This Quiz Will Separate The Book Smart From The Street Smart
- by Danielle Lasher
- – on
- in Mind Twisters
There are two types of smarts in this world— street smart, and book smart. The first type of intelligence is highly practical, a lived-in sort of smart. The second is more technical and academic. Book smart is knowing how to read an elaborate map of the stars, and street smart is an intuitive sense of North and South. One is learned through education, through reading or observing. Street smarts—however—are learned through action and experience. There is learning about different types of farming from a text, and then there is the type of knowledge of the plants, animals and soil that comes from working a whole lifetime on a farm.
Many will argue that one can only be book smart or street smart—but not both—and that is definitely true for people hoping to ace this quiz! This quiz will be easy for someone who has a lot of book smarts, but a lot more challenging for someone who is more street smart! It’s time to put a long debate to rest and find out who is book smart and who is street smart. Take this quiz to find out who is all book smarts, and who relies more on street smarts!
Who has the right type of smarts to remember which of the following things is famous for bearing the name Moby Dick?
Whether the name Moby Dick has come up in conversation, at a coffee shop, in a college course, or just in passing by, people either know what it means or are likely to nod along and pretend they do. For someone with book smarts, this question is a no-brainer—anyone who thinks of themselves as book smart should have no problem answering the following question. Who has the right type of smarts to remember which of the following things is famous for bearing the name Moby Dick?
Which of the following animals is most closely related to a dinosaur?
Every child goes through a dinosaur phase when they are young. There is something about the majestic glory and enormity of dinosaurs that make them wildly appealing to the imagination of a young child. There were big dinosaurs and little ones. There were dinosaurs with wings, and dinosaurs with big scary claws. The wonderful thing is that there are modern ancestors of dinosaurs, though many don’t know it! People who guess which animal it is almost always guess wrong. Which of the following animals is most closely related to a dinosaur?
Who was Jane Austin?
When one hears the name Jane Austin, a number of things may pop into mind—depending on the kind of smarts you have. Jane Austin is a historical person who most people learn about in high school. She was a well-known and respected woman who contributed greatly to modern society. But—was she fictional or did she create the fiction? Was she an author an artist or the creation of one of those people? Who was Jane Austin?
Which of the following is NOT a category of Shakespeare plays?
Even those with little to no book smarts will have heard the name Shakespeare—the famous British playwright who is credited with having a serious role in the shaping of modern theater. Shakespeare was famous not only for the plethora of plays that he penned, but also for their quality. All of the plays that Shakespeare wrote can be categorized into three categories, and only book smart people will be able to name them. Which of the following is NOT a category of Shakespeare plays?
What is the response to a deal like this one?
What a lucky day! Not only did the train come on time, but just when it seemed like a vacation was out of the question, someone came up offering to sell two one way bus tickets from San Francisco to Hawaii! They might not be first class, but the buss does have a bathroom. This seems like the deal of a life time, especially the way they talk about it— with utter conviction, and a great sales pitch. What is the response to a deal like this one?
What exactly was it that he did that made Nathaniel Hawthorne so famous?
Nathaniel Hawthorne is a famous historical man who lived in the early days of the United States. Hawthorne was famous for his contentious ideas, and for stirring up big ideas in a generation of puritans. Though most young individuals in the United States learned his name at one point or another, few will remember what exactly Nathaniel Hawthorne did that caused him to be remembered even now. What exactly was it that he did that made Nathaniel Hawthorne so famous?
Who knows how big the earth is?
Ah—the earth. The planet which each and every human since the dawn of the species has called home. There are many songs dedicated to the size of the earth—with some claiming its a small, small world after all—and others talking about how big it is—about how far away people can be when they are on different part of it. But just how big is this planetary home of the human race? Who knows how big the earth is?
What’s the best course of action?
When a work place issue arises, there are a number of ways to solve the problem. For example—if a co worker is continuously drinking all of the coffee from the morning coffee pot and not refilling it or making another batch, what are other co workers to do? This might sound like a silly issue to someone who doesn’t have any office job, but when the day revolves around that morning cup of Joe, this is a serious issue. What’s the best course of action?
Who can remember what the word mitosis means?
Some terms are baffling to those who haven’t heard them before. The term mitosis sounds like a lot of things, but unlike some of the questions in this quiz this answer only has one right question—and most people should know it. This is not a subjective question, but only book smart individuals are likely to know the answer. When one hears the word mitosis, they may not know what it is. Who can remember what the word mitosis means?
Where is the majority of the earths fresh water found?
