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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. How are these two book lice opposites?

2. What do the water striders call those they attempt to teach to walk on water?

3. What kind of poem is "Moth's Serenade?"

4. What aspects of humanity can be learned from the poem about moths?

5. When do the speakers say this, in regards to the answer to number 14?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is "Joyful Noise?" Why might the poet find this joyful?

2. How is the structure of the poem "Grasshoppers" reminiscent of the movement of the grasshoppers?

3. How would you describe a firefly to someone who has never seen one?

4. What is the mood of the book lice poem? Why?

5. Describe the grasshoppers in "Grasshoppers" and the water striders in "Water Striders." How do they compare?

6. What story does "Moth's Serenade" tell? What does this explain about moths?

7. How are these lice like people?

8. If you were to write a poem, what would it be about? Why?

9. Why might the poet write a book about insects? Why did he choose to write about insects using poetry?

10. What is the purpose of this book?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

A theme of this book is the focus on the insects' unique qualities.

Part 1) What are the unique qualities of each of the insects? How does the poet describe these unique qualities and make them stand out to the reader? What is his purpose for doing this?

Part 2) What is the most frequent quality described in this book? Support your response with proof from the book. Why might the poet have frequently focused on this quality? How can humans relate to this quality?

Part 3) How might reading about these unique qualities affect the reader? How might the reader's view of insects change because of these unique qualities? How do these qualities help you identify with the insects?

Essay Topic 2

The tone of this book changes from one poem to another.

Part 1) Which poems give off a sense of chaos and frenzy? Why? How does the poet give the poems this tone? What tools does the poet use to create very different poems from these chaotic poems?

Part 2) How has the poet chosen certain insects to have certain personalities and characteristics? Do these personalities reflect the actual creatures? If so, how? If not, why not?

Part 3) Do you believe the insects are truly as the poet describes? Why or why not? What is the poets reason for giving the insects these varying personalities, opinions, and characteristics?

Essay Topic 3

The poet chooses to write a book about insects.

Part 1) What might be the poet's opinion of insects? How does this book reflect this?

Part 2) What might have been the poet's purpose for writing these poems? What other subjects might the poet be interested in? Why?

Part 3) If you were to write a book of poetry, about what would you write? Why? How might this affect those who would read your poems? Why?

(see the answer keys)

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