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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. The sound of cicadas singing begins how?

2. "Honeybees" is told from the perspective of whom?

3. The two parts of the poem frequently do what?

4. How does "Requiem" end?

5. What is another mood that can be felt while reading "The Digger Wasp"?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does "Water Boatmen" describe? Why?

2. To what else could the water boatmen be compared? Why?

3. From whose perspective is "Honeybees?" Why?

4. Compare the different types of honeybees.

5. What is a literary device used in "Water Boatmen?" Explain how it is used.

6. What is the purpose of "Cicadas?"

7. How could a person relate to a day in the life of the whirligig beetle?

8. How are cicadas like a choir?

9. What does "The Digger Wasp" describe? Why?

10. How do "Whirligig Beetles" and "Requiem" compare?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

"Requiem" is a unique poem.

Part 1) How is it unique? Why is it so different from the other poems? What is the purpose of this poem? How is this poem connected to all the other poems?

Part 2) What is the lesson of this poem? How can humans relate this to their own lives?

Part 3) What is a requiem? Why are requiems created? How do those who hear these requiems benefit from them?

Essay Topic 2

The different species' personalities are as different as people.

Part 1) Which insect species is most like you? How is this species like you? How does this affect your opinion of this species?

Part 2) How might your opinion of this species change your view of them the next time you see them? Why?

Part 3) How can you use this book to help you better understand other creatures, such as mammals and reptiles?

Essay Topic 3

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?

(see the answer keys)

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