While most people might just think of drinking water as something that comes in a bottle, it can also be something that can come out of the tap or out of the fridge dispenser. But more importantly, it is something that comes from the planet, and that everyone and almost everything alive depends upon for continued existence. There are many sources of fresh water on the planet, but only one is the largest. Where is the majority of the earths fresh water found?
What is the most intelligent course of action for someone to take when they discover that they have run out of gas not at a gas station?
Driving along, everyone hopes that they won’t run out of gas between stations, but sometimes mistakes happen. Sometimes people forget—despite all of their best intentions to do everything correctly—to check the gas before they get going in the morning. So, let’s say someone runs out of gas on the side of the highway somewhere. What is the most intelligent course of action for someone to take when they discover that they have run out of gas not at a gas station?
Who can remember what is famous about David Copperfield?
David Copperfield—what does the name evoke? David is a fairly common man’s name that almost anyone could have—a cop, a teacher, a brother or a friend. But David Copperfield is more than just a name in this context. David Copperfield is a famous someone, and the name means something more significant than just a name in the context of this question. What did David Copperfield ever do that made him so famous? Who can remember what is famous about David Copperfield?
What is the thing to do when one comes across chess players in the park?
One of the most charming things about parks in the United States, is the prevalence of people playing chess on any given afternoon. There are a few different ways to respond to people playing chess in the park. Some people are into it and some people aren’t. Chess is a challenging game; it takes a lot of strategy, and the public is quickly sucked into a game. What is the thing to do when one comes across chess players in the park?
What is the absolute best way to spend a Sunday Morning?
There is no time like weekends. Nothing like the vast expanse of Saturday and Sunday to break up the week between long school days or brutal work shift hours. Everyone has different ways they like to spend their weekend—maybe going out Friday and Saturday night and spending Saturday and Sunday morning at brunch or maybe hitting the books to prepare for the week ahead—weekends are for whatever one wants. What is the absolute best way to spend a Sunday Morning?
Which of the following is the best way to get a good grade on an exam?
The most intense part of school is exams. Tests are brutal, and unfair, and can be really, really overwhelming. Also, not all tests are created equal. There are tests, and there are exams. An exam is something that determines a huge chunk of one's grade, and they are not something to be taken lightly by those who want to get through school. Everyone has to come up with their own method for getting through exams—which of the following is the best way to get a good grade on an exam?
Pick a favorite game to play at recess as a child?
Of all the parts of the day in the school year, the best part by far was recess. This was the small sliver of the day that was allocated to children where they were able to be just kids without having to worry about getting answers right or wrong. Of course—kids being kids—the best thing to do during recess was to play games. Of course, these games varied depending on what children were into. Pick a favorite game to play at recess as a child.
When one arrives at an airport to find their flight was canceled, what is the most likely response?
When booking travel plans, there are two types of people—the kind that do all their research and book everything ahead of time, and the kind that wing it as they go. While partaking in one or the other type of travel doesn’t necessarily say anything definitive about the particular kind of intelligence that one holds, the way that one deals with set backs during a trip certainly does. For example—when one arrives at an airport to find their flight was canceled, what is the most likely response?
When lost in a train station in a new country, what is the best way to figure out what you need to do?
If the person answering this question has never traveled, then they should just try to imagine the following scenario. One finds themselves lost in a train station, with no idea where to go or what to do. All of the signs are in a different language—and all of the conversation happening in the station is in that same language that the visitor does not speak. When lost in a train station in a new country, what is the best way to figure out what you need to do?
What is the most riveting part of the hit TV show Miami Vice?
Everyone watches TV shows for different reasons. Some enjoy the on screen romances, some enjoy the action scenes, and some enjoy the witty banter that is so hard to emulate in real life. One good example of this is crime shows—like Miami Vice—that have chase scenes and courtroom scenes and tender between character dialogues. Ones favorite part of a show like Miami Vice says a lot about a person. What is the most riveting part of the hit TV show Miami Vice?
What is the best thing about Sherlock Holmes?
There have been many re-telling of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's famous story—Sherlock Holmes. Holmes is a detective, who solves crimes—sometimes even for the powers that be. Fans have been drawn to the story for different reasons, and different directors have played up different aspects of the plot over the years. Luckily, this means that there is a version of the story out there for almost everyone. What is the best thing about Sherlock Holmes?
Who is more relatable as a character—Sherlock or Watson?
Sherlock Holmes would be nothing without his sidekick—Watson. Watson is the opposite of Sherlock in every way. Where Sherlock is esoteric and egotistical, Watson is down to earth and centered. Where Sherlock is socially awkward and eschews social situation, Watson gets along well with others. The two are both reclusive in their own way, but Watson understands people on a practical level whereas Sherlock takes a more scientific approach. Who is more relatable as a character—Sherlock or Watson?
