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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. _______________ are used to help people to better understand the insect world around them.

2. How else do they spend their time?

3. How do the mayflies spend their time?

4. "Grasshoppers" describes the grasshoppers' _______________ movements and energy.

5. Joyful Noise is a book of ____________.

Short Essay Questions

1. How are these book lice opposites? How do they get past this?

2. How can a person relate to this moth?

3. How are these lice like people?

4. How are mayflies and fireflies similar?

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

6. What does the poem "Book Lice" do for English literature?

7. How are other animals like humans? What human qualities do other animals have?

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

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Some of the insects' actions are described.

Part 1) What poems focus on action? Whose action is the focus? Why is this the focus? What does this reveal about this insect?

Part 2) How do the other poems contrast these very active poems? Why does this contrast exist? What does this reveal about the insects?

Part 3) How is action connected to the mood of the poem? How important is the mood of the poem? Explain. Is the mood of a story important to every story? Why or why not?

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

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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