Question

Shall a band of ten or twelve thousand robbers, who are this day fifteen hundred or two thousand men less in strength than they were yesterday, conquer America, or subdue even a single state? The thing cannot be, unless we sit down and suffer them to do it.

In this excerpt, Paine uses a rhetorical device to encourage readers to
A.feel anger and contempt for the British troops.

B.fear negative outcomes in future battles.

C.have a higher opinion of the British troops.

D.feel proud of American forces.

Answer 1

In this excerpt, Paine uses a rhetorical device to encourage readers to feel anger and contempt for the British troops. He says they are unskilled and will never manage to defeat American soldiers.

Answer 2

ANSWER: A. feel anger and contempt for the British troops.

We can see that Paine wants to let the readers know that the British troops are worthless, as evidenced by the phrase "this thing cannot be", thus making them feel contempt towards them.

Paine was also prompting anger by suggesting that if they just let it happen by "sitting down", then the worthless troops might actually successfully take over.