Which of the following is the best way to access Netflix?
Oh, Netflix. Thanks be to whoever came up with that brilliant method for making sure people could stream and watch tv shows at their leisure. Netflix works on a subtle yet elegant system—someone pays for an account, and then other people free load off of that account to avoid paying to watch their own TV shows each month. Some people even keep the login information from past friends or lovers to get a free login. Which of the following is the best way to access Netflix?
When the word godfather is mentioned, what is the book smart definition of the term?
The term godfather has a number of meanings. The first part of the word suggests a religious connotation, and the second half suggests a paternal, or at least familiar connotation. To people of different backgrounds, the word can mean different things—but this question is looking for the book smart version of the word. Only the smartest out there can remember what this word truly means. When the word godfather is mentioned, what is the book smart definition of the term?
If someone was to be selling a $500 Picasso, would this be a good deal?
People will sell just about everything on the streets of New York City. From counterfeit watches to priceless antiques, people can buy just about anything they want if they know the back alley to visit, or the person who’s number to dial. But purchasing these things isn't always the right choice—especially not for the uneducated consumer. If someone was to be selling a $500 Picasso, would this be a good deal?
Where do people have to go to see the famous Mona Lisa?
Mona Lisa—a woman so famous that everyone knows her name. Famous for her sideways smile and classic style, she may be old but her charm has only grown over the years. Not everyone will recognize her right off the bat, but most people know at least her name. Mona Lisa is not someone that people can see just walking down the streets, but people can go visit her if they so desire. Where do people have to go to see the famous Mona Lisa?
What is the best way to ensure a good report card?
Getting through school can be tough. It requires people to wake up early, and stay up late doing homework—not to mention the hours spent in the classroom. Some people loved it and some people didn’t, but everyone had their strategies for making it through the brutal years of school and all of the challenges that education puts forward. There are a lot of different strategies, some with a lot of attention to detail and some with more grand ideas. What is the best way to ensure a good report card?
What is the best thing to do when confronted with a fist fight?
Confrontation can be a really scary thing, especially to those who aren’t used to it. One minute a conversation is going fine, and the next moment everyone is up in arms over some menial point. Or maybe the point isn't so menial but that only makes it worse because now there is going to be a conflict and it is almost definitely going to be heated. What is the best thing to do when confronted with a fist fight?
What is the best sound track for a morning commute?
There are a lot of ways to make one’s morning commute a little more bearable. One of these is by controlling what one listens to. This is easiest in a car, but can also be accomplished through plugging in headphones and putting on the sounds that make one the happiest. From Spotify to the podcast app, there are plenty of options out there for everyone out there these days. What is the best sound track for a morning commute?
What is the book smart way of dealing with things?
Not all parties are created equal, and this one is getting weird quick. Like—not illegal weird yet but definitely weird. There are a number of things to be done in this situation, from talking to a friend to calling the cops right away. But again—nothing illegal is happening—it’s just weird vibes. Some strange people have arrived and they are giving everyone weird looks. What is the book smart way of dealing with things?
What is the best possible course of action for someone at that party to take now that it has escalated so dramatically?
The party has just gone from weird to full on illegal. There are illegal substances and weapons and all sorts of horrifying things going on. When a party takes a turn for the worst like this, there are a number of things that someone can do to get out of the situation. There is a clear and serious threat to the group. What is the best possible course of action for someone at that party to take now that it has escalated so dramatically?
What should an innocent bystander do in this scenario?
Morning commutes are boring and predictable, nothing exciting ever happens. People stand around in the subway station—or on the train station platform—drinking coffee and trying to wake up, facing yet another day of monotony. Until now! This morning at the train station, commuters are having their day interrupted by a group of men who have pushed a woman onto the tracks in an apparently random act of senseless violence. There is a train coming, but the sign says its in two minutes. What should an innocent bystander do in this scenario?
When walking home late at night, in a dark alley, someone is stealing a woman's purse, what is the best thing for a bystander to do in this unnerving situation?
Walking home late at night can be a nerve-wracking experience, especially for the nerds out there. No one wants to run into someone being mugged—and definitely no one wants to be the person being mugged! But what can one do when they are faced with this situation? When walking home late at night, in a dark alley, someone is stealing a woman's purse, what is the best thing for a bystander to do in this unnerving situation?
What was the best part of school?
Ah, school. It starts every fall—and with a few breaks—it ends every spring. For some, the only good part about school was the end of the year in the spring that let one look forward to those few glorious moments of summer. For others it was the learning, the friends, the classes and the teachers. What ones favorite part of school was says a lot about what kind of intelligence they have. What was the best part of school?
