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صفحة: 29
. Just a Number A person from a particular country is a citizen of that country . Someone who lives in a big modern city is often seen as a statistic or number— just one citizen among many others . 1 The poem "The Unknown Citizen" is written in the form of an obituary — a short biography of a person after he or she dies . Read the poem and find as many facts as you can about the unknown citizen ' s life . The Unknown Citizen W . H . Auden , 1940 ( To JS / 07 / M / 378 This Marble Monument * Is Erected by the State ) He was found by the Bureau of Statistics to be One against whom there was no official complaint , And all the reports on his conduct agree That , in the modern sense of an old-fashioned word , he was a saint , For in everything he did he served the Greater Community . Except for the War till the day he retired He worked in a factory and never got fired , But satisfied his employers , Fudge Motors Inc . Yet he wasn't a scab * or odd in his views For his Union * reports that he paid his dues , ( Our report on his Union shows it was sound ) And our Social Psychology workers found That he was popular with his mates and liked a drink . The Press are convinced that he bought a paper every day And that his reactions to advertisements were normal in every way . Policies taken out in his name prove that he was fully insured , And his Health-card shows he was once in hospital but left it cured . Both Producers Research and High-Grade Living declare He was fully sensible to the advantages of the Installment Plan * And had everything necessary to the Modern Man , A phonograph , a radio , a car and a frigidaire . Our researchers into Public Opinion are content That he held the proper opinions for the time of year ; When there was peace , he was for peace ; when there was war , he went . He was married and added five children to the population , Which our Eugenist * says was the right number for a parent of his generation , And our teachers report that he never interfered with their education . Was he free ? Was he happy ? The question is absurd : Had anything been wrong , we should certainly have heard . 2 What is the connection between the facts of the citizen ' s life and the title of the poem ? * Monument —a building or statue built in memory of an important person . * scab —a worker who refuses to join a workers' union . * Union — an organization of workers or employees . * Installment Plan —a plan where something is paid for over a period of time , e . g . every month for a year . * Eugenist —a scientist who studies ways of improving the human race using knowledge of genetics . The poet is criticizing eugenics since it interferes with a natural biological process .
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