The following text is from the 18th century Anglo-Irish satirist Jonathan Swift’s poem “The Elephant; Or, the Parliament Man.” It is written in response to a comparison that a member of the British Parliament made between the characteristics of an elephant and those of a good member of parliament. “Pence” and “half-a-crown” refer to coins. Siam is the former name of the country of Thailand.    Now, men of parliament, God knows,    Are more like elephants of shows;    Whose docile memory and sense    Are turn'd to trick, to gather pence;    To get their master half-a-crown,    They spread the flag, or lay it down:    Those who bore bulwarks on their backs,    And guarded nations from attacks,    Now practise every pliant gesture,    Opening their trunk for every tester.    Siam, for elephants so famed,    Is not with England to be named:    Their elephants by men are sold;    Ours sell themselves, and take the gold.9 Mark For Review9According to the text, members of parliament at the time this is written most resemble which of the following?A) Elephants that perform tricks for moneyB) Elephants that guard nationsC) Men who sell elephants for goldD) Men who use flags to rally the public to a cause

It was six men of IndostanTo learning much inclined,Who went to see the ElephantThough all of them were blind,[5]That each by observationMight satisfy his mind.The First approached the ElephantAnd, happening to fallAgainst his broad and sturdy side,[10]At once began to bawl:"God bless me, but the ElephantIs very like a wall!"The Second, feeling the tusk,Cried, "Ho! what have we here[15]So very round and smooth and sharp?To me 'tis very clearThis wonder of an ElephantIs very like a spear!"The Third approached the animal[20]And, happening to takeThe squirming trunk within his hands,Thus boldly up he spake:"I see," quoth he, "The ElephantIs very like a snake!"[25]The Fourth reached out an eager hand,And felt about the knee:"What most the wondrous beast is likeIs very plain," quoth he;"Tis clear enough the Elephant[30]Is very like a tree!"The Fifth, who chanced to touch the ear,Said, "Even the blindest manCan tell what this resembles most;Deny the fact who can:[35]This marvel of an elephantIs very like a fan!"The Sixth no sooner had begunAbout the beast to gropeThen, seizing on the swinging tail[40]That fell within his scope,"I see," quoth he, "the ElephantIs very like a rope!"And so these men of IndostanDisputed loud and long,[45]Each in his own opinionExceeding stiff and strong.Though each was partly in the right,They all were in the wrong!The Blind Men and the Elephant by John Godfrey Saxe is in the public domain.Unless otherwise noted, this content is licensed under theCC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licenseRead AloudAnnotateTranslateAssessment QuestionsShow Less12345As a parable, or a simple story used to illustrate a lesson, what knowledge or moral does the poem impart to the audience?

According to an article in the New York Times about elephants being out of work during this pandemic, how important are elephants in Thailand?a.They are helping Thailand’s tourism.b.They are Thailand’s common transportation.c.They are a part of Buddhism’s religious ritual.d.None of the above

what's a parliament?

What does the Sphinx mean?Group of answer choicesThe Image of EgyptThe PharaohThe Great manThe Living Image

Match the bolded words in the excerpts to their contextual meanings.unoriginalwell-groomednumerousHe was a gentleman from sole to crown, Clean favored and imperially slim.(from "Richard Cory" by Edwin Arlington Robinson)This debt we pay to human guile;With torn and bleeding hearts we smile,And mouth with myriad subtleties.(from "We Wear the Mask" by Paul Lawrence Dunbar). . .if it must, these things are important not because a high-sounding interpretation can be put upon them but becausethey are useful. When they become so derivative as to becomeunintelligible, the same thing may be said for all of us, that we do not admire what we cannot understand. . .(from "Poetry" by Marianne Moore)