Freethought & Rationalism Archive

KnightWhoSaysNi · 02-13-2003, 09:47 PM

Take the test

The above link is a test of 20 questions by National Geographic on basic geography questions. The test was given to adults aged 18 - 24 in 9 different countries: Canada, France, Germany, UK, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Sweden, and USA.

I personally scored 100%, but then again I'm a geography major and I'm student teaching in social studies classes.

Take the test for yourself, keep track of how many you get wrong (be honest!), and put down your answer in the poll. As far as results go, the Swedes appeared to kick ass the most and Americans usually fared the worst.

A few weeks ago, I asked a friend from the US if she learned much about other countries in high school. She joked, "other countries, what's that?"

Don't get me wrong, I have complete respect for teachers in the US.... but isn't your social studies curriculum in your education system just a wee bit too ethnocentric?

notMichaelJackson · 02-13-2003, 09:58 PM

No mistakes!

A toolbar came up and almost tripped me up with the "western most city" question."

Bree · 02-13-2003, 10:01 PM

The one that made me laugh was "find Israel on this map" - you only had to look at the Middle East region and find the number with the little arrow!

notMichaelJackson · 02-13-2003, 10:02 PM

No one has made a single mistake? Be honest...

oriecat · 02-13-2003, 10:04 PM

I missed one, because I was stupid and clicked too fast and didn't read all the choices. I saw a choice that my brain say Aha! to, so I clicked it and didn't actually think about it. I knew better.

Amie · 02-13-2003, 10:11 PM

I am absolutely horrible at geography. horrible. If I had a map in front of me of my own country there is no way I could put all the states in appropriate order. I'd mix up many. not just a couple but the whole country would be rearranged.
sad but true...

Chicken Girl · 02-13-2003, 10:12 PM

I missed 3.

1) I thought Islam had already overtaken Christianity as the world's largest religion. My bad.

2) Kashmir? Whazzat?

3) I didn't know where Afghanistan was.

KnightWhoSaysNi · 02-13-2003, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Amie
I am absolutely horrible at geography. horrible. If I had a map in front of me of my own country there is no way I could put all the states in appropriate order. I'd mix up many. not just a couple but the whole country would be rearranged.
sad but true...

Hi Amie,

How did you do in the test?

Do you know any teachers in the social studies department at your school? If so, you should direct him to the survey. I'd be curious what he/she thinks about it, as far as its implications for the social studies curriculum in US schools.

When I spoke to an American friend, she was surprised that in Canadian high schools that we not only teach the political and economic systems of Canada and the USA, but also that of Sweden, the former USSR, and Nazi Germany.

Amie · 02-13-2003, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Nightshade
Hi Amie,
How did you do in the test?

Hi Nightshade
Horrible! I didn't know the number of sweden, Japan, Israel, Afghanistan and one other. I did however get the USA and Mexico along with the pacific ocean

I also was off on populations...I suck.

Quote:

Do you know any other teachers in the social studies department at your school? If so, you should direct him to the survey. I'd be curious what he/she think about it, as far as its implications for the social studies curriculum in US schools.

yeah I'll tell him about it, I tell him to join here since the guy is an atheist he would fit right in it seems...either way I'll get some feedback for you...

Quote:

When I spoke to an American friend, she was surprised that in Canadian high schools that we not only teach the political economic systems of Canada and the USA, but also that of Sweden, the former USSR, and Nazi Germany.

I think thats awesome!

kwigibo · 02-13-2003, 10:28 PM

no mistakes. i did know all the answers, but even if i didn't i could have figured out the answer through elimination, they pretty much only give you one possible answer for the majority of questions. Admittedly i am very interested in geography, but these weren't hard questions.

View Poll Results: How many mistakes did you make?
No mistakes... woohoo!!	90	63.83%
1 - 2 mistakes	44	31.21%
3 - 5 mistakes	6	4.26%
6 - 9 mistakes	0	0%
10 - 20 mistakes (I desperately need an atlas)	1	0.71%
Voters: 141. You may not vote on this poll

02-13-2003, 09:47 PM	#1
KnightWhoSaysNi Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Edmonton, Canada Posts: 2,767	Are you geographically literate? Take the test The above link is a test of 20 questions by National Geographic on basic geography questions. The test was given to adults aged 18 - 24 in 9 different countries: Canada, France, Germany, UK, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Sweden, and USA. I personally scored 100%, but then again I'm a geography major and I'm student teaching in social studies classes. Take the test for yourself, keep track of how many you get wrong (be honest!), and put down your answer in the poll. As far as results go, the Swedes appeared to kick ass the most and Americans usually fared the worst. A few weeks ago, I asked a friend from the US if she learned much about other countries in high school. She joked, "other countries, what's that?" Don't get me wrong, I have complete respect for teachers in the US.... but isn't your social studies curriculum in your education system just a wee bit too ethnocentric?

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02-13-2003, 09:58 PM	#2
notMichaelJackson Banned Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: IL Posts: 552	No mistakes! A toolbar came up and almost tripped me up with the "western most city" question."

02-13-2003, 10:01 PM	#3
Bree Veteran Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: Twin Cities, USA Posts: 3,197	The one that made me laugh was "find Israel on this map" - you only had to look at the Middle East region and find the number with the little arrow!

02-13-2003, 10:02 PM	#4
notMichaelJackson Banned Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: IL Posts: 552	No one has made a single mistake? Be honest...

02-13-2003, 10:04 PM	#5
oriecat Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Portland OR USA Posts: 1,098	I missed one, because I was stupid and clicked too fast and didn't read all the choices. I saw a choice that my brain say Aha! to, so I clicked it and didn't actually think about it. I knew better.

02-13-2003, 10:11 PM	#6
Amie Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: New York Posts: 1,626	I am absolutely horrible at geography. horrible. If I had a map in front of me of my own country there is no way I could put all the states in appropriate order. I'd mix up many. not just a couple but the whole country would be rearranged. sad but true...

02-13-2003, 10:12 PM	#7
Chicken Girl Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: nowhere Posts: 6,549	I missed 3. 1) I thought Islam had already overtaken Christianity as the world's largest religion. My bad. 2) Kashmir? Whazzat? 3) I didn't know where Afghanistan was.

02-13-2003, 10:28 PM	#10
kwigibo Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Gold Coast, QLD, Australia Posts: 5,814	no mistakes. i did know all the answers, but even if i didn't i could have figured out the answer through elimination, they pretty much only give you one possible answer for the majority of questions. Admittedly i am very interested in geography, but these weren't hard questions.

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