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Post Office Lingo Trivia Quiz

Just been hired by the US Postal Service? A bit of lingo might help you get through your first ninety days.

A multiple-choice quiz by ditsyquoin. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
ditsyquoin

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
264,209

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
5 / 10

Plays
1089

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Getting out of the truck because a box is blocked is called? Hint

All of these

Walking the street

Jumping the box

Dismounting

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Question 2 of 10

2. While sorting mail, you have been told to "Kill the lives". What does this mean? Hint

Return letters with no postage.

Report anyone going to the break room.

Take chickens and bees to the express mail area.

Cancel any uncancelled stamps.

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Question 3 of 10

3. You've been nicknamed "chainsaw" by your co-workers. Is this a good thing? Hint

Yes, I sort mail really fast.

No, They think I try to leave as much work as possible to others.

Yes, I have a large stride and big hands. I used to be a lumberjack.

Not sure, at least I have a nickname so I'm fitting in.

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Question 4 of 10

4. A window clerk shouts, "Bring me a #3 bum." What does the clerk need? Hint

A soda from the break room.

Three empty tubs.

A supervisor.

A sack of small cloth bags.

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Question 5 of 10

5. The supervisor says he's going to "pivot the route". Hint

Inspect the route.

Play golf later.

Watch NCAA basketball in his office.

Split the casing and delivery of the route.

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Question 6 of 10

6. What does "eighteen and eight" mean? Hint

The number of random letters or flats to be sorted per minute by city carriers.

Five minutes past six pm. Hours after that are penalty overtime.

The number of hours which can be worked in a single day.

Shooting pool and drinking beer.

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Question 7 of 10

7. What does "taking a bump" mean? Hint

Deliver part of a route.

Slip on ice and hit your head.

Get your hat knocked off when you pass probation.

Go home for a nap while you should be working.

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Question 8 of 10

8. Your supervisor has told you to "face the case". What does this mean? Hint

Clock out early.

Clean off old labels from the face of the case.

Stop talking to others and get to work.

Admit the problems you are having.

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Question 9 of 10

9. What is a "mailhawk"? Hint

Someone who waits by the door for delivery everyday.

A supervisor who dislikes you.

A reaching device to serve mailboxes.

A postal inspector.

10. The phrase "Going postal" is a pejorative term, meaning to commit an act of violence in a workplace situation. But which of the following would you be more likely to find a post office worker doing than killing their fellow workers? Hint

Paying postage due out of pocket to avoid a late charge on someone's bill

Checking to see if an elderly customer is okay

Any of these

Collecting food for the needy

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Getting out of the truck because a box is blocked is called?

Answer: All of these

Boxes can be blocked by snow, parked cars, roadkill or a street might be undergoing resurfacing. It's always better to attempt a reasonable dismount than to bring the mail back.

2. While sorting mail, you have been told to "Kill the lives". What does this mean?

Answer: Cancel any uncancelled stamps.

The sorting cases should have "killer bars" on them so that uncancelled (live) stamps can be canceled.

3. You've been nicknamed "chainsaw" by your co-workers. Is this a good thing?

Answer: No, They think I try to leave as much work as possible to others.

A "chainsaw" carrier is one who curtails the maximum amount of standard mail (bulk catalogs) until his day off, leaving it for someone else to deliver.

4. A window clerk shouts, "Bring me a #3 bum." What does the clerk need?

Answer: A sack of small cloth bags.

Bums are sacks of empty bags. A bulk mailer often requests them.

5. The supervisor says he's going to "pivot the route".

Answer: Split the casing and delivery of the route.

Pivoting a route is a technique used when mail volume is light.

6. What does "eighteen and eight" mean?

Answer: The number of random letters or flats to be sorted per minute by city carriers.

While 18 and 8 is a standard casing time for city carriers, rural carriers are expected to case at 20 and 10.

7. What does "taking a bump" mean?

Answer: Deliver part of a route.

When a route is "pivoted" it will also be "bumped out."

8. Your supervisor has told you to "face the case". What does this mean?

Answer: Stop talking to others and get to work.

"Face the case" is a another way of saying shut up. It's also the supervisor's way of making sure the work is getting done.

9. What is a "mailhawk"?

Answer: A reaching device to serve mailboxes.

A tool used mostly by rural carriers to reach boxes when snow is blocking the box. It's very helpful when there is a lot of snow.

Answer: Any of these

The term "going postal" gained notoriety in the 1980s and 1990s, when a number of US postal workers apparently went off the rails through workplace stress and shot and killed numbers of their fellow workers and member of the public. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the US Postal Service isn't very keen on the phrase, because of its negative connotations, but it has now become an established shorthand for a breakdown due to executive stress.

Source: Author ditsyquoin

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor DakotaNorth before going online.
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