American society
increasingly mistakes intelligence for human worth
By: David H. Freedman
Level of difficulty: ***
BEFORE YOU READ:
LISTEN AND TAKE NOTES
QUESTIONS
1. In
the first half of the 20th century, you were likely to be hired by a
company provided you possessed …………………………….and made the right impression.
………………….did not figure in hiring decisions.
2. It
seems ironical that less intelligent people are derided, humiliated and made
fun of because there is a great deal of focus on……………………………………
3. Which
of the following conclusions can be drawn from the paragraph beginning “This
gleeful derision” Mark as many as necessary
·
We have created a dystopia not a meritocracy
·
Those with a lower IQ may as well shoot
themselves
·
Nietzsche’s dream of two classes the leaders and
the followers has finally been realized
·
The American dream has become the American
nightmare for some
·
The system is rigged to favor those with a high
IQ
·
A system that resembles the cast system is
taking shape.
·
Blame your parents if you cannot get ahead in
life
4. Where,
in the paragraph beginning “Rather than looking…” would you place the following
phrases or sentences?
·
Which is really carrying it too far
·
What this means is that they are testing for IQ
but being secretive about it
·
In other words, they are paying lip-service to
the age old hiring practices
5. Treating
intelligence as vital when hiring is misguided because…………………..
6. The
cases of Terry Bradshaw, Dan Morino and Jim Kelly prove that ……………
7. Read
the paragraph beginning “At the same time…”Which of the following conclusions
cannot be drawn from the paragraph?
·
Automation and technology are going to condemn
millions to poverty
·
The idea that technological developments always lead
to new jobs is a fallacy
·
People will be dealing with machines and robots
in their daily life not humans
·
If you want to get a job, you need a college
degree.
·
Even service jobs will soon be closed to many
people
·
Millions of Americans will be facing the
prospect of living on the dole
8. All
the hype about intelligence on television and in life proves that in the current
century, ………………………is considered to increase success
9. The
writer claims that we are fooling ourselves when we claim that……………………..because
……………………………………………
10. Read
the information about college degrees and SAT scores. Achieving the college
readiness benchmark is………………………(your own word) for most of the population in
the US.
11. Those
telling themselves that they are working hard to help the unintelligent become
more intelligent are lying because…………………………………………………………This is a mistake
because………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
12. What
ill advised method is being employed by the authorities to close the
intelligence gap? What is the alternative? Why?
13. The
writer is criticizing the authorities mainly for
·
Sidestepping the main issue
·
Refusing to address the main issue
·
Overlooking the main problem
·
All of the above
·
None of the above (specify)
14. The
writer states that educational reform programs should address the shortage of…………………………………….and
the schools themselves should shift their attention to……………………………………so as not
to leave out………………………………………….
15. The
writer states that society needs to learn to benefit from……………………….
16. Companies
could benefit from hiring less intelligent staff because such staff is….
17. The
writer states that by applying Michael Young’s idea of meritocracy to the real
world, we have ……………………………………………………………………….and this is wrong.
WRITING TASK
Draw
on all the information you have gleaned to discuss how the current system could
be made fairer more egalitarian and less discriminatory.
THE WAR ON STUPID
PEOPLE KEY AND TEACHERS’NOTES
1.
A critical skill or two / OR: qualifications
for the job
2.
Micro aggressions and victimization
3.
1, 3,4,5, (2 is extreme, 6 is exaggerated, 7
doesn’t apply)
4.
1: right at the end of the last sentence; 2:
After the top 5%; 3: after “are smart”.
5.
Smart people can make the worst employees in
part because they are not used to dealing with failure or criticism
6.
SAT scores are not helpful hiring filters
7.
3
8.
Academic skills
9.
No one is unintelligent; the form it takes
won’t raise SAT scores
10.
Impossible
11.
Our government and society are not seriously
considering any initiatives capable of making a significant dent in the numbers
or conditions of the poor / The strength of the link between poverty and
struggling in school is as close to iron clad as social science gets.
12.
Reforming primary and secondary schools /
Early education/ Because it seems to largely overcome whatever cognitive and
emotional deficits poverty and other environmental circumstances impart in the
first years of life
13.
All of the above
14.
Vocational schools / students who struggle
academically
15.
The full range of human capacity
16.
Is aware of their biases and flaws, won’t
assume that recent trends will continue into the future, is not anxiety ridden,
is not arrogant
17.
Permitted smart people to reshape society
