5. Distribute the test and have each group designate answers on a
single answer sheet (usually one of the member’s tests). Allow exactly 15
minutes for completion of the test. Periodically indicate how much time
remains during the test.
D. Processing the exercise
1. Announce the correct answers and any explanation of answers
required. Have groups and individuals (comparison) determine how
many correct answers they obtained.
2. Have individuals compute their scores. Also have individuals
determine the highest and the lowest scores among them
(range) and the mean score (average) of all individuals.
3. Compare the results. In virtually all cases, group scores will be higher
than any individual score and way above the mean score of all
individuals combined. Why? (See text)
a. Group synergy comes from pooling resources/knowledge. No
individual is likely to know the answers to every question, but in
groups, only one of the group members needs to know the correct
answer, not every member of the group. This was a broad range task
requiring diverse knowledge and skills.
b. Groups can share the load by dividing labor (split up the questions
among the group members). In this way groups can sometimes
complete a complex task more quickly than an individual.
c. Group synergy will also result from the error correction function
of groups. A single group member can show why an answer is
incorrect, moving the group to choose an alternative answer.
d. No individual is likely to be an expert on entire complex task.
TEST #1
1. “Baste” is a sewing term meaning to
a. pin a pattern to the fabric
b. iron out pleats in the fabric
c. fasten fabric parts with loose, temporary stitches
d. hem a dress or pants by hand with pins and needles
2. A “Windsor Knot” is
a. a wind coming out of the west going 20 or more nautical miles per hour
b. a British symbol of royalty
c. a slipknot put in a halyard
d. a double slipknot used in a necktie
3. A “Flea-flicker” is
a. a brand of flea repellant for pets
b. an unusual play in football
c. a type of cocktail
d. slang for novice veterinarian
4. A bundt cake is
a. a cake cooked in a tube pan
b. a German sausage made into round patty cakes
c. a Swedish pastry
d. a three-tiered wedding cake
5. A man bought a horse for $60 and sold it for $70. He later bought the same
horse back for $80 and sold it again for $90. What was the net result of his
transactions?
a. He lost $10
b. He broke even
c. He made $10
d. He made $20
6. Ubiquitous means
a. rebellious
b. everywhere
c. gigantic
d. revolting
7. Perfunctory means
a. superficial
b. punctual
c. probing
d. animated
8. Contentious means
a. advocatory
b. sarcastic
c. quarrelsome
d. persuasive
9. Mundane means
a. dog-like
b. bothersome
c. commonplace
d. moist
10. John weighs himself every Thanksgiving. His average weight over the
past five years is 150 pounds. He is happy because for the first four
years his average weight was 155. What does he weigh this
Thanksgiving?
a. 120 pounds
b. 145 pounds
c. 150 pounds
d. 130 pounds
Each equation below contains the initials of words that will make it correct. Find the
missing words. For example: 60= M in an H is minutes in an hour.
11. 20,000 = L under the S _______________________
12. 3 = T in a T _________________________
13. 100 = Y in a FF ________________________
14. 3 = BM (S H T R) _____________________
15. A very tall man with a red polka dot tie was walking along
the side of the road. He was run over by 3 trucks and 4
cars (all made in the USA). He was not harmed in the
least; not a mark on him. How could this happen?
16. Two men are playing checkers. They played five games
and each man wins the same number of games with no
draws. How can you figure this out?
In the example below, the first two nouns are related in some way.
Discover the relationship, then determine the same relationship
between the next pair of nouns.
Example: Ford is to automobile as Cessna is to airplane.
17. Finger is to touch as Ear is to
a. music
b. hearing
c. noise
d. shouting
18. Civic is to Bib as Radar is to
a. dinner
b. planet
c. team
d. level
19. A woman has 2 coins (U. S.) in her hand which total 55
cents in value. One is not a nickel. What are the coins?
20. A riddle! What gets larger the more you take away?
Interpret the following:
21. WEAR
LACE
22. He’s / Himself
23. PLANE
PLANE
24. KNEE
LIGHT
25. The Roman numeral for 654 is _________
Total correct:__________
TEST A ANSWERS:
TEST #2
1. A two-cycle gasoline engine is
a. one with two pistons
b. one which combines diesel and unleaded gasoline
c. one with only two valves
d. one which uses a mixture of gasoline and oil
2. A balk is
a. a legal hesitation or checked swing of a bat in baseball
b. a penalty kick in soccer
c. an illegal pitching motion in baseball
d. a windup used by the bowler in cricket
3. Selvage is a sewing term that refers to
a. the edge of woven fabric finished to prevent raveling.
b. the hem of a dress
c. remnants of fabric once the pattern has been cut
d. lining used to reinforce fabric
4. Roux is a cooking term that refers to
a. a mixture of flour and eggs
b. a cooked mixture of flour and butter
c. a cooked mixture of flour and corn starch
d. a mixture of brown sugar and egg whites
5. A woman bought a chair for $110 and sold it for $120. She later bought the same
chair back for $130 and sold it again for $140. What was the net result of her
transactions?
