Political cartoon.This cartoon uses hyperbole hyperbole (hīpûr`bəlē), a figure of speech in which exceptional exaggeration is deliberately used for emphasis rather than deception. (exaggeration Exaggeration Bunyon, Paul legendary giant, hero of tall tales of the logging camps. [Am. Folklore: The Wonderful Adventures of Paul Bunyon] Jenkins’ ear trivial cause of a great quarrel. [Br. Hist. ) to comment on the shortage of flu vaccine The flu vaccine is a vaccine to protect against the highly variable influenza virus. The annual flu kills an estimated 36,000 people in the United States. doses in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. . The U.S. distributors to offer the limited number of vaccines available at inflated prices. Study the cartoon, and answer the questions on a separate sheet of paper. 1. What national concern is being addressed in the cartoon? 2. What does the woman in the cartoon think her husband is doing? Why might she think this? 3. Do you think the cartoonist really believes that people will buy and sell flu vaccines over the Internet? Explain. 4. What comment is the cartoonist making about our society? 5. Do you think the cartoonist is sympathetic to the couple's dilemma? Explain. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ANSWER 1. The shortage of flu vaccine in the U.S. 2. Seeing that her husband is logged on to eBay, an online auction site, she assumes he is still bidding on a valuable baseball. 3. Answers will vary. 4. Answers will vary. 5. Answers will vary. Students might say that because influenza influenza or flu, acute, highly contagious disease caused by a virus; formerly known as the grippe. There are three types of the virus, designated A, B, and C, but only types A and B cause more serious contagious infections. can be a deadly virus, the cartoonist sympathizes with people who are forced to rely on unusual methods to acquire the vaccine. |
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