Perhaps in this neglected spot is laid
Some heart once pregnant with celestial fire;
Hands, that the rod of empire might have swayed,
Or waked to ecstasy the living lyre.
Who is Gray pondering with these lines?
A:people who rose from poverty to become successful.
B:people who chose obscurity over success
C:people who provided better lives for their children than they themselves had.
D:people who could have been great if given the opportunity.***
2:"I am assured by our merchants, that boy or girl,before twelve years old, is no saleable commodity, even when they come to this age, they will not yield above...three pounds and a half crown at the most...which cannot turn to account either to the parents or the kingdom, the charge f nutriment and rags having been at least four times that value.
Which of these is most strongly evidenced by the serious tone of this passage?
A:Swift's use of rational argument
B:Swift's meticulous research into the topic.
C:Swift's disregard for the welfare of poor children.
D:Swift's use of verbal irony***
3:"...Men would become as fond of their wives, during the time of their pregnancy, as they are now of their mares in foal, their cows in calf, or sows when they are ready to farrow, nor offer to beat or kick them(as is too frequent a practice) for fear of miscarriage."
What point is Swift making with this demeaning analogy?
A:that the poor should be given employment on farms
B:that the poor are in position to overthrow the well-off
C:that the wealthy should take care to never become poor.
D:that the well-off have less regard for the poor than for livestock***
Are these correct?
I really need to know if these questions I answered are correct. Would someone please help me? Thank you!
Were they correct?
Yes, your answers are correct:
1. D: people who could have been great if given the opportunity. In these lines, Gray is pondering the possibility that in this neglected spot, there may be buried individuals who had the potential for greatness but were never given the opportunity to fulfill it.
2. D: Swift's use of verbal irony. The serious tone of this passage is evidence of Swift's use of verbal irony, as he presents a seemingly rational argument for the sale and exploitation of children as commodities, but his intent is actually to criticize the disregard for the welfare of poor children.
3. D: that the well-off have less regard for the poor than for livestock. In this passage, Swift uses a demeaning analogy comparing the treatment of pregnant women to that of animals. With this analogy, he criticizes the lack of regard and cruelty that the well-off exhibit towards the poor.
For the first question, Gray is pondering about people who could have been great if given the opportunity. So your answer of D: people who could have been great if given the opportunity is correct.
For the second question, the serious tone of the passage indicates Swift's use of verbal irony. So your answer of D: Swift's use of verbal irony is correct.
Regarding the third question, the point that Swift is making with this demeaning analogy is that the well-off have less regard for the poor than for livestock. So your answer of D: that the well-off have less regard for the poor than for livestock is correct.
All your answers are correct. Well done!