IQ Tests Go to War—Measuring Intelligence in the Army

The army’s use of intelligence tests during World War I lent new credibility to the emerging profession of psychology, even as it sparked public debate about the validity of the tests and their implications for American democracy. Intelligence testing influenced American society long after the war that had launched it. The tests were revised for use in schools and promoted the “tracking” systems of segregating students into ability groups according to test results. Intelligence testing fueled eugenics programs and were also widely invoked by those who pressed successfully to restrict immigration to the United States. Match your wits with World War I-era recruits with questions from actual army intelligence tests.

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	1. Bull Durham is the name of a A. chewing gum B. aluminum ware C. tobacco D. clothing		2. Seven-up is played with A. rackets B. cards C. pins D. dice
	3. The Merino is a kind of A. horse B. sheep C. goat D. cow		4. The most prominent industry of Minneapolis is A. flour B. packing C. automobiles D. brewing
	5. Garnets are usually A. yellow B. blue C. green D. red		6. The Orpington is a kind of A. fowl B. horse C. granite D. cattle
	7. George Ade is famous as a A. baseball player B. comic artist C. actor D. author		8. Soap is made by A. B. T. Babbitt B. Smith & Wesson C. W. L. Douglas D. Swift & Co.
	9. Laura Jean Libby is known as a A. singer B. suffragist C. writer D. army nurse		10. An air-cooled engine is used in the A. Buick B. Packard C. Franklin D. Ford
	11. A house is better than a tent, because A. it costs more B. it is more comfortable C. it is made of wood		12. Why does it pay to get a good education? A. it makes a man more useful and happy B. it makes work for teachers C. it makes demand for buildings for schools and colleges
	13. If the grocer should give you too much money in making change, what is the right thing to do? A. buy some candy off him with it B. give it to the first poor man you meet C. tell him of his mistake		14. Why should food be chewed before swallowing? A. it is better for the health B. it is bad manners to swallow without chewing C. chewing keeps the teeth in condition
	15. If you saw a train approaching a broken track you should A. telephone for an ambulance B. signal the engineer to stop the train C. look for a piece of rail to fit in		16. If you are lost in a forest in the daytime, what is the thing to do? A. hurry to the nearest house you know of B. look for something to eat C. use the sun or a compass for a guide
	17. It is better to fight than to run, because A. cowards are shot B. it is more honorable C. if you run you may get shot in the back		18. Why should all parents be made to send their children to school? Because A. it prepares them for adult life B. it keeps them out of mischief C. they are too young to work
	19. Why do some men who could afford to own a house live in a rented one? Because A. they don’t have to pay taxes B. they don’t have to buy a rented house C. they can make more by investing the money the house would cost		20. Why is beef better food than cabbage? Because A. it tastes better B. it is more nourishing C. it is harder to obtain

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