English language exam :(

Anna from Italy   Fri Feb 24, 2006 6:04 pm GMT
These are the questions from my English language & civilization exam. I find it very difficult :( Try, knock yourselves out

1- who was Alger Hiss
2- who was John Foster Dulles and what were some of his memorable phrases?
3- what were the main features of the New Deal
4- who comprised the patriots during the Revolution
5- who boycotted 1980 Olympics and why
6- name all assasinated presidents of the U.S.
7. name one novel by H. James, E. Wharton and T. Dreiser
8- main reason for the decline of the American Socialist Party
9- who were the weathermen
10- who were the Sandinistas
11- what was the Free Speech Movement
12- who were Henry Ford, John Ford and Gerald Ford?
13- where was Pontiac's uprising taking place?
14- what triggered Los Angeles race riots in 1992.
13- when was the Republic of Texas established and when was it admitted to the Union
16- who is the present U.S. Secretary of State
17- who was Lucretia Mott
18- who painted Campbell soup cans
19- who inspired Martin Luther King's nonviolent protest
20- who wrote On the road?

Easy peasy lemon squeezy, no?
Ant_222   Fri Feb 24, 2006 8:28 pm GMT
The most interesting thing is the reason you are expected to keep in mind useless things like that. In real life you can visit wikipedia are find the needed info... Why learn by heart the murdered US presidents?

If they think these facts show your knowledge of Civilization...
Uriel   Sat Feb 25, 2006 1:17 am GMT
1- who was Alger Hiss

American politician. No idea what breed, though.

2- who was John Foster Dulles and what were some of his memorable phrases?

Ditto. Known to live up to his name (very boring), and has an airport in DC named after him. Can't quote him, though.

3- what were the main features of the New Deal

FDR's proposal to mitigate the Great Depression, right? ABC programs, social security, etc?

4- who comprised the patriots during the Revolution

Those favoring independence from Great Britain.

5- who boycotted 1980 Olympics and why

The US. Something about the USSR.

6- name all assasinated presidents of the U.S.

Lincoln, McKinley, Kennedy, and somebody else.

7. name one novel by H. James, E. Wharton and T. Dreiser

Who?

8- main reason for the decline of the American Socialist Party

No idea.

9- who were the weathermen

Ararchists in the 60's.

10- who were the Sandinistas

Central American rebels.

11- what was the Free Speech Movement

?

12- who were Henry Ford, John Ford and Gerald Ford?

Carmaker, who knows, and unremarkable ex-president.

13- where was Pontiac's uprising taking place?

God, I hope it was Michigan ... but it's probably not.

14- what triggered Los Angeles race riots in 1992.

Rodney King's videotaped police beating, and the acquittal of the officers involved.

13- when was the Republic of Texas established and when was it admitted to the Union

1832, 1842 (I think 1842....)

16- who is the present U.S. Secretary of State

Condoleezza Rice.

17- who was Lucretia Mott

Sounds familiar, but drawing a blank.

18- who painted Campbell soup cans

Andy Warhol. (duh!)

19- who inspired Martin Luther King's nonviolent protest

Gandhi.

20- who wrote On the road?

Jack Kerouac.


Well, I never claimed to be civilized! ;)
Benjamin   Sat Feb 25, 2006 1:49 pm GMT
If the questions are supposed to be related to 'civilisations' which use the English language, why are they all about America? Or is it more of an American Studies exam?
Mxsmanic   Sat Feb 25, 2006 6:21 pm GMT
This is an American history exam, not an English language exam. And most Americans would fail it. History is a particularly useless domain of human knowledge.
andre in usa   Sat Feb 25, 2006 7:31 pm GMT
"History is a particularly useless domain of human knowledge."

It's useless because of the way its taught. Just look at the list of factoids above: random facts with nothing linking them, no causality or unity. The student will end up forgetting most of them.
Ant_222   Sat Feb 25, 2006 8:22 pm GMT
If that uestions were about the visions and deeds of that people instead of perfunctory things like who- and when-facts...
Guest   Sun Feb 26, 2006 12:48 am GMT
"History is a particularly useless domain of human knowledge."

That makes for an austere, meaningless, almost unnecessary existence. Explain that to those making finds on archeological digs. I'd love to hear their reaction.
Stan   Sun Feb 26, 2006 2:18 am GMT
<< "History is a particularly useless domain of human knowledge. >>


A chronological record of events, as of the life or development of a people or institution, often including an explanation of or commentary on those. A formal written account of related natural phenomena The events forming the subject matter of a historical account. The aggregate of past events or human affairs.

What part of the above is useless?

And...have you ever heard the adage: "No knowledge is lost."