Unit 4: iq testing

Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe. Albert Einstein

It has yet to be proven that intelligence has any survival value.

Arthur C. Clarke

WARM-UP

1. How many words can you write in two minutes using only letters found in the word intelligence?

2. Discuss the following questions in small groups or pairs.

1. Do we inherit our IQ or is it the result of our environment and upbringing? How much effect does someone’s environment bear on their intelligence?

2. Does our IQ level change during lifetime?

3. Have IQ and intelligence got anything in common with creativity and genius? Is it possible to distinguish intelligence from imagination and common sense?

3. Do you agree or disagree with the quotations? Discuss them in pairs.

1. "There is no such thing as Intelligence; one has intelligence of this or that. One must have intelligence only for what one is doing." Edgar Degas

2. "If the aborigine drafted an IQ test, all of Western civilization would presumably flunk it." Stanley Garn

3. "The best intelligence test is what we do with our leisure." Laurence J. Peter

4. "Many highly intelligent people are poor thinkers. Many people of average intelligence are skilled thinkers. The power of a car is separate from the way the car is driven." Edward De Bono

5. "The difference between a smart man and a wise man is that a smart man knows what to say, a wise man knows whether or not to say it." Frank M. Garafola

6. "Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any one thing." Abraham Lincoln

4. In pairs or small groups, try to find the answers to the following brain boosters.

• Just in Time

What occurs once in every minute, twice in every moment, yet never in a thousand years?

• The Value of Months

If March = 43 and May = 39, then by the same logic, what does July equal?

• Whose Footprints?

One of the triplets left muddy footprints all over the kitchen floor. Since all three wear the same size shoes, their mom and dad can't tell which triplet should clean up the floor. "I didn't do it," said Annie. "Danny did it," said Fanny. "Fanny is lying," said Danny. Only one of the triplets is telling the truth — the other two are lying. Whose footprints are on the kitchen floor?

• Zoo Favorites

Dan, Jen, Keith, and Mia are having an argument about which animals to visit first at the zoo — the deer, the lions, the leopards or the giraffes. Each kid wants to see his or her favorite animal first. Dan is allergic to cats, so he doesn't like animals that are in the cat family. Jen's favorite animal doesn't have horns. Keith doesn't care for animals that have spots. Mia disagrees with both Dan and Keith. Which is each kid's favorite animal?

• Can You Explain?

See if you can let your brain switch directions to answer these questions:

1. How can you throw a ball as hard as you can and have it come back to you, even if it doesn't hit anything, there is nothing attached to it, and no one else catches or throws it?

2. Two students are sitting on opposite sides of the same desk. There is nothing in between them but the desk. Why can't they see each other?

3. There are only two T's in Timothy Tuttle. True or false?

• Colours

Imagine a world in which the colors of things have changed from what we consider normal. Assume the following changes:

Snow is now red. Grass is now black. The sky is now brown. Blood is now white. Soot is now green.

In such a world, what is the color of dirt?

• Where in the World?

Where in the world are you situated and in what direction are you facing if the following conditions are true?

• If you move to the right, it’s Saturday, July 1.

• If you move to the left, it’s Sunday, July 2.

• If you move forward, it’s summer.

• If you move backward, it’s winter.

• What's Next?

Here are three series of letters. Each letter in each series is the first letter of a word. The words in each series are related.

What are the next three letters in each series?

1. O, T, T, F, F, . . .

2. S, M, T, W, . . .

3. D, N, O, S, A, . . .

• Who Lives Where?

An apartment building has two floors, with three apartments on each floor. The Grays live in the top middle apartment. The Blues live directly above the Browns. If the Greens live on the top floor, then they live next door to the Blues. The Whites live to the left of the Greens, either on the top or bottom floor. The Blacks live on the top floor. Which family lives in which apartment?

READING

5. Underline the stressed sound in each word as in the example.

performance; inaccurate; to possess; to diagnose, leadership, retardation, primarily, analytical, cognitive

6. Mark the following statements true (T) or false (F). Compare your answers with a partner, then read the text below and check your answers.

1. Despite the slight IQ variance between males and females, their overall intelligence is about the same.

2. IQ test scores of children that were breastfed is generally higher.

3. The IQ test assesses job-specific knowledge and skills, therefore, it is effective at measuring career success.

4. The IQ test lacks sensitivity to different cultures and ethnic groups, specifically the differences between Eastern and Western views of intelligence.

5. Students attending poorly funded schools often score lower than those at financially stable schools.

6. Eldest children are smarter and more likely to succeed than their younger siblings.

7. IQ tests are an accurate indicator of one’s intellectual potential.

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7. Think of the heading for each paragraph of the text.