My DD9 took the OLSAT yesterday. She said there was a verbal question that confused her. It asked for the word in which the ED was most like the ED in WANTED. She waffled between FILLED (because the ED makes it past tense and comes at the end) and BEDROOM (because the sound is the same). After initially choosing FILLED, she changed her answer to BEDROOM because she said there were a couple of other similar questions with more of an emphasis on sound relationships. Which relationship were they looking for here? Wouldn't it have been better to have another choice, like LIFTED?

Is it just me, or is this a bad question? I guess I see now why some GT kids don't do well on the OLSAT. DD really needs to do well, though, to get identified by the school. Overall, she said that the test wasn't that hard except for that one verbal question and one nonverbal one that she didn't answer because she ran out of time. Too bad we have to wait 4 months to find out how she did.

It would help to see the actual test wording, perhaps it was clearer there? I had a similar situation with DD11's state test prep. It had a list of grocery items, and a certain item was 2 for $X.XX. The grocery list only had one of those, and I couldn't help but wonder if the store would sell you one at half price, as DH and I actually have this conversation on a regular basis, teehee! But a bright kid might "buy" two, knowing full well that gives them an extra, but not realizing the question wanted you to assume you could half it.

I am curious though if the question above mentioned "use" or "sound" in the actual wording. And more importantly....what does it have to do with intelligence?

Best wishes with the results!

Yes, I think seeing the actual question would help. DD claimed that the quesiton didn't mention use or sound, but who knows? She's 9.

What a yucky state test question about the grocery items! I would have been confused by that as a kid.

Yeah, it becomes a test of whether you can figure out what the testers are asking rather than a test to show understanding or mastery of certain material.

I wonder if that's why my DD didn't score at advanced in language arts on her state testing last year...

I remember one of her in-class tests had an ambiguous question on it. It was a comprehension question about a short story they had read. It asked why one character had started talking to another character. Well, my DD interpreted this quite literally and described the beginning of the story where the two characters first met. But the answer the teacher wanted was about how the characters started speaking to each other again after a disagreement.

My DS10 was taking a practice test for his upcoming achievement tests and it had the question

What is a way humans do not use dirt? (I'm going to make up some of these as I can't remember exactly)
a. to build houses
b. for growing food
c. as food to eat
d. for potting plants

Well he made an "e" with a none of the above as we had recently discussed how children in Haiti are eating dirt cookies these days because they don't have enough food to eat. I explained he had to go for the answer he knew they were looking for regardless of what extra information he knows. I do think this is why these kids sometimes don't do well on these types of tests, they know more than what they're "supposed" to know at this age.

Then there's just outright "stupidity". DS, my math guy answered a question about what someone was most likely to dictate with population, because he saw virtually no point in writing down just one letter....you know, a. Or maybe b. Or perhaps c. ROFL!

That test writer above though obviously doesn't appreciate the fine gourmet of a good mud pie either, ! Yup, I'd say "E" (or "C"?) is smarter than the writers on that one!

When my kids do answer something wrong, it's always entertaining to listen to their reasons.

Maybe the dictator was dictating to the population??? ROFL!!!! (actually I can see where he was going with that answer - what does this say about me????)

Oh, my 2 always have some reason for the crazy things they do. DS10 especially has some creative answers. And the thing is, they usually make some sort of sense!!!

How about this one?

What do workers get from a quarry?
a. milk
b. crops
c. stone
d. cloth

Why cloth from the skins of their hunted animal of course. But unfortunately also wrong, .

I had to ask for an explanation from DS-then-8 on that one!

I would argue that one with the testing company, I think! It's not a wrong answer!

Too smart for their own good sometimes...

You are living my life! This is exactly the kinds of answers DS10 gives. And they DO make sense. That's always been the kicker for me. They just have a very different way of looking at things. I love it that he has this ability but it is frustrating on standardized tests. His 1st grade teacher told me I should embrace this quality so I've never tried to squelch it but it does make for some lower grades on these kinds of tests. We've been very lucky in the teachers that he has had. For the most part they've "gotten" him. I just dread the day one doesn't get him. I think it will make life quite miserable.