Question

select the verbal irony in the passage. nowadays it is a duty for a poor peasant to be a soldier. another reason to be proud, this being a citizen! for the poor, it consists in sustaining and preserving the wealthy in their power and their laziness. the poor must work for this. this revolution was made by fools and idiots for the benefit of those who acquired national lands, and resulted in nothing but making fortune of crafty peasants and bourgeois. the revolution only made stronger, under the pretense of making all men equal, the empire of wealth. it has betrayed france into the hands of the men of wealth. adapted from anatole france, the red lily

Explanation:

Verbal irony involves saying the opposite of what is meant. The statement "Another reason to be proud, this being a citizen! For the poor, it consists in sustaining and preserving the wealthy in their power and their laziness" is ironic as being a citizen is usually seen as a positive thing, but here it is presented as a burden for the poor who have to support the wealthy. Also, "This Revolution was made by fools and idiots for the benefit of those who acquired national lands, and resulted in nothing but making fortune of crafty peasants and bourgeois. The Revolution only made stronger, under the pretense of making all men equal, the empire of wealth" is ironic because revolutions are typically meant to bring equality and positive change, yet here it is described as benefiting the rich and strengthening their power instead.

Answer:

"Another reason to be proud, this being a citizen! For the poor, it consists in sustaining and preserving the wealthy in their power and their laziness." and "This Revolution was made by fools and idiots for the benefit of those who acquired national lands, and resulted in nothing but making fortune of crafty peasants and bourgeois. The Revolution only made stronger, under the pretense of making all men equal, the empire of wealth."