THE BOOKMAN’S TABLE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, Issue 17690, 2 July 1927, Page 15

THE BOOKMAN’S TABLE

THE , WEElt’B SPECIAL REVIEW,

‘‘Do ’;Yott r ‘ Know?’--—a question hook ;,cdinpiled by S. P. B. 'Mais, Bientanct’S) LtiL, Publishers, ..London. •’ ' ‘'

; In. these days of intelligence tests and the "growing activities of educationists .who claim that they can decide,*; at, Ahe : age, of . eleven or twelve, whether a child is likely to make good ;as a “tinker, tailorj-sol-dier, sailor,”-vetc. Such a book.as •'(Do You*-Know?’’ comes as a- wel- ' dome . addition to the literature of everyone who regards information testing as.’-a pleasant pastime. During the earlier days of American ■intervention' in the World War, the Washington' Administration, insisted that all .recruits for Uncle Sam’s prospective' Army, should be subjected: to a measurement of intelligence, ' 'Of 1,700,000 soldiers of the drafted' army who were tested, 45 p$T cent;-'did not get above- the twelve-year limit of intelligence. If then tbese figures hold for the 1 whole country* then• l a' very large proportion of the people of the United Btktes have not-advanced beyond the ’ mental capacity of the twelve-year-old child. But intelligence tests or Information testing are by no means Infallible .proofs of the mental capieity of the subject under examination. ■ For example, there is on record the instance of an ex-Minister dr , Education , challenging a Unir who.iwas a clever mathematician, who held - first-class - honours, to subject himself to a certain test. The ex-Minister wagered the professor that he could not add a twelve line long column tot of seven - ■. columng, - . in.. half t the tim'd allowed ;:Ahe school-bo# Hu aft examination. The wage was not accepted, but the professor frankly admitted he might not d 6 it. Mr Mais in the delightfully entertaining book before us, .>■ ‘.‘Do You Knaiiw?” sets oitt ~ questionnaires arranged.jin groups of fifty—some - general and, some special—-with;, answers at the'back. As a specialfeature the ratings of prominent people afbi'giveh/at the head oLeaclp group of questions. Interested readers may match their standard against that of distinguished people in various walks of life. Do you Bfore than H. G. Wells? or John Sillsworthy, or St lohn Ervine, or o®ren Nares, or Sir Arthur Quiller<2such, or lan Hay? “The idea of this book,” the compiler says in the preface, “is that you should pit yo.urself first against the famous perapn who . 'has.! already tried, and ■Whose marks are given at the top St;the paper, and then you should Bt yourself, against your friends.” K the book is of any value it is due entirely to. th&.splendid sportsmanship sh'own'W' 'the famous men-, Jurymen who ungrudgingly allowed themselves, tQAlje made scapegoats in order that readers of the- book should benefit by comparing results. <‘--The only; May-T;; can repay them,” gays Mr Mais, “is by resisting the tremendous temptation to disclose th&ir specific errors and omissions which were as delightful as they .were unexpected.” ' ■ ;£<Dne of the most interesting of the questionnaires, is No. 7, which . .is. given herewith:-^-' What is, in Cobbett’s sense of the word; the great wem? f- —Which village was described‘by • Coventry Patmore as the sweetest ih-Englafid? • .;:3- —Where is Borcovicus? '-•'if:—who wrote - “Two Bars’ InterH; val”? ,;,B_Who was Tony Lumpkin? pg__What Saint; tweaked the Devil’s nose? " - is Helston noted for? B—-How high iS, ; Mount Everest? "of_Who was Uther Pendragon? —Who wrote “The Immortal fir Hour”? j-j—what is the “Blue Peter”? —Who was Galatea? £3; —What relation was Ruth, to Naomi? . . ift!—How did'Cleopatra die? 15 —Who was Vercingetorix? •- |6—What is the, meaning of a ii:.; 1 . Roland for'ah Oliver? 17 —Who was Angel Clare?. J - —Who was Descartes? if—who impeached Warren Hastings? gl-—who were the Eumenides? og__-who wrote “Son? and Lovers”? 23. —who wrote “Ode to Evening”? a|l_What are Beefeaters? £|_What are the Old Boys of SherSKi bone called? o—Where is the Junior Turf Club? JfJ: —Who was Tom Cobleigh? ij__Who is Sir Alfred Fripp? S9 —Who wrote “C”? 3(fc —Where did Rupert Brooke die? 33* —who is the Editor of “Church tZZ: Times”? J®—What is a dactyl? 33 —-What was the bed of Procrutes? jjffi— Who wrote “Lord Jim”? . £§• —what is, the meaning of proofs, tean? ’VWho is Eddie Marsh?' mfL_who introduced the of vacpination into Englanu, 33^—Who wrote “Lovely are the £§. Curves of the White Owl Sweeping” ? 1 :|j|_-What is P. F. Warner’s nicking name? 2$ what are the colours of the 525 M.C.C.? What is a logan stone? IjHWhat gifts did the Magi bring?