a. She lost $10
b. She broke even
c. She made $10
d. She made $20
6. Disingenuous means
a. naive
b. lacking in virtue
c. lacking in candor
d. lacking magical powers
7. Superfluous means
a. unnecessary
b. outstanding
c. outrageous
d. highly liquefied
8. Plebeian means
a. a high ranking military officer during the reign of Julius Caesar
b. a common person
c. a person who exercises authority over others
d. another name for a hustler
9. Reverberate means
a. to echo
b. to vibrate
c. to pound
d. to pluck strings on a harp
10. You have flipped a coin five times and heads or tails has come up in the
following sequence: H H T T T. What is the probability that the next coin
flip will come up Tails?
a. 1 in 5 (20%)
b. 1 in 4 (25%)
c. 1 in 6 (16.67%)
d. 1 in 2 (50%)
Each familiar equation below contains the initials of words that will make it correct.
Find the missing words. For example: 60 = M in an H is minutes in an hour.
11. 12 = D of C ____________________
12. 100 = C in a M ____________________
13. 90 = D in a RA ___________________
14. 13 = BD ____________________
15. Bitter sweet is an example of
a. dangling participle
b. spoonerism
c. oxymoron
d. alliteration
Interpret the following:
16. STAND = ___________________
EYE
17. ZERO = ____________________
PhD
MA
BA
18. CYCLE = ___________________
CYCLE
CYCLE
19. /R/E/A/D/I/N/G = _________________
20. The number 1194 in Roman numerals is ____________
21. Here is the number: IX. By the addition of one line, how
can you make it into a 6?
In the example below, the first two nouns are related in some way. Discover the
relationship, then determine the same relationship between the next pair of nouns.
Example: Ford is to automobile as Cessna is to airplane.
22. DEED is to CIVIC as POP is to:
a. Road
b. Divot
c. Madam
d. Load
23. Jeweler is to Vivid as Silicic is to:
a. Coincident
b. Carat
c. Mythology
d. Quartz
24. A woman gives two buckets marked 7 gallons and 4 gallons (but no other
markings) to her friend and tells him to get EXACTLY ten gallons of water
from the river. He asks how he is supposed to get exactly ten gallons of
water since the buckets have no markings except total volume. She says,
“Figure it out. I’ve been doing it for years.” Puzzled, he sees you coming his
way. He explains his predicament. Below, tell him how to solve the
problem.
25. Homer weighs himself every New Years Day. His average weight over the past
five years is 217 pounds. He is encouraged because for the first four years his
average weight was 225 pounds. What does he weigh this New Years
day (the fifth year)?
a. 195 pounds
b. 185 pounds
c. 203 pounds
d. 190 pounds
Total correct: _______
a. Group synergy comes from pooling resources/knowledge. No
individual is likely to know the answers to every question, but in
groups, only one of the group members needs to know the correct
answer, not every member of the group. This was a broad range task
requiring diverse knowledge and skills.
b. Groups can share the load by dividing labor (split up the questions
among the group members). In this way groups can sometimes
complete a complex task more quickly than an individual.
c. Group synergy will also result from the error correction function
of groups. A single group member can show why an answer is
incorrect, moving the group to choose an alternative answer.
d. No individual is likely to be an expert on entire complex task.
TEST #1
1. “Baste” is a sewing term meaning to
a. pin a pattern to the fabric
b. iron out pleats in the fabric
c. fasten fabric parts with loose, temporary stitches
d. hem a dress or pants by hand with pins and needles
2. A “Windsor Knot” is
a. a wind coming out of the west going 20 or more nautical miles per hour
b. a British symbol of royalty
c. a slipknot put in a halyard
d. a double slipknot used in a necktie
3. A “Flea-flicker” is
a. a brand of flea repellant for pets
b. an unusual play in football
c. a type of cocktail
d. slang for novice veterinarian
4. A bundt cake is
a. a cake cooked in a tube pan
b. a German sausage made into round patty cakes
c. a Swedish pastry
d. a three-tiered wedding cake
5. A man bought a horse for $60 and sold it for $70. He later bought the same
horse back for $80 and sold it again for $90. What was the net result of his
transactions?
a. He lost $10
b. He broke even
c. He made $10
d. He made $20
6. Ubiquitous means
a. rebellious
b. everywhere
c. gigantic
d. revolting
7. Perfunctory means
a. superficial
b. punctual
c. probing
d. animated
8. Contentious means
a. advocatory
b. sarcastic
c. quarrelsome
d. persuasive
9. Mundane means
a. dog-like
b. bothersome
c. commonplace
d. moist
10. John weighs himself every Thanksgiving. His average weight over the
past five years is 150 pounds. He is happy because for the first four
years his average weight was 155. What does he weigh this
Thanksgiving?
a. 120 pounds
b. 145 pounds
c. 150 pounds
d. 130 pounds
Each equation below contains the initials of words that will make it correct. Find the
missing words. For example: 60= M in an H is minutes in an hour.
