Read the excerpt from "A Modest Proposal." A very worthy person a true lover of his country, and whose virtues I highly esteem was lately pleased, in discoursing on this matter,to offer a refinement upon my scheme. He said that many gentlemen of this kingdom, having of late destroyed their deer, he conceived that the want of venison might be well supply'd by the bodies of young lads and maidens, not exceeding fourteen years of age, nor under twelve;so great a number of both sexes in every country being now ready to starve for want of work and service Which statement best describes Swift's use of rhetorical devices in this excerpt? Swift uses a false premise when he says that people of the kingdom are in "want of venison." Swift uses irony when he says "so great a number of both sexes" are in desperate need of "work and service." Swift uses irony when he says the person with whom he discussed his plan is "very worthy"and "a true lover of this country." Swift uses a false premise when he says the "gentlemen of the kingdom"have "destroyed their deer."

## Step 1<br />The first step in solving this problem is to understand the context of the excerpt. The excerpt is from "A Modest Proposal" by Jonathan Swift, a satirical essay that uses irony and sarcasm to criticize the British government's neglect of the Irish people.<br /><br />## Step 2<br />Next, we need to analyze each of the given options in light of the context and the rhetorical devices used by Swift.<br /><br />## Step 3<br />Option A suggests that Swift uses a false premise when he says that people of the kingdom are in "want of venison." However, this is not a false premise, but rather a satirical exaggeration of the situation.<br /><br />## Step 4<br />Option B suggests that Swift uses irony when he says "so great a number of both sexes" are in desperate need of "work and service." This is indeed ironic, as Swift is using the irony to highlight the dire situation of the Irish people.<br /><br />## Step 5<br />Option C suggests that Swift uses irony when he says the person with whom he discussed his plan is "very worthy" and "a true lover of this country." This is not ironic, but rather a satirical exaggeration of the person's virtues.<br /><br />## Step 6<br />Option D suggests that Swift uses a false premise when he says the "gentlemen of the kingdom" have "destroyed their deer." This is not a false premise, but rather a satirical exaggeration of the situation.