What is setting for story Inside out and back again ?

What is the meaning of the word checking as it is used in this sentence from the second paragraph of the passage?

As you have learned, epic heroes experience trials along their journeys. using your knowledge from beowulf, create a trial you believe an epic hero like beowulf might face. you will need to write a description of the trial using the aspects of a narrative. the trial can be anything you imagine, meaning you can test the hero in any way you see fit. be creative and have fun with this! let your creativity flow. focus on key attributes of beowulf and use his attributes to create a trial that would truly test him. since beowulf is very strong, a trial involving strength and endurance might be to easy. try thinking outside the box to create a trial that would truly test the hero of the geats. examples of beowulf’s attributes: couragous, loyal, strong, persistant, honorable, confident try to use one or multiples of these attribute when designing your trial. a good way to think of this activity is that you are a hunger games game designer. what could you make that would stump beowulf

What is the meaning of each underlined word in these excerpts from "a modest proposal" by jonathan swift? i think it is agreed by all parties, that this prodigious number of children in the arms, or on the backs, or at the heels of their mothers, and frequently of their fathers, is in the present deplorable state of the kingdom, a very great additional grievance; and therefore whoever could find out a fair, cheap and easy method of making these children sound and useful members of the common-wealth, would deserve so well of the publick, as to have his statue set up for a preserver of the nation. some persons of a desponding spirit are in great concern about that vast number of poor people, who are aged, diseased, or maimed; and i have been desired to employ my thoughts what course may be taken, to ease the nation of so grievous an incumbrance. the word prodigious means . the word desponding means .