A Modest Proposal Reading Check

What large scale societal problem does Swift plan to resolve?

• Overpopulation of Ireland
• Spreading religion to Ireland
• Mistreatment of Irish poor
• Uplifting the English poor

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

• to show that he is a scientist

• to imply that they are considered less than human

• to be as exact as possible

• to show respect for them

Which of these statements from “A Modest Proposal” is an example of understatement?

• The number of souls in this kingdom being usually reckoned one million and a half . . .

• The question therefore is, how this number shall be reared, and provided for. . . .

• I can think of no one objection . . . against this proposal, unless it should be urged that the number of people will be thereby much lessened in the kingdom.

• These mothers instead of being able to work for their honest livelihood, are forced to employ all their time in strolling, to beg sustenance for their helpless infants. . . .

Which term best describes this statement from “A Modest Proposal”?

. . . the poorer tenants will have something valuable of their own . . . and help to pay their landlord’s rent, their corn and cattle being already seized, and money a thing unknown.

• understatement

• exaggeration

• sarcasm

• style

What evidence does Swift give to prove that he will not benefit from “A Modest Proposal”?

• 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.

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

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

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

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

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

• He wants to demonstrate his skill in the new form of satire.

In “A Modest Proposal,” what does Swift propose doing to solve the problem of poverty in Ireland?

• sell children of the poor into slavery

• ship all Catholic children to England

• slaughter children of the poor for food

• train poor children for the English army

According to “A Modest Proposal,” how long does Swift propose that mothers

keep their children?

• until they are one year old

• until they are adults

• until they finish school

• until someone buys them

Swift titled his essay “A Modest Proposal.” Which term best describes his use of the word modest?

• understatement

• exaggeration

• sarcasm

• historical

Swift includes many facts and statistics in “A Modest Proposal.” What seems to be his purpose in including this information?

• to convince people to act

• to make his proposal appear logical

• to add humor to his proposal

• to justify laws to protect the poor