Name Period
1. Why does Jonathan Swift use terms such as breeders, males, and females when referring to the poor of Ireland in “A
Modest Proposal”?
2. According to “A Modest Proposal,” at what age does Swift suggest children be eaten?
3. Which of these statements from “A Modest Proposal” is an example of understatement? A) “The number of souls in this
kingdom usually reckoned one million and a half . . .” B) “The question therefore is, how this number shall be reared,
and provided for.” C) “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.” D) “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.”
4. What is Swift’s main purpose in including so many statistics and in numbering his reasons to support his proposal?
5. Which group would benefit most if “A Modest Proposal” were to become law?
6. What evidence does Swift give to prove that he will not benefit from “A Modest Proposal”? A) His children are too old,
and his wife is past child-bearing age. B) He is English and therefore cannot sell any of his children for profit. C) He
will voluntarily avoid selling or buying any children for five years. D) He is a priest in the Church of England and has no
children.
7. What is Swift’s main purpose in his essay “A Modest Proposal”? A) He wants people to consider his plan as a solution to
poverty. B) He wants to force the government to help the poor of Ireland. C) He wants to demonstrate his skill in the
new form of satire. D) He wants to encourage the poor to improve their living conditions.
Name Period
1. Why does Jonathan Swift use terms such as breeders, males, and females when referring to the poor of Ireland in “A
Modest Proposal”?
2. According to “A Modest Proposal,” at what age does Swift suggest children be eaten?
3. Which of these statements from “A Modest Proposal” is an example of understatement? A) “The number of souls in this
kingdom usually reckoned one million and a half . . .” B) “The question therefore is, how this number shall be reared,
and provided for.” C) “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.” D) “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.”
4. What is Swift’s main purpose in including so many statistics and in numbering his reasons to support his proposal?
5. Which group would benefit most if “A Modest Proposal” were to become law?
6. What evidence does Swift give to prove that he will not benefit from “A Modest Proposal”? A) His children are too old,
and his wife is past child-bearing age. B) He is English and therefore cannot sell any of his children for profit. C) He
will voluntarily avoid selling or buying any children for five years. D) He is a priest in the Church of England and has no
children.
7. What is Swift’s main purpose in his essay “A Modest Proposal”? A) He wants people to consider his plan as a solution to
poverty. B) He wants to force the government to help the poor of Ireland. C) He wants to demonstrate his skill in the
new form of satire. D) He wants to encourage the poor to improve their living conditions.