Last Friday, in sympathy with T&T's prepubescent who, two weeks ago, sat the Secondary Entrance Assessment examination (formerly the 11-Plus), the single morning of their childhood lives that decides their adulthood with a dreadful finality, I began my own 51-Plus exam.Using a recent T&T Guardian practice test, I failed the maths section as spectacularly as a PNM party leadership challenger.Today, I will do what used to be called "English," back when we thought we spoke it, but is now called, "Language Arts," to make us feel better about not being able to speak (or write) English any more. (Eef it come from we-self, like we dialeck, it bong to be more better than eef it come from the language of the oppressor, ent it? Axe Derek Walcott.)
Next week, if I can find out what they were, I'll attempt all the actual SEA essay topics combined.
Language Arts. Section IA. Grammar Skills. (Which, once upon a time, would have been simply, "Grammar.") Choose one of the answers in brackets.Q1. Neither the plums nor the bunch of bananas (is; are) ripe.Hmmm. At tertiary level, you could make a case for either, and Fowler declares it a mistake to assume "none" is singular only; at Trinidad primary level, however, it would have to be "are," becaw is two t'ing it have in the question, y'un'stan'?Q3. A few areas in Trinidad (continue; continues) to be flooded.Trick question: ALL of Trinidad continues be flooded; and after only a slight drizzle, to boot.Q4. The deer along with her young ones (was; were) asleep in their pen.
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