A is for Antidisestablishmentarianism Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The start of a new school year approaches and I am always concerned with the students that arrive in my classroom devoid of a brain. Which of the following words describes this "condition"?

Answer: Anencephalous

Anencephalous is a word derived from the Greek which literally translates to mean 'without a head'. In a comedic sense this is used to describe a person who is empty-headed or demonstrates a complete lack of common sense. In a biological sense, anencephaly is a rare biological condition where a baby might be born without a skull or missing a partial piece of the brain.

A baby born with this condition might be blind, deaf, and live in a vegetative state if surviving birth. Most babies do not survive long outside of the womb.

However, Nickolas Coke of Pueblo, Colorado lived to almost 4 years of age before passing away in 2012.

2. Now some students in my class will suffer severely from a similar disorder to my daughter Misha. Which of the following phobias literally is the fear of running out of reading material?

Answer: Abibliophobia

The fear of running out of reading material is an exceptionally rare phenomenon. I suppose that abibliophobia was more a problem in the 12th and 13th century than today. Reading is important especially when one considers that only 15-20% of all individuals incarcerated in the United States are literate.

A person who reads for just 15 minutes each day will read a minimum of one million words in a year. Amazingly over 50% of the U.S. population cannot read an 8th grade level book to completion.

3. Many students will come into my freshman composition class having taken what kind of test that claims to predict a student's ability to do something?

Answer: Aptitude Test

Aptitude tests are very popular especially in the process of admitting prospective students to college programs. In the United States, students will usually take the SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) or the ACT (American College Testing) exam. These psychometric tools are designed to assess a student's capability and readiness to succeed in post-high school education programs.

After college, students might take the MCAT (Medical College Admission Test) or LSAT (Law School Admission Test) tests if they are interested in pursuing medicine or law respectively for a career.

4. Every now and again a student comes into college wanting to engage in the scientific study of humanity. To which academic department will I direct them?

Answer: Anthropology

Anthropology is defined as the study of humankind. It is customarily broken down into two primary disciplines of social and cultural anthropology. Some students also take classes in the related discipline of archaeology which studies past culture by looking at historical evidence.

The science of anthropology crosses over widely into many other academic disciplines such as sociology, psychology, history, political science, medicine, religion, arts, sport, and the humanities.

5. Students on campus who come from China meet regularly together, speak their own language, eat Asian foods, and celebrate Chinese holidays. What concept is likely being asserted by this group of students?

Answer: Acculturation

Acculturation is described as staying connected to one's own culture while accepting the values and ethnocentricities of the dominant culture. Assimilation is a term whereby a person might work to fully accept the culture, values, norms, and political ideology of the dominant culture at the expense of their own. An example of the latter would be a native Chinese student who refuses to speak Mandarin or observe Chinese cultural practices while living in the United States.

6. One of my students was very upset that there was no fall break on the calendar. He said he was going to bring something to class to have everyone sign. Problem is which word did he use that actually means a ghost rather than a petition?

Answer: Apparition

True story! The teacher in me was so disappointed to see a blank piece of paper rather than a supernatural, disembodied spirit in the classroom on the following Tuesday. Ghosts, specters, doppelgangers, poltergeists, and other supernatural entities are often the subject of stories and legends on many college campuses.

At Lindenwood University in St. Charles Missouri there have been many sightings of Mary Sibley, the founder of the College walking the upper hallways and grounds of the dormitories. Sibley has even been heard playing the old pipe organ at night in the Sibley Hall building named for her.

7. In a freshman religion class, a student advanced his philosophical belief that he could not reject or accept the teacher's belief in a higher power because the concept could not be proved or disproved. What philosophical tradition does this suggest?

Answer: Agnosticism

Many people do not understand the difference between atheism and agnosticism. An atheist does not believe in a higher power. An agnostic is noncommittal and believes that it is not possible or impossible to accept or deny a deity or higher power. Just to confuse the issue more, some people claim to be atheistic agnostics.

In a 2014 study by the Pew Research Center, over 20% of Americans were found to not identify with religion. Of these 3.1% identified themselves as atheists and 4.0% as agnostics.

8. A new student visited the music department and was terribly upset to hear that there was not a place in the orchestra for which of the following stringed instruments that he played?

Answer: Arpeggione

The arpeggione is a string instrument from Austria. It has six strings and is fretted similarly to a regular guitar. However, the instrument is played and bowed like a cello. The instrument was invented by Johann Georg Stauffer in Vienna in the 1820s.

Although uncommon as an orchestral instrument, composers such as Franz Schubert did write pieces specifically for the arpeeggione with piano accompaniment.

9. Several students were acting in a foolish and idiotic manner. A colleague called their conduct which of the following non-chemical words?

Answer: Asinine

Asinine behavior can be characterized as childish, silly, and deportment of oneself in similitude of a donkey. Astatine is a radioactive element with an atomic number of 85. Adenine is one of the fundamental components of nucleic acids. Acetylene is a hydrocarbon and the most simple form of alkylene.

10. With the school year about to start, I have taken the time to decorate my classroom walls in order to create the right atmosphere for learning. Which of the following words reflects this intention?

Answer: Ambience

Ambience is a variant of ambiance and conveys the same meaning. Ambience of a place reflects the mood or atmosphere. A romantic restaurant for instance will have soft lighting, candles, and quiet music reflecting the ambience of romance. A dynamic class-room will have bright posters, a chalk board, windows, books, and an energy that reflects the ambience of higher learning.

Source: Author coachpauly

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor trident before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

A is for Antidisestablishmentarianism Quiz

Antidisestablishmentarianism is the longest word in the English language beginning with A. All the answers in this quiz begin with "A" and none of them are 28 letters long. Good luck!

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