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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. To emphasize the powerful and image-provoking verbs used by the poet, he has used what literary device?

2. What factual information does "Book Lice" give about lice?

3. How does the poet accurately describe the behavior of a moth in this poem?

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

5. Who reads which part of this book?

Short Essay Questions

1. What might be the real purpose for a firefly's light? Why do you think this?

2. What literary devices does the poet use to express the moth's feelings?

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

4. What mood is created by the behavior of the water striders? Why?

5. How does a mayfly's life compare to our own?

6. What feelings are evoked by the grasshoppers? Why?

7. How are mayflies and fireflies similar?

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

9. To what does the poet compare fireflies? Is this a good comparison? Why or why not?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Personification is an important theme found in each poem.

Part 1) Why is personification an important theme? How are the insects personified? Why does the poet choose to use personification in this poem? Is this effective? Why or why not?

Part 2) What different personalities are found in the insects? How can each of these personalities be related to humans? How is human emotion also important in these poems? Which poems focus the most on human emotion? Why? How is this connected to the behaviors of the insects?

Part 3) What other literary devices are used in this book? When and why is each literary device used? How do these literary devices help the poet make the poems engaging and purposeful?

Essay Topic 2

Mayflies live for only one day.

Part 1) How do they spend their day? Why might they do this? How do they feel about this one day? Are you surprised by this? Why or why not?

Part 2) How are many people like the mayfly? How can one relate to this creature whose life lasts only twenty-four hours?

Part 3) What is the lesson of this poem? What can the reader learn about how one should spend one's life, based on this poem? Why?

Essay Topic 3

Having a purpose in life is an important theme in this book.

Part 1) How is this an important theme? Choose four of the insects described in this book. What is each insect's purpose, based on the poem? Why is this its purpose? How can you relate to this?

Part 2) How do the various purposes differ? Why do they differ? How are the insects' instincts, habitats, and physical abilities connected to these purposes?

Part 3) How can humans relate to each of these purposes? Why? How are humans unique in regards to purpose in life? How does this compare to the insects in this book?

(see the answer keys)

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