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  4. Are you smarter than a 17-year-old?

Are you smarter than a 17-year-old?

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  • O Offline
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    Oakman
    wrote on last edited by
    #1

    A study being released today finds that, 25 years after President Ronald Reagan released "A Nation At Risk," which was critical of the USA's public school curriculum, many 17-year-olds still don't know much about American history or classic literature. But how much do you know? Here are six questions from the survey, and the percent of teens who answered correctly. Note: U.S. centric.

    Jon Smith & Wesson: The original point and click interface

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    • O Oakman

      A study being released today finds that, 25 years after President Ronald Reagan released "A Nation At Risk," which was critical of the USA's public school curriculum, many 17-year-olds still don't know much about American history or classic literature. But how much do you know? Here are six questions from the survey, and the percent of teens who answered correctly. Note: U.S. centric.

      Jon Smith & Wesson: The original point and click interface

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      ToddHileHoffer
      wrote on last edited by
      #2

      Yes I got the first five correct. But number 6, I had no idea. We read a lot of world literature and less American. I never read Walt Whitman.

      I didn't get any requirements for the signature

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      • O Oakman

        A study being released today finds that, 25 years after President Ronald Reagan released "A Nation At Risk," which was critical of the USA's public school curriculum, many 17-year-olds still don't know much about American history or classic literature. But how much do you know? Here are six questions from the survey, and the percent of teens who answered correctly. Note: U.S. centric.

        Jon Smith & Wesson: The original point and click interface

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        Paul Conrad
        wrote on last edited by
        #3

        All but #6, which I had not the foggiest idea about :-O

        "The clue train passed his station without stopping." - John Simmons / outlaw programmer "Real programmers just throw a bunch of 1s and 0s at the computer to see what sticks" - Pete O'Hanlon

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        • O Oakman

          A study being released today finds that, 25 years after President Ronald Reagan released "A Nation At Risk," which was critical of the USA's public school curriculum, many 17-year-olds still don't know much about American history or classic literature. But how much do you know? Here are six questions from the survey, and the percent of teens who answered correctly. Note: U.S. centric.

          Jon Smith & Wesson: The original point and click interface

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          Lost User
          wrote on last edited by
          #4

          Same as Todd. (I must read more American poetry!) I believe that the scores for 6 questions corresponding to these (in History and Literature) would be echoed in the UK. (I am surprised at the low mark for the Civil War, though.)

          Bob Emmett

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          • O Oakman

            A study being released today finds that, 25 years after President Ronald Reagan released "A Nation At Risk," which was critical of the USA's public school curriculum, many 17-year-olds still don't know much about American history or classic literature. But how much do you know? Here are six questions from the survey, and the percent of teens who answered correctly. Note: U.S. centric.

            Jon Smith & Wesson: The original point and click interface

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            Gary Kirkham
            wrote on last edited by
            #5

            I answered them all correctly. It is my opinion that education in the US is in a sorry state. It has been dumbed-down to the lowest common denominator. My children aren't getting the same education I received. I work with college and high school students in a summer intern program...I have seen the deficiency in them. It really is sad.

            Gary Kirkham Forever Forgiven and Alive in the Spirit Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. Me blog, You read

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            • O Oakman

              A study being released today finds that, 25 years after President Ronald Reagan released "A Nation At Risk," which was critical of the USA's public school curriculum, many 17-year-olds still don't know much about American history or classic literature. But how much do you know? Here are six questions from the survey, and the percent of teens who answered correctly. Note: U.S. centric.

              Jon Smith & Wesson: The original point and click interface

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              Shog9 0
              wrote on last edited by
              #6

              6/6. I stayed out of school 'till i was 18 though. :rolleyes:

              Citizen 20.1.01

              'The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'which is to be master - that's all.'

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              • O Oakman

                A study being released today finds that, 25 years after President Ronald Reagan released "A Nation At Risk," which was critical of the USA's public school curriculum, many 17-year-olds still don't know much about American history or classic literature. But how much do you know? Here are six questions from the survey, and the percent of teens who answered correctly. Note: U.S. centric.

