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Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 30th 2023 at 11:03:59 AM

midgetsnowman Since: Jan, 2010
#57251: Jun 28th 2013 at 1:48:25 PM

[up]

Oh thats simple.

If you were white you passed the test.

ramuf Electric Heart from the Shining Throne Since: Jan, 2013
Electric Heart
#57252: Jun 28th 2013 at 1:49:01 PM

Silly naive me.

Hodor Cleric of Banjo from Westeros Since: Dec, 1969
Cleric of Banjo
#57253: Jun 28th 2013 at 1:49:05 PM

Edit- added that comment to last page.

I think it is interesting that this was what the tests involved- history textbooks (at least the ones I've had) give the impression that the tests were to read difficult passages (maybe some were), and suggest that the issue was a combination of biased proctors and uneducated test takers- it gives the wrong implication that the test might be totally ok if it were given by someone unbiased.

I'm personally against the idea of any sort of test, but for at least some people, the idea of "only smart (whatever that means) people get to vote" makes intrinsic sense.

edited 28th Jun '13 1:53:10 PM by Hodor

Edit, edit, edit, edit the wiki
IConfuseMe from Washington, DC Since: Jan, 2010
#57254: Jun 28th 2013 at 1:49:07 PM

Yeah, my high school administered this test one, without saying what it was first to demonstrate to students how unfair they were.

They are impossible to pass. Half the question are worded intentionally dubiously so that you will always get at least one wrong and a single wrong answer is a failing grade.

If you were white, you didn't take it. And even if you did take it, your answers were ruled correct.

midgetsnowman Since: Jan, 2010
#57255: Jun 28th 2013 at 1:54:12 PM

[up][up]

Thats because a lot of pre-college history textbooks tend to be written in such a way as to paper over every atrocity america has ever committed with patriotism and revisionism.

Zendervai Since: Oct, 2009
#57256: Jun 28th 2013 at 2:03:40 PM

The first question: "Draw a circle around the number or letter of this sentence." What? EDIT: Wait, "Draw a line."

I mean, I've had bizarre questions on tests before (For example: "Through which of the 12 tribes of Israel was King David related to the Ark of the Covenant." Answer: "Naphtali". Makes no sense to me) but this test is just full of them.

The grammar is all kinds of screwed up too. I think the people who wrote the test needed a literacy test.

edited 28th Jun '13 2:06:46 PM by Zendervai

Tangent128 from Virginia Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Gonna take a lot to drag me away from you
#57257: Jun 28th 2013 at 2:21:17 PM

The grammar is all kinds of screwed up too. I think the people who wrote the test needed a literacy test.

Again, the test was very well-written for its purpose. The whole "be careful to read the questions carefully" warning at the top was just to provide a veneer of deniability.

Do you highlight everything looking for secret messages?
Kostya (Unlucky Thirteen)
#57258: Jun 28th 2013 at 2:25:50 PM

[up][up]Was just about to point that out. I guess you could draw a box so it's technically four lines but that's clearly just meant to trip you up.

Pykrete NOT THE BEES from Viridian Forest Since: Sep, 2009
NOT THE BEES
#57259: Jun 28th 2013 at 2:59:16 PM

IIRC you were supposed to draw a circle that wasn't quite closed.

midgetsnowman Since: Jan, 2010
#57261: Jun 28th 2013 at 3:07:10 PM

In short. the test was impossible unless you already knew the answers.

and even then, the answers were miraculously wrong anyhow if you were black.

edited 28th Jun '13 3:07:50 PM by midgetsnowman

theweirdKiddokun What a Wonderful World! from Last Place in the Race Since: Jun, 2012 Relationship Status: Maxing my social links
What a Wonderful World!
#57262: Jun 28th 2013 at 3:07:17 PM

....But that not a line.

Check and see if the following statement are true or false.

Read the line below. That statement is true.

Read the line above. That statement is false.

