"A Modest Proposal" Test

Which of the following best summarizes the problem the author sees in his society?

• There are not enough jobs for the women to work and provide for their families.
• Too many men are abandoning their families, leaving them in poverty.
• Children are not receiving proper educations from the government.
• Poverty and starvation are increasingly plaguing the streets.

The author believes that his plan…

• will only help the poor.
• should only apply to newborn infants.
• will improve everyone's lives.
• will prevent children from being illegitimate.

What problem does the author face concerning infants in his plan?

• They are too young to provide for themselves or contribute to society.
• They need constant attention and affection from the parents.
• They contract illnesses very easily and often die within the first year.
• They are worth far more as infants than they are as adolescents.

The author reveals that his solution is…

• to sell children off for labor.
• to teach children chiefly about agriculture.
• to take the infants away from their mothers.
• to breed, raise, and eat the infants like livestock.

The author's description of his plan is…

• pragmatic and precise.
• sensitive and compassionate.
• horrified and scared.
• harsh and unforgiving.

Which of the following is NOT an objection to the author's friend's "refinement" to his scheme?

• Young men's flesh would be too tough and distasteful.
• Young women are more likely to become "breeders."
• The friend's proposal is a little too cruel for his tastes.
• There is no criteria in place for cannibalizing teenagers.

Which of the following is NOT a benefit of the author's scheme?

• There will be fewer numbers of poor people and "papists."
• Poor people will finally have something of value.
• The nation can expect growth in its overall economy.
• People will be less likely to marry and have so many children.

The only objection the author foresees is…

• that there will not be enough babies to go around.
• that cannibalism is an immoral practice.
• that the poor will refuse and will revolt against such inhuman treatment.
• that his plan will reduce the population, which was his goal all along.

Which of the following statements would the narrator most likely agree with when it comes to alternate solutions?

• They aren't worth considering if no one will act on them.
• Hope is the only solution for a better future.
• They need more money before they can be considered.
• Alternate solutions will just divide people instead of uniting them.

How does the author justify his proposal to potential critics?

• His wife and children are too old to qualify for his proposal, but he states he would if they were not.
• He doesn't care whether the proposal is put into action or not, and so he doesn't need to justify it.
• He claims there are plenty of poor people that would prefer having been sold as food, instead of suffering later.
• He claims there are plenty of starving poor people that would voluntarily eat their own children.