This seems to be the smartest program on TV just about now. I knew there was a reason why I stopped watching TV except for Looney Tunes and Tom & Jerry.
The contestants are equally smart. I'll tell you the story of a contestant who got knocked out in just three questions, having used a cheat on each one of them.
Question 1: How many consonants are there in the word "Vowel"?
Question 2: True or False? "Vincent van Gogh was born in France."
Question 3: How many demonstrative adjectives are there in the following sentence? "That scruffy dog chased the multicoloured cat up the tall fence."
Now, I'm guessing that most people would score on the first one without skipping a beat. Our smart young lady chose to save herself instantly. Her idea was, there are two consonants in the spelling of "Voul". She learnt the correct spelling on the show.
Not many of us really know where Vincent van Gogh was born, but I think the name is at least a sufficient indication that the guy is a Dutchman, and not French.
Not too many people would remember third standard English grammar, which happens to be 5th standard English grammar for the Americans, but a demonstrative adjective is one which points towards a noun, rather than qualitatively defining it. There are only four in the entire English language: This, That, These, Those. No prizes for guessing the answer on this one.
This is the state of the language, amongst the people who are supposed to be the experts in it. And I, though living where I do and promoting the standard of language that I do, am still forced to shell out 8000 in cash, to pay for a test to prove my proficiency in the same language. And no hope for a reprieve. The little consolation I have is in watching the show, and gloating that I am smarter than an American 5th grader, and definitely much smarter than an average American of my age.
