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'ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5TH GRADER?'

#1
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3/1/07 at 11:30pm
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Perhaps, perhaps not, but I could wring a 5th graders neck.

What a strange concept for a game show, to bring on an adult and pair him or her with one of a panel of 5 5th graders and have him or her answer basic questions that your average 5th grader can answer.

What gets me about this show is that the title isn't really accurate, it should be called How Much Have You Forgotten Since You Were in 5th Grade? since it's not really a question of the adults not knowing the answers but rather they merely have forgotten them, so really it's an experiment in adult memorization, how much do you remember from 5th grade?

If you find yourself stumped on some of these questions don't beat yourself up too badly, you must remember that these kids are learning this stuff now, it's fresh in their minds where as us adults have accumulated so much knowledge since 5th grade that the insignificant stuff get's filed away in our memory banks, some of it never to be given any thought again in our lifetime.

I mean really, when was the last time you were asked and were required to know what month Columbus day fell on lol?

This is extranious knowledge, and trust me, in 20 years time most of the kids featured on the show would have forgotten it too.
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#2
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3/2/07 at 12:15am
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Re: 'ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5TH GRADER?'

> What gets me about this show is that the title isn't really accurate, it should be called How Much Have You Forgotten Since You Were in 5th Grade?

I agree, but I think it's a great concept, and the ratings would tend to prove I'm right.

Some of the questions people get wrong are amazing, even for adults. For example- how many states border the Pacific Ocean? Every American adult should be able to answer that one. It's not a memorization thing like naming all the Presidents or state capitals.

Another easy one- which country shares the longest border with the US? Well, first, how many choices are there? And second, if you ever saw a map, which border looks longer- the one with Canada, or the one with Mexico? It's not even close.
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#3
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3/2/07 at 5:13am
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Re: 'ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5TH GRADER?'

The ratings are more from having an American Idol lead-in.

"Jee-sus, it's like Iwo Jima out there" - Roger Sterling on "Mad Men"
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#4
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3/2/07 at 5:20am
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Re: 'ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5TH GRADER?'

Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris Lockwood
Another easy one- which country shares the longest border with the US? Well, first, how many choices are there? And second, if you ever saw a map, which border looks longer- the one with Canada, or the one with Mexico? It's not even close.
Yet she screwed it up, leaving me to believe that it was staged. It's just hard for me to believe that a college educated person wouldn't know the answer to that question... even an American .

I was surprised at the REM sleep answer, which I knew, but only from recent years. They sure as heck didn't teach me that in 5th grade.

There is a serious problem with the show though, even when it's obvious that they know the answer, the contestants drag it out on purpose, as opposed to other shows where their hesitations create real suspense.

I am really curious about the selection process on this show. Any quiz wiz can go in there and tear it apart, so how to they make sure they pick people ignorant enough to make the show interesting.

Overall though, the concept of this show makes me uneasy. I'll explain after one more screening I guess.

The Nielsen numbers were phenomenal, it broke some kind of record for a premiere.

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H
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#5
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3/2/07 at 6:10am
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Re: 'ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5TH GRADER?'

The show isn't bad, but it sure is a pain to watch them stretch 5 minutes of question and answer into 30 (or in last nights case 60) minutes of television. They need to edit it better to cut down on the drama of not knowing an answer to get more questions and more people through.

Although.... the lady at the end last night was a MILF, so I guess spending some extra time there isn't a bad thing.
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#6
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3/2/07 at 6:20am
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Re: 'ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5TH GRADER?'

I find this show highly annoying and can't turn the dial fast enough.

It takes 52 pounds of pressure to rupture an eyeball...

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#7
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3/2/07 at 7:35am
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Re: 'ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5TH GRADER?'

Quote:
Originally Posted by Holadem
I am really curious about the selection process on this show. Any quiz wiz can go in there and tear it apart, so how to they make sure they pick people ignorant enough to make the show interesting.
Use the people who were rejected as contestants on Deal or No Deal?
Does anyone even click on these "My Collection" links?
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#8
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3/2/07 at 3:21pm
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Re: 'ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5TH GRADER?'

OK, my wife and I both got the question about the Dewey Decimal system wrong, unless we mis-heard the question. We thought fiction books were NOT cataloged by the DD system, that they're simply alphabetized by author. This is driving us nuts because, well, we THOUGHT we were smarter than 5th graders. Any librarians out there who saw the show and can elucidate?
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#9
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3/2/07 at 3:44pm
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Re: 'ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5TH GRADER?'

Wikipedia:
Quote:
It is a common misconception that all books in the DDC are non-fiction. The DDC has a number for all books, including those that generally become their own section of fiction. If DDC rules are strictly followed, American fiction is classified in 813. Most libraries create a separate fiction section because of the space that would be taken up in the 800s.

Quote:
how many states border the Pacific Ocean?
What was the accepted answer? Four? Change "border" to "share a border with" and it arguably becomes five.
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#10
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3/2/07 at 4:11pm
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Re: 'ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5th GRADER?'

Quote:
Originally Posted by Inspector Hammer!

What gets me about this show is that the title isn't really accurate, it should be called How Much Have You Forgotten Since You Were in 5th Grade?

