intelligence tests

To go along with the “20 Questions” article from this same date, here are some other intelligence tests that you may find amusing. Either that or you will decide you are better off going back to bed!

If you are reading on-line, the answers are hidden as “white text”… you can reveal the answers by highlighting with your mouse.

QUESTION 1

You are participating in a race. You overtake the second person. What position are you in?

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If you answered that you are first, then you are absolutely wrong! If you overtake the second person and you take his place, you are second! Try not to screw up in the next question. To answer the second question, don’t take as much time as you took for the first question.

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QUESTION 2

You are participating in a race. You overtake the last person. What position are you in?

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If you answered that you are second to last, then you are wrong again. Tell me, how can you overtake the LAST Person? You’re not very good at this! Are you?

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QUESTION 3

Mary’s father has five daughters: 1. Nana, 2. Nene, 3. Nini, 4. Nono. What is the name of the fifth daughter?

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Nunu? NO! Of course not. Her name is Mary. Read the question again.

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QUESTION 4

There is a mute who wants to buy a toothbrush. By imitating the action of brushing one’s teeth, he successfully expresses himself to the shopkeeper and the purchase is done. Now, there is a blind man who wishes to buy a pair of sunglasses, how should he express himself? Think about it first before highlighting the answer below:

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He opens his mouth and says. “I would like to buy a pair of sunglasses.” If you got this wrong, please turn off your computer and call it a day

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So, what’s the point?

Despite the catty comments, you may be consoled to know these are NOT actually intelligence tests. You are perfectly intelligent, now matter how you answered. But they do highlight the natural tendency we all have to judge a situation based on our experience and expectations, not on what is actually presented.

The lesson buried in the humor is to pay close attention to what people are actually trying to communicate to you. Ask questions to clarify. Even the most careful and intelligent people are going to “hear” a different thing than what was “said”!