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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 did other types of insects react to the water strider's abilities?

2. What happened after the two book lice met?

3. "Grasshoppers" is written so that the readers do what?

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

5. "Mayflies" describes the _________ life of the mayfly

Short Essay Questions

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

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

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

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

5. To what can the water strider's ability to walk on water be compared? Why?

6. What is the purpose of "Book Lice?"

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

8. How can a person relate to this moth?

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

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

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

There are two types of bees found in "Honeybees."

Part 1) What are these two types of bees? How are they similar? How are they different? Why are they both included in this poem? What does this say about bee culture and society?

Part 2) How can one make a connection between these bees and human culture and society? What might this reveal about the author's view of these types of people in society?

Part 3) Can you relate to these two types of bees? To which type of bee do you feel more connected? Why?

Essay Topic 3

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?

(see the answer keys)

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