Another title suggestion: Jaywalking - Primetime

"No one would know us there."

-Far From Heaven- (2002)

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#11
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3/2/07 at 5:03pm
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Re: 'ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5TH GRADER?'

[quote=Ken Chan
What was the accepted answer? Four? Change "border" to "share a border with" and it arguably becomes five.[/QUOTE]
It's five. Washington, Oregon, California, Alaska and Hawaii. Nothing deceiving about the question, just a lot of people forget about our 49th and 50th States.

I've only caught one episode, the one last night. Fun show, but some of the questions I sure didn't learn by 5th grade, if ever.

Personally it seems like a show that is going to reinforce the question that gets asked by nearly every student that has ever existed...."when am I going to actually need to know this?" The truth is you probably won't, unless you end up on a gameshow called Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?
The End.
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#12
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3/2/07 at 5:28pm
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Re: 'ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5TH GRADER?'

A show like this is just another sign that we're very near the end of civilization.

"If you're good at something, never do it for free."

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#13
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3/2/07 at 6:43pm
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Re: 'ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5TH GRADER?'

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jason Harbaugh
It's five. Washington, Oregon, California, Alaska and Hawaii. Nothing deceiving about the question, just a lot of people forget about our 49th and 50th States.
Does Hawaii technically border the pacific (in reference to the verb "border")? LOL
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#14
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3/2/07 at 6:51pm
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Re: 'ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5TH GRADER?'

I'm shocked that no one here has pointed out that I used the word 'ring' incorrectly.
"You have no idea how far i'm willing to go to acquire your cooperation." - Jack Bauer
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#15
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3/2/07 at 9:42pm
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Re: 'ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5TH GRADER?'

Quote:
Originally Posted by MarkHastings
Does Hawaii technically border the pacific (in reference to the verb "border")? LOL
Absolutely. Hawaii's only border is the Pacific. Unless I'm missing something about your question... The smiley throws me off. :p
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#16
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3/3/07 at 6:56am
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Re: 'ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5TH GRADER?'

I was saying it sarcastically. I was sarcastically challenging the thought that it doesn't really border it, it's IN it! LOL
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#17
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3/3/07 at 7:37am
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Re: 'ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5TH GRADER?'

I don't know about your educations, but I certainly didn't learn elements until highschool ('Na' is what chemical?).

"Did you know that more people are murdered at 92 degrees Fahrenheit than any other temperature? I read an article once. Lower temperatures, people are easy-going, over 92 and it's too hot to move, but just 92, people get irritable."

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#18
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3/3/07 at 8:05am
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Re: 'ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5TH GRADER?'

Quote:
I don't know about your educations, but I certainly didn't learn elements until highschool ('Na' is what chemical?).
Early Junior High for me. Electrolysis and that sort of stuff. 5th grade is possible, but I strongly doubt that.

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H
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#19
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3/3/07 at 11:26am
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Re: 'ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5TH GRADER?'

Definately Jr High on the elements for me. Of course I'm old enough that the chart was significantly smaller to begin with. My answer from the 5th grade about the Pacific Border states would have correctly been 3.

"I sit in my cube with my headphones on and try to let my competence hold back the tide for as long as possible, then move on when the flood of stupidity breaches the levee. I'm a refugee from Hurricane Stupid."

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#20
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3/3/07 at 6:49pm
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Re: 'ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5TH GRADER?'

Quote:
Originally Posted by MarkHastings
I was saying it sarcastically. I was sarcastically challenging the thought that it doesn't really border it, it's IN it! LOL
Phew, that's what I thought you were going for. Probably didn't help that I had just been reading a board where sarcasm is a lost cause.
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#21
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3/3/07 at 7:27pm
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Re: 'ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5TH GRADER?'

Yeah, kind of like if a car was at the edge of a lake. You could say that the car is bordering the lake, but if you pushed the car into the lake, would you still say that it is bordering the lake? LOL
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#22
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3/3/07 at 7:32pm
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Re: 'ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5TH GRADER?'

> I was sarcastically challenging the thought that it doesn't really border it, it's IN it!

I don't remember exactly how the question was phrased- the word "border" might not have been used, but it was clear what was meant.


I'm another one who never knew the Dewey system included fiction, maybe since every one of the 4539 libraries I've been to did not have numbers on the fiction, which is ALWAYS alpha by author,... and cramming all fiction under just one number out of 999 shows how lame that system is, sort of like me counting my Buffy Complete Collection as "one DVD" because it is one item at the store. Anyway, we certainly weren't taught about fiction being in that system in elementary school.
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#23
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3/15/07 at 10:52am
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Re: 'ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5TH GRADER?'

I guess we'll see if this show really is connecting with the audience, or just getting that American Idol bump from previous AI lead-ins, as it airs with no lead-in tonight.

"Jee-sus, it's like Iwo Jima out there" - Roger Sterling on "Mad Men"
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#24
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3/15/07 at 11:37am
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Re: 'ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5TH GRADER?'

