- What to do when you have missed your train.
- When you have been struck by a playmate, etc.
- When you have broken something, etc.
- When about to be late for school.
- When about to undertake something important.
- Why excuse a bad act committed in anger more readily than a bad act committed without anger.
- What to do if some one asks your opinion, etc.
- Why can you judge a person better by his actions, etc.
As we have shown, questions 1, 2, 3, and 4 are much too easy for year X. Question 6 is hard enough for year XII. We have omitted it because it was not needed and is not entirely satisfactory.
X, 6. Naming sixty words
Procedure. Say: “Now, I want to see how many different words you can name in three minutes. When I say ready, you must begin and name the words as fast as you can, and I will count them. Do you understand? Be sure to do your very best, and remember that just any words will do, like ‘clouds,’ ‘dog,’ ‘chair,’ ‘happy’—Ready; go ahead!”
The instructions may be repeated if the subject does not understand what is wanted. As a rule the task is comprehended instantly and entered into with great zest.
Do not stare at the child, and do not say anything as the test proceeds unless there is a pause of fifteen seconds. In this event say: “Go ahead, as fast as you can. Any words will do.” Repeat this urging after every pause of fifteen seconds.
Some subjects, usually rather intelligent ones, hit upon the device of counting or putting words together in sentences. We then break in with: “Counting (or sentences, as the case may be) not allowed. You must name separate words. Go ahead.”
Record the individual words if possible, and mark the end of each half-minute. If the words are named so rapidly that they cannot be taken down, it is easy to keep the count by making a pencil stroke for each word. If the latter method is employed, repeated words may be indicated by making a cross instead of a single stroke. Always make record of repetitions.
Scoring. The test is passed if sixty words, exclusive of repetitions, are named in three minutes. It is not allowable to accept twenty words in one minute or forty words in two minutes as an equivalent of the expected score. Only real words are counted.
Remarks. Scoring, as we have seen, takes account only of the number of words. It is instructive, however, to note the kind of words given. Some subjects, more often those of the 8- or 9-year intelligence level, give mainly isolated, detached words. As well stated by Binet, “Little children exhaust an idea in naming it. They say, for example, hat, and then pass on to another word without noticing that hats differ in color, in form, have various parts, different uses and accessories, and that in enumerating all these they could find a large number of words.”