Thibo
English 12
Name: _____________________________
“A Modest Proposal” Test - 80 pts.
(Staple test to the top of your SOAPST writing)
1. Vocabulary definitions: 10 pts.
sustenance
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importuning _____________________________
prodigious ________________________________
confined ___________________________________
brevity
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papists ____________________________________
scrupulous _________________________________
expedient __________________________________
censure ___________________________________
digressed _________________________________
Short answer responses from England in Literature, pg. 343. 10 pts.
2.
List four shocking details of life in Ireland that the essay casually reveals.
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3.
Who are the major targets of Swift’s satire? ___________________________________
4.
Does Swift suggest that the Irish are in any way responsible for their plight? Explain
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5. “A Modest Proposal” is classified as nonfiction. How can this be so when Swift makes
such outrageous statements?
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6.
Explain the effect of modest in the title or list the four types of satire.
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7. Complete this question on a separate piece of paper. Use proper punctuation, sentence
structure, and legible writing. 60 pts.
SOAPST = an analysis of a writing into six separate parts. Using a copy of “A Modest
Proposal,” write a complete and detailed analysis of Jonathan Swift’s satire.
S = speaker of the piece as well as who is speaking within the piece. Identify values,
class, job, education, family background, etc.
O = occasion of what prompts the writer to write. Identify the events that have taken
place before the publication of this piece. These events are significant to the author and
are major events that influence him or her to write.
A = audience of the piece. Identify the readers (age, class, education, position in society)
that the writer wants to read his/her writing. Be specific. Include future audiences,
specific people, and groups of people who would benefit from reading this piece.
P = purpose of the writing. Identify why the writer wants to write, what is motivating
him/her to write this piece.
S = subject of the writing. Identify the main ideas of the writing were you are outlining
and highlighting the main ideas as well as a thesis statement. Restating the subjects of
the paragraphs means you are mapping out the key points of the essay.
T = tone of the author’s work. Identify the words that tell you how the author feels about
the various subjects/main ideas. Remember tones can shift from beginning to end.
Include what the shift tells the reader.