                Jon Smith & Wesson: The original point and click interface

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                B Offline
                Brady Kelly
                wrote on last edited by
                #7

                4/6.

                Unscrambling Eggs: Decompiling ASP.NET

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                • O Oakman

                  A study being released today finds that, 25 years after President Ronald Reagan released "A Nation At Risk," which was critical of the USA's public school curriculum, many 17-year-olds still don't know much about American history or classic literature. But how much do you know? Here are six questions from the survey, and the percent of teens who answered correctly. Note: U.S. centric.

                  Jon Smith & Wesson: The original point and click interface

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                  Mike Gaskey
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #8

                  Like most, 1 - 5, didn't ave a clue on 6.

                  Mike - typical white guy. The USA does have universal healthcare, but you have to pay for it. D'oh. Thomas Mann - "Tolerance becomes a crime when applied to evil." The NYT - my leftist brochure. Calling an illegal alien an “undocumented immigrant” is like calling a drug dealer an “unlicensed pharmacist”. God doesn't believe in atheists, therefore they don't exist.

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                  • O Oakman

                    A study being released today finds that, 25 years after President Ronald Reagan released "A Nation At Risk," which was critical of the USA's public school curriculum, many 17-year-olds still don't know much about American history or classic literature. But how much do you know? Here are six questions from the survey, and the percent of teens who answered correctly. Note: U.S. centric.

                    Jon Smith & Wesson: The original point and click interface

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                    Mike Gaskey
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #9

                    Teachers spend a significant amount of time: Teaching a politically correct version of American History. Teaching why it is okay for Sally to have two mothers. Not harming Johnny's self esteem. Passing the lil fuckers because it looks silly when they can no longer fit their legs under a desk.

                    Mike - typical white guy. The USA does have universal healthcare, but you have to pay for it. D'oh. Thomas Mann - "Tolerance becomes a crime when applied to evil." The NYT - my leftist brochure. Calling an illegal alien an “undocumented immigrant” is like calling a drug dealer an “unlicensed pharmacist”. God doesn't believe in atheists, therefore they don't exist.

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                    • O Oakman

                      A study being released today finds that, 25 years after President Ronald Reagan released "A Nation At Risk," which was critical of the USA's public school curriculum, many 17-year-olds still don't know much about American history or classic literature. But how much do you know? Here are six questions from the survey, and the percent of teens who answered correctly. Note: U.S. centric.

                      Jon Smith & Wesson: The original point and click interface

                      O Offline
                      O Offline
                      Oakman
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #10

                      Are you surprised that in June 2004 when Achieve, Inc., a bipartisan, nonprofit education organization formed by governors and prominent business leaders, found that math and English tests for high school diplomas require only middle school knowledge, and that those math graduation tests measure only what students in other countries learn in the seventh grade? Are you surprised that 2000 mathematicians and scientists, including four Nobel Prize recipients and two winners of a prestigious math prize, the Fields Medal, deplore math teaching methods saying they are 'horrifyingly short on basics' Are you surprised that in February 2005 a report stated that China produced 4 times more BS engineering degrees than the U.S., and Japan twice as many. Nobel Prize-winning scientist R.E.Smalley of Rice University reported "by 2010, 90% of all Ph.D. physical scientists and engineers in the world will be Asian living in Asia." The International Math & Science Study reported U.S. 12th graders were out-performed by 90% of other nations in math and 76% in science. In advanced math the US was out performed by 94% and in science by 100% of other nations. The American Association for the Advancement of Science reported 90% of math books and 100% of science text books are unacceptable. Are you suprised that the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reported in 2005 that the testing of 300,000 students nation-wide showed that 82% of 12th grade students were not proficient in math and science - - even worse than 10 years earlier. 73% of 4th graders failed to gain proficiency scores. 8th graders showed no improvement in the past 10 years. Are you surprised to learn that, in 2006, 65% of 12-graders were not proficient in reading, a worse result than 1992 when the test was initiated. Are you surprised that the president of the American Association of Physics Teachers and his review committee say, 'none of the 12 textbooks used by 85% of middle school students have an acceptable level of accuracy' - - and that 'honors high school texts are no more difficult than an eighth grade reader was before World War II.'