11. 20,000 = L under the S _______________________
12. 3 = T in a T _________________________
13. 100 = Y in a FF ________________________
14. 3 = BM (S H T R) _____________________
15. A very tall man with a red polka dot tie was walking along
the side of the road. He was run over by 3 trucks and 4
cars (all made in the USA). He was not harmed in the
least; not a mark on him. How could this happen?
16. Two men are playing checkers. They played five games
and each man wins the same number of games with no
draws. How can you figure this out?
In the example below, the first two nouns are related in some way.
Discover the relationship, then determine the same relationship
between the next pair of nouns.
Example: Ford is to automobile as Cessna is to airplane.
17. Finger is to touch as Ear is to
a. music
b. hearing
c. noise
d. shouting
18. Civic is to Bib as Radar is to
a. dinner
b. planet
c. team
d. level
19. A woman has 2 coins (U. S.) in her hand which total 55
cents in value. One is not a nickel. What are the coins?
20. A riddle! What gets larger the more you take away?
Interpret the following:
21. WEAR
LACE
22. He’s / Himself
23. PLANE
PLANE
24. KNEE
LIGHT
25. The Roman numeral for 654 is _________
Total correct:__________
TEST A ANSWERS:
TEST #2
1. A two-cycle gasoline engine is
a. one with two pistons
b. one which combines diesel and unleaded gasoline
c. one with only two valves
d. one which uses a mixture of gasoline and oil
2. A balk is
a. a legal hesitation or checked swing of a bat in baseball
b. a penalty kick in soccer
c. an illegal pitching motion in baseball
d. a windup used by the bowler in cricket
3. Selvage is a sewing term that refers to
a. the edge of woven fabric finished to prevent raveling.
b. the hem of a dress
c. remnants of fabric once the pattern has been cut
d. lining used to reinforce fabric
4. Roux is a cooking term that refers to
a. a mixture of flour and eggs
b. a cooked mixture of flour and butter
c. a cooked mixture of flour and corn starch
d. a mixture of brown sugar and egg whites
5. A woman bought a chair for $110 and sold it for $120. She later bought the same
chair back for $130 and sold it again for $140. What was the net result of her
transactions?
a. She lost $10
b. She broke even
c. She made $10
d. She made $20
6. Disingenuous means
a. naive
b. lacking in virtue
c. lacking in candor
d. lacking magical powers
7. Superfluous means
a. unnecessary
b. outstanding
c. outrageous
d. highly liquefied
8. Plebeian means
a. a high ranking military officer during the reign of Julius Caesar
b. a common person
c. a person who exercises authority over others
d. another name for a hustler
9. Reverberate means
a. to echo
b. to vibrate
c. to pound
d. to pluck strings on a harp
10. You have flipped a coin five times and heads or tails has come up in the
following sequence: H H T T T. What is the probability that the next coin
flip will come up Tails?
a. 1 in 5 (20%)
b. 1 in 4 (25%)
c. 1 in 6 (16.67%)
d. 1 in 2 (50%)
Each familiar equation below contains the initials of words that will make it correct.
Find the missing words. For example: 60 = M in an H is minutes in an hour.
11. 12 = D of C ____________________
12. 100 = C in a M ____________________
13. 90 = D in a RA ___________________
14. 13 = BD ____________________
15. Bitter sweet is an example of
a. dangling participle
b. spoonerism
c. oxymoron
d. alliteration
Interpret the following:
16. STAND = ___________________
EYE
17. ZERO = ____________________
PhD
MA
BA
18. CYCLE = ___________________
CYCLE
CYCLE
19. /R/E/A/D/I/N/G = _________________
20. The number 1194 in Roman numerals is ____________
21. Here is the number: IX. By the addition of one line, how
can you make it into a 6?
In the example below, the first two nouns are related in some way. Discover the
relationship, then determine the same relationship between the next pair of nouns.
Example: Ford is to automobile as Cessna is to airplane.
22. DEED is to CIVIC as POP is to:
a. Road
b. Divot
c. Madam
d. Load
23. Jeweler is to Vivid as Silicic is to:
a. Coincident
b. Carat
c. Mythology
d. Quartz
24. A woman gives two buckets marked 7 gallons and 4 gallons (but no other
markings) to her friend and tells him to get EXACTLY ten gallons of water
from the river. He asks how he is supposed to get exactly ten gallons of
water since the buckets have no markings except total volume. She says,
“Figure it out. I’ve been doing it for years.” Puzzled, he sees you coming his
way. He explains his predicament. Below, tell him how to solve the
problem.
25. Homer weighs himself every New Years Day. His average weight over the past
five years is 217 pounds. He is encouraged because for the first four years his
average weight was 225 pounds. What does he weigh this New Years
day (the fifth year)?
a. 195 pounds
b. 185 pounds
c. 203 pounds
d. 190 pounds
Total correct: _______