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modest proposal

Total questions: 25

Worksheet time: 1hrs 3mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

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

a)

There are not enough jobs for the women to work and provide for their families.

b)

Too many men are abandoning their families, leaving them in poverty.

c)

Children are not receiving proper education from the government.

d)

Poverty and starvation are increasingly plaguing the streets.

2.

 Why are infants a problem, according to the author?

a)

They are too young to provide for themselves or contribute to society

b)

They need constant attention and affection from parents

c)

They contract illnesses easily and often die within their first year

d)

They are worth more than adolescents

3.

The author reveals that his solution is to

a)

Sell children off for labor

b)

Teach children about agriculture

c)

Take infants away from their mothers

d)

Breed, raise and eat infants as livestock

4.

The narrator claims to have no personal motive behind his proposal because he

a)

does not have a wife

b)

has all the money he could want

c)

does not own a tavern

d)

does not have any children to sell

5.

Swift compares poor women to ___, whose only purpose is to have children.

a)

employees

b)

breeders

c)

lawyers

6.
What is Swift's claim?
a)
The English need to be treated better or they will start to eat children.
b)
The Irish need to handle their money better or they will have to sell children.
c)
The English should sell their children into Irish slavery to help their economy.
d)
The Irish should sell their babies to English butchers as a delicacy.
7.
The narrator claims to have no personal motive behind his proposal because...
a)
He is English and could not benefit from his proposal
b)
His wife is past childbearing age
c)
He lives in the country and doesn't own a farm
d)
He is not a landlord and does not wish to be rich
8.
Does Swift expect his readers to seriously consider his proposal?  Why?
a)
No. He is trying to raise awareness about an issue.
b)
Yes. He is trying to create a new part of the meat industry.
c)
No. He is trying to help the Irish win the war with England.
d)
Yes. He is trying to help the English win the war with Ireland.
9.

The title of the essay, “ A Modest Proposal,” is an example of

a)

understatement

b)

overstatement

c)

caricature

d)

None of these

10.

How does satire attempt to improve individuals or society?

a)

By modeling correct thoughts and behaviors

b)

By praising achievements and honors

c)

By ridiculing flaws and follies

d)

By explicitly explaining the difference between right and wrong

11.

What do the children of the begging mothers do when they grow up?

a)

find employment to support themselves

b)

borrow money to support themselves

c)

steal, be a traitor and fight for Spain, or sell themselves

12.

In addition to eating the children, what else does Swift propose using them for?

a)

Medicine

b)

Gloves and boots

c)

Trophies

d)

Pets

13.

In "A Modest Proposal," why did the author say that his proposal for eating kids would be good for marriages?

a)

A smaller family means the spouses will pay more attention to each other.

b)

Children ruin marriages.

c)

Suffering would bring the spouses closer together.

d)

It brings in money and makes the husband see his pregnant wife as valuable.

14.

The two major issues facing Ireland during this time was famine and...

a)

Overpopulation

b)

Floods

c)

Invasions

d)

Inflation

15.
In what way does the narrator compare children to livestock?
a)
He says they are dirty and greedy like pigs.
b)
He says they can be bred like cattle.
c)
He says they should be herded into orphanages like cattle.
d)
He says that they beg like dirty farm dogs.
16.

Who wrote A Modest Proposal?

a)

Franz Kafka

b)

Jonathan Swift

c)

Bell Hooks

d)

Ralph Ellison

e)

Jane Austen

17.

The main point of satire is to...

a)

Give a free pass for people to be offensive

b)

Test the boundaries of comedy

c)

Address historical and political policies

d)

Point out societal ills or mock a public figure through irony and humor

e)

Complain about public and federal policies

18.

When was A Modern Proposal written?

a)

1845

b)

1510

c)

1688

d)

1372

e)

1720

19.

The tone of the speaker might be best described as:

a)

Condescending and indifferent

b)

Reasoned and objective

c)

Ironic and satiric

d)

Illogical and arrogant

20.

What effect does the author's word choice - words like "breeders" and "commodity" - have on the tone of the text?

a)
It makes the proposal sound even more ridiculous and over-the-top.
b)
It is comparable to the way people talk about livestock and trade, adding to the silly tone of the text.
c)
It dehumanizes these people, reducing them to their worth or abilities, conveying a tone of indifference.
d)
It divides people based on their religious practices, contributing to the incited and biased tone of the text.
21.
How does Swift's use of hyperbole contribute to this satirical text?
a)
Swift uses hyperbole when describing the benefits of cannibalism, satirizing the upper class for overtaxing the poor.
b)
Swift uses hyperbole when suggesting infanticide as a way to solve population increase, satirizing those who encourage it.
c)
By suggesting taboos such as infanticide and cannibalism to solve social issues, Swift uses hyperbole to satirize the government and upper class's lack of concern for poverty.
d)
By suggesting taboos such as infanticide and cannabalism to solve social issues, Swift uses hyperbole to satirize the extent of poverty in Ireland.
22.

The narrator claims to have no personal motive behind his proposal because he

a)

does not have a wife

b)

has all the money he could want

c)

does not own a tavern

d)

does not have any children to sell

23.
Which literary device is most prominently used in 'A Modest Proposal'?
a)
Metaphor
b)
Irony
c)
Alliteration
d)
Personification
24.
Swift's proposal to eat children is meant to:
a)
Solve Ireland's overpopulation problem
b)
Highlight the absurdity of other proposed solutions
c)
Encourage cannibalism
d)
Promote Irish cuisine
25.

England passed a series of laws that limited the rights of the Irish.

a)

True

b)

False

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