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

2. A great deal of imagery and expressive vocabulary is also used to describe the ____________ movements of these beetles.

3. This poem can be described how?

4. The digger wasp feels _______________ that its offspring will understand the sacrifices it made for them.

5. Which bee believes life is hard and unenjoyable?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. Compare the different types of honeybees.

3. What is the purpose of "Cicadas?"

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

5. How are cicadas like a choir?

6. What is the mood of "The Digger Wasp?" Why?

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

8. Why are these insects compared to rowers?

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

10. What are the moods of this poem? Why do they differ?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The point of view of these poems is often from the point of view of the insect that is the main character of the poem.

Part 1) Support this statement with facts from the book. Why might the poet choose to have most of the poems from the perspective of the insect?

Part 2) What is a poem not from the perspective of one insect? From whose perspective is it? Why? How does this affect your view of the insect?

Part 3) How is perspective important in a story or poem? How does this affect the mood of the story and the readers' view of the story and characters?

Essay Topic 2

The book is written for two speakers.

Part 1) Why might the poet have chosen to have two speakers read his poems in unison? How does this affect the poems as a whole?

Part 2) How do these poems compare to poems that have only one speaker? Which type of poems do you prefer, those with one speaker or two? Why?

Part 3) How does the use of poetry enhance the subjects of the poems? Would these stories of insects be as interesting or appealing if they were written in prose instead of poetry? Why or why not?

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?

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