b) Fall.
(c) Life out of the tree.
(d) Life above ground.

5. Can many people relate to the queen bee? Why or why not?
(a) Most people can relate to her because they are wealthy.
(b) Most people cannot relate to her because they have to work hard to provide for themselves and their families.
(c) Most people can relate to her because they are royalty.
(d) Most people can relate to her because they are lazy and do not work.

6. "Water Boatmen" describes the ________________ of this insect.
(a) Unhappiness.
(b) Effort and determination.
(c) Calm and happy personality.
(d) Laziness.

7. Why might the cause of death of these insects be surprising to humans?
(a) We do not often think about how important the spring thaw is.
(b) We do not often think about the importance of water.
(c) We do not often think about the importance of the first frost.
(d) We do not often think about how important the hot sun is to nature.

8. When read aloud by the two speakers, this poem creates a sense of what?
(a) Anger and hostility.
(b) Happiness and contentedness.
(c) Peace and quiet.
(d) Chaos and nervous energy.

9. What is another reason why this word is repeated in "Water Boatmen?"
(a) It reflects the determination of these focused insects.
(b) It creates a lulling pattern to relax the reader.
(c) It shows how trained they are at their work.
(d) It reflects the laziness of these insects.

10. How does the worker bee spend his days?
(a) Eating bonbons and watching movies.
(b) Flying around the hive looking for a mate.
(c) Slaving away to provide for the hive.
(d) Lounging around or laying eggs.

11. The digger wasp wants its children to know that they were ____________.
(a) Prayed for.
(b) Envied.
(c) Loved.
(d) Considered.

12. This sense reflects the movements of the whirligig beetle where?
(a) In the trees.
(b) In the water.
(c) In the air.
(d) In the sand.

13. This group of people slaved away for the small _____________ population who controlled the country.
(a) Unhealthy.
(b) Wealthy.
(c) Poor.
(d) Intelligent.

14. "The Digger Wasp" is told from whose perspective?
(a) Another insect.
(b) A young digger wasp.
(c) A narrator.
(d) The adult digger wasp.

15. A great deal of imagery and expressive vocabulary is also used to describe the ____________ movements of these beetles.
(a) Powerful.
(b) Straight.
(c) Circular.
(d) Lazy.

Short Answer Questions

1. What do the water boatmen and the digger wasp have in common?

2. What else is reflected by what covers the pages of the poem?

3. The first thing that one notices when turning the page to the poem about whirligigs is what?

4. Where are the water boatmen headed?

5. With what are the pages of the whirligig beetle's poem covered?

(see the answer keys)

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