Just in time for Independence Day from MSNBC.com.
When immigrants want to become Americans, they must take a civics test as part of their naturalization interview before a Citizenship and Immigration Services (INS) officer. The questions are usually selected from a list of 100 sample questions that prospective citizens can look at ahead of the interview (though the examiner is not limited to those questions). Some are easy, some are not. We have picked some of the more difficult ones.
NewMexiKen is proud to report that I scored an ace — 20 for 20!
Thanks to Cat’s Mom Tanya for the link.
Update: Last year’s Independence Day trivia quiz is getting a number of visits today. Want to test your U.S. history and geography trivia knowledge again?
also 20 — with considerable guess work.
i am reminded inexplicably of the pre-fourth visit i made to see the editor of the newspaper of my small hometown years ago. i was a youngish man discovering the power democracy, and the force of jefferson’s towering declaration had moved me to a sort of patriotism. i asked the editor if he would print the declaration’s philosophical intro on a full page. he declined. i asked him if he would run that part of the declaration on a quarter page in a box. he refused. in fact he wouldn’t print it at all.
Well God Blees Me: I’m a Yankee-Doodle Dandy. I aced it too.
I am inclined to think that the readership of the NewMexiken is more educated and well-read than the average citizenry. In my highly unscientific poll of friends, family and co-workers, numbering about 20 folks, the average score was 80% with several falling well below the mark needed for citizenship. I score a 95%, missing the question on which form to fill out. The only other person I know who scored 90% or above is a friend from England who is currently undergoing the process and also scored a 95%.