" A Modest Proposal " -- Swift -- Discussion Questions. 95 points 1) What is the time period of this essay? What was going on in England socially and politically?

2)What does the word ‘modest’ mean? What is ironic about the title, “A Modest Proposal”?

3)What is the problem Swift addresses in his proposal?

4)Identify three examples of understatement in the essay: (use quotes with page #s)
a.
b.
c.

5) To add to the realism of his proposal, Swift provides specific details regarding how his proposal executed. List three specific examples that suggest how his proposal would be carried out and useful.

6) Is Swift’s tone in the essay serious or humorous? Why do you think so?

7) Why do you think Swift wrote this essay? Is he successful in his mission?

8) Where in the essay does Swift provide real solutions to the problem?

9) Why does he make these real solutions seem ridiculous?

10) How do you think people reacted to Swift’s essay?

Laugh and be merry, remember, better the world with a song,    better the world with a blow in the teeth of a wrong.    laugh, for the time is brief, a thread the length of a span.    laugh and be proud to belong to the old proud pageant of man. (laugh and be merry/john masefield/public domain) which of these is the main idea of the poem?

Read the passage below and answer the question. somehow, it was hotter then: a black dog suffered on a summer’s day; bony mules hitched to hoover carts flicked flies in the sweltering shade of the live oaks on the square. men’s stiff collars wilted by nine in the morning. in the excerpt above, the phrase "stiff collars wilted by nine in the morning" suggests that despite the heat, men still dressed up the men in the town were vain men's clothing appeared its best on hot days the men were not accustomed to wearing nice clothes

From the story " saving the children"why is nicholas winton honored today? why did jewish people in czechoslovakia want to get their children out of the country? where did nicholas winton do his work saving the children? why was it hard for winton to find refuge for the children? to confirm your understanding, write a summary of “saving the children.”(a) aside from winton, who were the interview subjects? (b) analyze what do most of the interview subjects have in common? (a) why wasn’t this story told until 50 years later? (b) infer what does this say about winton’s character? summarize how did winton finally manage to get the children out of czechoslovakia? (a) support what was the “lie” hugo meisl’s parents told hugo and his brother before they sent them away? (b) make a judgment was this the right thing to do? explain. essential question: how do we remember the past? what have you learned about the nature of heroism from reading this article?