                      Jon Smith & Wesson: The original point and click interface

                      G L I 3 Replies Last reply
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                      • O Oakman

                        Are you surprised that in June 2004 when Achieve, Inc., a bipartisan, nonprofit education organization formed by governors and prominent business leaders, found that math and English tests for high school diplomas require only middle school knowledge, and that those math graduation tests measure only what students in other countries learn in the seventh grade? Are you surprised that 2000 mathematicians and scientists, including four Nobel Prize recipients and two winners of a prestigious math prize, the Fields Medal, deplore math teaching methods saying they are 'horrifyingly short on basics' Are you surprised that in February 2005 a report stated that China produced 4 times more BS engineering degrees than the U.S., and Japan twice as many. Nobel Prize-winning scientist R.E.Smalley of Rice University reported "by 2010, 90% of all Ph.D. physical scientists and engineers in the world will be Asian living in Asia." The International Math & Science Study reported U.S. 12th graders were out-performed by 90% of other nations in math and 76% in science. In advanced math the US was out performed by 94% and in science by 100% of other nations. The American Association for the Advancement of Science reported 90% of math books and 100% of science text books are unacceptable. Are you suprised that the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reported in 2005 that the testing of 300,000 students nation-wide showed that 82% of 12th grade students were not proficient in math and science - - even worse than 10 years earlier. 73% of 4th graders failed to gain proficiency scores. 8th graders showed no improvement in the past 10 years. Are you surprised to learn that, in 2006, 65% of 12-graders were not proficient in reading, a worse result than 1992 when the test was initiated. Are you surprised that the president of the American Association of Physics Teachers and his review committee say, 'none of the 12 textbooks used by 85% of middle school students have an acceptable level of accuracy' - - and that 'honors high school texts are no more difficult than an eighth grade reader was before World War II.'

                        Jon Smith & Wesson: The original point and click interface

                        G Offline
                        G Offline
                        Gary Kirkham
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #11

                        Oakman wrote:

                        Are you surprised

                        Nope

                        Gary Kirkham Forever Forgiven and Alive in the Spirit Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. Me blog, You read

                        1 Reply Last reply
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                        • O Oakman

                          A study being released today finds that, 25 years after President Ronald Reagan released "A Nation At Risk," which was critical of the USA's public school curriculum, many 17-year-olds still don't know much about American history or classic literature. But how much do you know? Here are six questions from the survey, and the percent of teens who answered correctly. Note: U.S. centric.

                          Jon Smith & Wesson: The original point and click interface

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                          Christian Graus
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #12

                          I would agree that the US school system is in a sorry state. Ours is not much better. The biggest issue is not that kids don't know a random assortment of facts about historical dates. Far more concerning in that regard are the outright lies taught as history in the US ( if you go to university and study history, the first step in the US is to unlearn most of what you were told ). However, even that doesn't matter that much, much as I think it's important to know where you came from. As Mike said, it's the attitude of not being able to fail anyone ( we have this here, I have come up against it ), and the unwillingness to teach people to think for themselves, to expect failure as a possible outcome of lack of application, etc. And I got 5 out of 6 right, same as a lot of people here.

                          Christian Graus No longer a Microsoft MVP, but still happy to answer your questions.

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                          • O Oakman

                            A study being released today finds that, 25 years after President Ronald Reagan released "A Nation At Risk," which was critical of the USA's public school curriculum, many 17-year-olds still don't know much about American history or classic literature. But how much do you know? Here are six questions from the survey, and the percent of teens who answered correctly. Note: U.S. centric.

                            Jon Smith & Wesson: The original point and click interface

                            L Offline
                            L Offline
                            Lost User
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #13

                            Meh. I got all 6. Brought it to my 18 y/o son (today is his birthday!) who is interning in the mechanical engineering office across the hall and he too got all 6.

