Because the state where I live is full of idiots, we have these stupid tests that we have to take that are called SOLs (standards of learning) every year starting in maybe the 2nd or third grade. Maybe even earlier. The curriculum in our classes is always based on the SOLs, and we have to make sure that we cover what the STATE wants us to do, instead of topics that would be more interesting to us and the teachers. Well, today we started taking practice SOL tests in 2 of our classes (History and bio). My history teacher was nice and put previous tests that we had taken online on her web page for us to study, and her SOL review covered most of that material. I got a 98, and I studied. Our bio teacher, however, decided to be incredibly lame and not only didn't tell us what to study or review, she also didn't create the test on her own and found it randomly online from a previous sol in some other year which had 75% of material that we either hadn't learned or was so detailed in what it asked that it was impossible to remember. Here's a sample question: "In the U.S. and in Virginia, there has been recent success in helping to bring about a substantial increase in the population of a bird that was on the endangered species list. In fact, that bird species has been rmoved from the list. What is the bird species whose population has recovered?
A. the passenger pigeon
B. the bald eagle
C. the carolina parakeet
D. the great auk"
I put down the bald eagle, but we never learned any of that! That isn't even a common knowledge question! Did I mention that this was going to be counted as a test grade? It makes me so ANGRY! I want to get up and shout at her to stop challenging my intelligence with her STUPID MEANINGLESS tests which has little material which we have actually covered! I know I'm probably not going to do well, so I'm not sure what I should do. A lot of other people are complaining about it too.

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You know you totally missed me!

When I was in high school we had to take the same kind of tests. Basically, I showed up really high and faked my way through them. Thats what helped make me the man I am today.

I read comics all through high school and somehow still graduated top of my class. Kinda helped that the smartest kids were killed in mysterious car accidents spring semester.

Every state has something like that. The only thing that sounds lame to me is that the teacher decided to count it as a grade. The tests' purpose is merely to find out what average of knowlege persons of your age should have in your state. Furthermore, the tests decide what should be covered on your state GED. Which is why it was so easy for me to pass my GED. But other than that, quit complaining. We all had to go through it. Just the rest of us realized it didn't count for much of anything. Sorry you got a lame teacher that DID want to count it. Sue her. She should have given you at least 24 hours' notice for something that would count as a significant grade. And have your parents call the school. Duh. Also, it's an injustice, so your parents should probably also call the local news and have the story aired, because I'm sure many other parents would be concerned that their children's grades are being affected in such a way.

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Mediocrity at its most average.

Crikey, all we had were the SATs and some aptitude tests in elementary. Anyone have to take those anonymous surveys in high school where they asked you about sexual habits, drug use, etc.? I loved those things. All those statistics about high teen pregnancy rates were my doing.

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The giant three-phallused phallus of Uzbekistan will one day squirt the cosmic jizz of revenge all over Canada.

Ahh...fun with teachers... I've had to take dumb tests too. From what you've said, that teacher has her head up her ass. Just have your mom beat the little hussy into submission. That'll teach her. And if your mom cant beat her into submission, I'll let you borrow my mom. :)

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I will rate you hard, and unendingly.

We don't have those... we don't even have PSAT/SAT's... we just get the lovely finals, and then if you get accepted into Uni, woot. If not, retake the courses.

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Okay, Lindsay, are you forgetting that I was a professional twice over - an analyst and a therapist. The world's first analrapist.

In the U.S. we have this test where if your parents have assloads of money, you get accepted into college. If not, you spend the next 10 years working a job with your name sewn on to your shirt.

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I was gonna send a robot back in time, but I got high.

quote:

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"In the U.S. and in Virginia, there has been recent success in helping to bring about a substantial increase in the population of a bird that was on the endangered species list. In fact, that bird species has been rmoved from the list. What is the bird species whose population has recovered?
A. the passenger pigeon
B. the bald eagle
C. the carolina parakeet
D. the great auk"

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I didn't mind actually taking the SOL. I wasn't complaining about the actual SOL at all, in fact, besides the idea that those tests truly measure our intelligence and knowledge blah blah blah. I get pretty high scores on stuff like that, and I was in the 97 and 98 percentile for my verbal and writing scores in the PSAT's. I just was upset that we had so little review for the SOL and so little notice.

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You know you totally missed me!

It's a fucked-up system. Used to be the purpose of school was to educate you. Now it's to get you to pass this one test, and to hell with everything else. No wonder the students are SOL.

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ken.kaufman@gmail.com

quote:

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"In the U.S. and in Virginia, there has been recent success in helping to bring about a substantial increase in the population of a bird that was on the endangered species list. In fact, that bird species has been rmoved from the list. What is the bird species whose population has recovered?
A. the passenger pigeon
B. the bald eagle
C. the carolina parakeet
D. the great auk"

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ok a quick google tells me that there did exist such a bird as the Carolina Parakeet but most of the links mentioned the word 'extinct' so I am sticking with the bald eagle.

I bet the scientists just shave the heads of sea eagles and release 'em back into the wild.

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GOVT. Warning: Do not smoke around children they will badger you for fags.

Hehe
Anyway I got kind of confused because I knew that I had heard the passenger pigeon mentioned with population issues at one point, the Carolina parakeet wouldn't be native to VIRGINIA, but I had no clue what the auk was either. My friend Paul said it was Russian.

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You know you totally missed me!