A Modest Proposal Quiz

What major social problem is Swift’s proposal directed toward in “A Modest Proposal”?

• lack of food for the wealthy

• lack of land for farming in Ireland

• unwed mothers having too many babies

• the great number of poor people in Ireland

What solution does Swift propose for the problem he describes in “A Modest Proposal”?

• an increase in taxes

• more education for the poor

• the raising of more livestock

• the sale of young children for food

According to Swift in “A Modest Proposal,” which two of the following represent benefits that would result from what he is proposing?

• an increase in the number of Catholics

• an increase in the amount of livestock

• finer culinary experiences for the wealthy

• a decrease in the number of babies born each year

• opportunities for the poor to compensate their landlords

In “A Modest Proposal,” what evidence does Swift give to prove that he will not benefit personally from his proposal?

• He is a priest of the Church of England and has no children.

• His children are too old, and his wife is past child-bearing age.

• He is English and therefore cannot sell any of his children for profit.

• He will voluntarily avoid selling or buying any children for five years.

Which of the following activities would parents be most likely to censure in their children?

• singing songs

• playing games

• cleaning their rooms

• fighting with each other

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

CCSS.RI.11-12.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

Which of the following situations best illustrates the meaning of digressed?

• In the midst of a speech about taxes, the candidate switched topics to spend a few minutes talking about his personal life.

• The science writer’s latest book focuses on the habits of bees, particularly the origins and meaning of their signature dance.

• Rather than telling a single story, the movie bounced between a series of narratives before bringing them together in the end.

• Although it was friendly at first, Martha and John’s conversation soon turned into a debate over who was responsible for being late.

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

CCSS.RI.11-12.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

What is the meaning of enumerated in the following sentence? The village’s board of directors met on Monday and enumerated the issues the town faces.

• listed

• solved

• made better

• discussed at length

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

CCSS.RI.11-12.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

Why does Swift use terms such as breeders, males, and females when referring to the poor of Ireland in “A Modest Proposal”?

• to be as exact as possible

• to show respect for them

• to show that his ideas are supported by science

• to imply that they are considered less than human

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.6

What is Swift’s main purpose in “A Modest Proposal”?

• He wants people to consider his plan as a solution to poverty.

• He wants to persuade the government to help the poor of Ireland.

• He wants to encourage the poor to improve their living conditions.

• He wants to demonstrate that some problems have no easy solutions.

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

CCSS.RI. 9-10.9

CCSS.RI.11-12.9

CCSS.RL.8.2

Part A: Read the following sentence from “A Modest Proposal,” which discusses how poor tenants’ children can be made “liable to distress,” or given over to property owners who are owed rent. "Secondly, the poorer tenants will have something valuable of their own, which by law may be made liable to distress, and help to pay their landlord’s rent, their corn and cattle being already seized, and money a thing unknown." What message is the author trying to convey in this sentence?

• Landlords face difficulties when their tenants are unable to pay their rent.

• Poor people find themselves in poverty due to the poor choices they make.

• The poor face an impossible situation when they are asked to pay money they do not have.

• The poor would benefit from proposals that allow them to sell what they have to their landlords.