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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. Will the digger wasp ever see its offspring?

2. What is an important time of year in "Requiem?"

3. "Honeybees" is quite different from the previous poems. Why?

4. How do the two parts relate to the whirligig beetle?

5. This group of people slaved away for the small _____________ population who controlled the country.

Short Essay Questions

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

2. How does the author use poetry and literary devices to teach about whirligig beetles?

3. Describe the whirligig beetle, based on this poem.

4. What is the mood of "Cicadas?" Why?

5. How are cicadas like a choir?

6. Why might the digger wasp die before its young are born?

7. Compare the different types of honeybees.

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

9. How does this mood in "The Digger Wasp" change? Why?

10. Why are these insects compared to rowers?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Fireflies are compared to painters and calligraphers.

Part 1) How are the fireflies compared to painters and calligraphers? Why are they compared to these types of artists? Do you see this as a good comparison? Why or why not?

Part 2) What literary devices are found in this poem? Why does the poet choose to use these literary devices? Do they enhance the poem? If so, how? If not, why not?

Part 3) How are all art forms connected? What do all artists have in common? How is that illustrated throughout this book?

Essay Topic 2

"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 3

This book is filled with poems about insects.

Part 1) Why might the poet have chosen insects as his subject matter? What might have led him to choose these types of insects? What do these insects have in common?

Part 2) After reading these poems, how has your opinion of insects been altered? Why? Which insect is your favorite, after reading this book? Why?

Part 3) Why is it important to learn about insects? How are insects important to our world? How different would our world be without insects? Would it be a balanced world without insects? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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