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                            • C Christian Graus

                              I would agree that the US school system is in a sorry state. Ours is not much better. The biggest issue is not that kids don't know a random assortment of facts about historical dates. Far more concerning in that regard are the outright lies taught as history in the US ( if you go to university and study history, the first step in the US is to unlearn most of what you were told ). However, even that doesn't matter that much, much as I think it's important to know where you came from. As Mike said, it's the attitude of not being able to fail anyone ( we have this here, I have come up against it ), and the unwillingness to teach people to think for themselves, to expect failure as a possible outcome of lack of application, etc. And I got 5 out of 6 right, same as a lot of people here.

                              Christian Graus No longer a Microsoft MVP, but still happy to answer your questions.

                              L Offline
                              L Offline
                              Lost User
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #14

                              Christian Graus wrote:

                              if you go to university and study history, the first step in the US is to unlearn most of what you were told

                              Gotta link?

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                              • L Lost User

                                Christian Graus wrote:

                                if you go to university and study history, the first step in the US is to unlearn most of what you were told

                                Gotta link?

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                                C Offline
                                Christian Graus
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #15

                                No, my reference here is actual books made of paper. One such book is called 'lies my teacher told me', from memory. I believe that's the book that actually examined the history books used in high schools and gave example passages and explained what parts were actually true.

                                Christian Graus No longer a Microsoft MVP, but still happy to answer your questions.

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                                • L Lost User

                                  Meh. I got all 6. Brought it to my 18 y/o son (today is his birthday!) who is interning in the mechanical engineering office across the hall and he too got all 6.

                                  C Offline
                                  C Offline
                                  Christian Graus
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #16

                                  Like I said, it depends on the 17 yo. If knowledge is valued in the home, then any kid is going to be knowledgable, despite the failings of the school system.

                                  Christian Graus No longer a Microsoft MVP, but still happy to answer your questions.

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                                  • C Christian Graus

                                    No, my reference here is actual books made of paper. One such book is called 'lies my teacher told me', from memory. I believe that's the book that actually examined the history books used in high schools and gave example passages and explained what parts were actually true.

                                    Christian Graus No longer a Microsoft MVP, but still happy to answer your questions.

                                    L Offline
                                    L Offline
                                    Lost User
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #17

                                    Can you provide a couple examples of historical "lies" being taught? Keep in mind, I don't doubt you/them - I'm just curious where my historical "knowledge" falls.

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                                    • C Christian Graus

                                      Like I said, it depends on the 17 yo. If knowledge is valued in the home, then any kid is going to be knowledgable, despite the failings of the school system.

                                      Christian Graus No longer a Microsoft MVP, but still happy to answer your questions.

                                      L Offline
                                      L Offline
                                      Lost User
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #18

                                      Yep

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                                      • L Lost User

                                        Can you provide a couple examples of historical "lies" being taught? Keep in mind, I don't doubt you/them - I'm just curious where my historical "knowledge" falls.

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                                        Christian Graus
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #19

                                        Well, for starters, it was well known that the world was round when Columbus sailed. He was looking for gold. The main area that springs to mind is that Indians were a successful agrarian culture before the white man came, the image of war like Indians attacking settlers is the result of them being on the run because they were themselves under attack from folks who wanted their land. I'd imagine you'd know that, but it's not the image given in history books. In fact, the book published the section on Columbus from one history book and 90% of what was stated, was made up ( that is, stuff we plain don't know, not stuff that was outright lies ).

                                        Christian Graus No longer a Microsoft MVP, but still happy to answer your questions.

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                                        • C Christian Graus

                                          Well, for starters, it was well known that the world was round when Columbus sailed. He was looking for gold. The main area that springs to mind is that Indians were a successful agrarian culture before the white man came, the image of war like Indians attacking settlers is the result of them being on the run because they were themselves under attack from folks who wanted their land. I'd imagine you'd know that, but it's not the image given in history books. In fact, the book published the section on Columbus from one history book and 90% of what was stated, was made up ( that is, stuff we plain don't know, not stuff that was outright lies ).

                                          Christian Graus No longer a Microsoft MVP, but still happy to answer your questions.

                                          L Offline
                                          L Offline
                                          Lost User
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #20

                                          I can only speak for my local schools but the Columbus / Indian garbage you mention is pretty common in elementary school K-4 but starts to get fleshed out in middle school and debunked completely in high school.

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