Answer:These statements are both true and false.

edited 28th Jun '13 3:09:18 PM by theweirdKiddokun

The Reaper Games starts anew.
DrTentacles Cephalopod Lothario from Land of the Deep Ones Since: Jul, 2012 Relationship Status: Having tea with Cthulhu
Cephalopod Lothario
#57263: Jun 28th 2013 at 3:08:16 PM

How about the last question

"Draw five circles that one interlocking part."

I think you a fucking word. Dick.

That's not "know the correct answers" that's "learn to proofread."

edited 28th Jun '13 3:08:47 PM by DrTentacles

Kostya (Unlucky Thirteen)
#57264: Jun 28th 2013 at 3:12:07 PM

[up]How do you even do that? Then again I might be misunderstanding the question.

Zendervai Since: Oct, 2009
#57266: Jun 28th 2013 at 3:13:46 PM

[up][up][up] It's either talking about a variation on the Olympic logo or 5 circles that all connect at one point. I think.

DrTentacles Cephalopod Lothario from Land of the Deep Ones Since: Jul, 2012 Relationship Status: Having tea with Cthulhu
Cephalopod Lothario
#57267: Jun 28th 2013 at 3:13:48 PM

They left out the word "share" I'm assuming. I'm also assuming they mean "share one interlocking part" not "Share no more than one interlocking part" because otherwise that's impossible. However, if you're black, they likely mean "Share one, and exactly one interlocking part."

midgetsnowman Since: Jan, 2010
#57268: Jun 28th 2013 at 3:19:13 PM

[up]

Nah, if you're black the question simplifies to "wrong"

DrunkGirlfriend from Castle Geekhaven Since: Jan, 2011
#57269: Jun 28th 2013 at 3:20:01 PM

[up][up] See, that's the point though. Some of the questions have impossible answers, and some have multiple answers. Most white people were either not given the test, or had their scores fudged.

edited 28th Jun '13 3:20:07 PM by DrunkGirlfriend

"I don't know how I do it. I'm like the Mr. Bean of sex." -Drunkscriblerian
Kostya (Unlucky Thirteen)
#57270: Jun 28th 2013 at 3:20:08 PM

[up][up][up]If it's only one between any two it makes sense. If it meant only one point for all five circles then it's impossible without breaking some mathematical laws.

edit: I wonder if any state is actually going to be stupid enough to try something like this.

edited 28th Jun '13 3:20:33 PM by Kostya

DrunkGirlfriend from Castle Geekhaven Since: Jan, 2011
#57271: Jun 28th 2013 at 3:23:16 PM

[up] You mean, try something like this again. tongue

"I don't know how I do it. I'm like the Mr. Bean of sex." -Drunkscriblerian
midgetsnowman Since: Jan, 2010
#57272: Jun 28th 2013 at 3:30:13 PM

of coutrse they will. Except this time it'll porbably be targeted towards mexicans as a "proof of citizenship" test.

Mars444 Since: May, 2013
#57273: Jun 28th 2013 at 4:20:40 PM

At least with the internet it'd be somewhat easier to go "Oi, these guys are being dicks!". If that counts for anything.

Pykrete NOT THE BEES from Viridian Forest Since: Sep, 2009
NOT THE BEES
#57274: Jun 28th 2013 at 4:48:36 PM

It's actually quite easy to have five circles all intersect at exactly one point and nowhere else. Imagine them like keys on a tiny keyring. Stack them all up, pick a point on the stack to be your keyring, then rotate them out in 3D space.

Ironically, that answer probably would've been beyond the people administering the test.

edited 28th Jun '13 5:07:54 PM by Pykrete

Enkufka Wandering Student ಠ_ಠ from Bay of White fish Since: Dec, 2009
Wandering Student ಠ_ಠ
#57275: Jun 28th 2013 at 5:06:39 PM

Congress is going to recess for 4th of july. Meaning that there will be nothing will be done to keep student loan interest rates from jumping to 6.8%.

Very big Daydream Believer. "That's not knowledge, that's a crapshoot!" -Al Murray "Welcome to QI" -Stephen Fry

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