Quote:
Originally Posted by Patrick Sun
I guess we'll see if this show really is connecting with the audience, or just getting that American Idol bump from previous AI lead-ins, as it airs with no lead-in tonight.
My guess is probably not. The show comes on once a week which requires us to wait till next week for someone to get it or screw up, and I always find time change in many circumstances is a signal of poor ratings. After Idol it was good, by it's self it's annoying. I learned about the Periodic Table in Junior high. Well Jeff Foxworthy, I like ya, but find a better show. What gets my goat is why it takes each contestant so long to answer the darn questions. I hate that in millionaire, why bring it here and other shows, just annoying.

Listen Up People.., Rack Em and Pack Em.., We're Phantoms in 15.
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#25
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3/15/07 at 12:05pm
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Re: 'ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5TH GRADER?'

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jerome Grate
What gets my goat is why it takes each contestant so long to answer the darn questions. I hate that in millionaire, why bring it here and other shows, just annoying.

Tell me about it. If I was sitting in the audience I'd probably get kicked out for heckling.

Question: After the decimal point, what is the third number of PI?
Answer: "Wow, let me think about this for a second..... I like pie, so this should be easy..."
Jeff Foxworthy cuts in: "We're not asking about Hostess Fruit Pie you know. You might be a redneck if...." (audience laughs hysterically)
Answer: "Ok, boy. Well I know the first number is 3.... but I'm just drawing a blank here.
JF: "And that would be great, if the question were 'What is the first number of PI?'
Answer: "I guess I could use a cheat. I can tell that (insert 5th graders name here) looks really smart... maybe I should copy."
JF: "You went to Penn State, right? And you want to copy off a child... how sad."
Answer: "I think I know the answer, but do I know it enough to risk $5,000? That's a lot of money.... hmmmmmm... but for some reason 9 is screaming out at me.... but I might be confusing that with something else.... Ok, I'm going to copy." (pushes big red button)

JF: "After all that, you want to copy. Show us (kids name) answer..... (pause for 15 seconds of drama as adult sweats nervously) I have good news for you, she got it right, the answer is 1"

Contestant cheers giving high fives, hugs, maybe a slap on the butt and a "good game, kid" despite the fact he/she is a moron and a 5th grader saved their ass. Oh, and all that took 15 minutes. Ready for question 2?
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#26
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3/15/07 at 12:33pm
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Re: 'ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5TH GRADER?'

Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris Lockwood
> I was sarcastically challenging the thought that it doesn't really border it, it's IN it!

I don't remember exactly how the question was phrased- the word "border" might not have been used, but it was clear what was meant.


I'm another one who never knew the Dewey system included fiction, maybe since every one of the 4539 libraries I've been to did not have numbers on the fiction, which is ALWAYS alpha by author,... and cramming all fiction under just one number out of 999 shows how lame that system is, sort of like me counting my Buffy Complete Collection as "one DVD" because it is one item at the store. Anyway, we certainly weren't taught about fiction being in that system in elementary school.


wow i hope you don't mean the Dewey system is lame. It is a fantastic system that allows everything created to have its' very own accession number. Although some of the numbers can be quite long.
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#27
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3/19/07 at 11:10am
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Re: 'ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5TH GRADER?'

Granted that some of the questions should be simple enough to answer, but it is quite conceivable for a contestant to have a brain freeze/fart--I surely did on this past Thursday's episode; on the true/false question regarding if the Sun is over 50 million miles from Earth, I answered incorrectly because I somehow managed to zone out in not seeing the word "over"...instead, just focusing on the fact that the Sun is roughly 93 million miles away...therefore, the answer should be "false". Boy would I have felt stupid if I got eliminated on that question, all because I hadn't read the question more carefully.

FWIW--I also zoned out on the 61-cent question...forgot all about the 50-cent coin.

My point? If I can screw up on such easy questions while sitting at home w/ no pressure on me at all...imagine how it must feel like for some of those contestants, w/ those bright lights and cameras focused on them? I mean...after all, I'd be willing to bet that each and every one of you have had a brain fart or two in your lifetime!
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#28
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3/19/07 at 11:51am
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Re: 'ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5TH GRADER?'

Quote:
My point? If I can screw up on such easy questions while sitting at home w/ no pressure on me at all...imagine how it must feel like for some of those contestants, w/ those bright lights and cameras focused on them? I mean...after all, I'd be willing to bet that each and every one of you have had a brain fart or two in your lifetime!

Tell me about it. I have to admit, my brain froze up in front of my wife many of times. What's sad is my wife thinks I'm smart

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#29
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3/19/07 at 2:27pm
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Re: 'ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5TH GRADER?'

Quote:
Originally Posted by TonyTone
imagine how it must feel like for some of those contestants, w/ those bright lights and cameras focused on them?
and don't forget the pressures of wanting to win money. One mistake, and you're done (unlike at home) which must be extremely nerve-racking.
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#30
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3/24/07 at 7:20pm
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Re: 'ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5TH GRADER?'

They had a real winner this past week, a blonde woman who had won $300,000 and then got stumped with...

What is the one continent that is also a country?

She started rattling off the names of the continents and finally decided to quit. When asked what her answer would've been if she'd had to answer, she replied "All of them?".
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