Another Nerd Showdown
Okay, let's see what you got. Take your best shot on this.
Ivy League seniors score, on average, 54% on this thing. I'd think, for the tens of thousands you spend on college, you'd hope for a better education. But that's me, being cantankerous.
Also me being cantakerous: I missed three, but I'd argue with the test-writers that I'm right on each of them. That, my friends, is true nerd-dom.
Very interesting. As a Brit who's picked up some American history mostly through Dave Barry books and Stephen Sondheim musicals, I got 43/60 right (72%) although I admit that quite a few of those right answers were educated guesses.
It's pretty frightening to know American Civics better than the average senior at ANY American University. I recommend a course of Dave Barry books.
I notice that I did particularly badly on the economics questions ... but then money is a very boring subject.
I'll tell you what I really like, though: that American's are expected to know this stuff: big chunks of their history that have as much relevance today as ever. I envy you people your explicit constitution and Bill Of Rights. I envy you the catalogue of observations from people like Jefferson ("There is no justification for taking away individuals' freedom in the guise of public safety") and Madison ("Perhaps it is a universal truth that the loss of liberty at home is to be charged to provisions against danger, real or pretended, from abroad") even if most people seem strangely apathetic about interpreting them for the times we live in.
However flawed America is, it's still a great project. I hope you people living in it appreciate what you've got. It's not all MTV and Police Academy sequels.
Posted by:Mike Taylor | September 21, 2007 at 11:59 AM
It helps if you don't assume that they are all trick questions.
Posted by:keith | September 21, 2007 at 02:45 PM
you should play gaia and start an outreach there ^.^ and if you do deside to join add me as a friend
my name on there is just-plain-anime-lover (p.s toast rules)
Posted by:Amanda | September 21, 2007 at 09:11 PM
It's people like you who make the average go up therefore tougher to attain by normal people.
Posted by:Shawn Bashor | September 24, 2007 at 09:59 AM
I got bored at number 13 and never finished...
Posted by:Cristy | September 27, 2007 at 01:06 PM
well...i got a 59.67 and i'm in 8th grade..so wat does that mean? ...am i smartz!!!???
Posted by:NotDaniel | October 02, 2007 at 07:58 PM