What does it mean when someone says, “roast me”?
There has always been slang language, but now a days it seems there are an increasing number off odd catch phrases and wacky words with double meanings. One of these is the expression “roast me” or “roasting” which is used on the Internet—and in person—to describe something someone does. This can be confusing for a lot of people who do not know what the expression means in a colloquial sense. What does it mean when someone says, “roast me”?
No matter what, a broken shoe strap is a huge annoyance—that is better off avoided—but when the inevitable happens, what is the best way to deal with the situation?
Uh, oh! When walking down the street, a strap on that worn out pair of sandals breaks. Not only is this frustrating, but it leaves the now shoeless individual in a dirty dilemma. Depending on where one is, there might not be a lot of options to solve the problem. Maybe one is miles from home! No matter what, a broken shoe strap is a huge annoyance—that is better off avoided—but when the inevitable happens, what is the best way to deal with the situation?
Which of the following methods for finding a car in an oversized parking lot is the most effective?
It happens to the best of us. We park our car in a big parking lot, run into the store, airport, shopping mall or whatever, and find that by the time the errands have all been run. the car has mysteriously moved. Or has it? Loosing a car in a parking lot can be a pain, and people have different ways of dealing with the situation. Which of the following methods for finding a car in an oversized parking lot is the most effective?
Who knows the absolute best way to get ones hands on a not just cheap, but entirely free book?
Most people have been in the situation where they need to get a book, but they can’t afford to buy one at the ticket price. Most likely, this happened during college—when all textbooks were a couple hundred dollars, and the campus book store was known for over charging. There is always a way around the sticker price though, especially for desperate young people. Who knows the absolute best way to get ones hands on a not just cheap, but entirely free book?
When late, who says what as an excuse?
Everyone is late sometimes—but not everyone is ok with it. When faced with lateness, it is only human to make up excuses. There has to be something better to tell one’s boss than, “Sorry, I over slept!” Or maybe one really didn’t over sleep, maybe that line about the traffic or the train delay or the long wait in line to bring in the coffee that is the only thing fueling the work day is true. Maybe. When late, who says what as an excuse?
What should one do?
The deal of a lifetime! An ocean front home in Idaho is on offer for so cheap it seems like a steal. For someone who has been hoping against hope to have a house of their very own, this seems way, way, wayyyyy too good to be true! But the man with the brief case knocking on the door seems to be convinced, and kind of in a hurry. Maybe a beach house is a bit of a big investment for a first home. What should one do?
What was the first high school job the person taking this quiz had?
One of the most foundational parts of anyone’s life is their first job. With the exception of a rare few born to the exceedingly rich, everyone has to work. Whether that first job is in high school or college or whether it was something one got through their parents or through a long list of rejected applications that finally turned up an acceptance—these things say a lot about a person. What was the first high school job the person taking this quiz had?
What was the best part of college?
College! It’s definitely not for everyone. At one time, a college education was the ultimate luxury, but it is changing into more of a requirement for basic entry-level jobs. Not everyone went to college though of course, and not everyone who went to college had the same experience. Some could not get enough of college—the classes, the new friends, the late nights the sports teams! There are almost too many facets to list. What was the best part of college?
What is the right course of action when a car gets a flat tire?
It’s a nuisance more than a nightmare, but there is still nothing pleasant about getting a flat tire. One minute the car is driving along nicely, and the next moment the air has all gone out of the tire. Maybe it happens while the car is parked over night, or maybe it happens all at once while someone is driving. No matter how it happens, it is something that one can not just ignore. What is the right course of action when a car gets a flat tire?
What is the first thing that comes to mind upon reading the word Jack?
Everyone knows the word Jack. It's a common name, but it can also mean something else. Plenty of people will know what this means, but its practical application makes it a bit of a stumper for people who have gotten all of their experience through books and school, as opposed to in a more practical sense. When one hears the word Jack, a number of things come into their minds. What is the first thing that comes to mind upon reading the word Jack?
What is the safest direction to face while riding a train?
Most people don’t think much about which direction they choose to face when sitting on a train. If they do put thought into it, it’s about seeing the scenery go by—avoiding an awkward neighbor or making sure they have a good eye on their stuff. Maybe someone with a tech device wants to make sure they have glare, or a group of friends wants to sit together. But what about the aspect of safety on a train journey? What is the safest direction to face while riding a train?
There are a number of things that can be done in this situation, which is best?
It can happen to anyone. One minute, someone is out enjoying a leisurely stroll through the forest and the next they are lost and alone without any hope of finding their way home. Maybe this happened because they forgot to take a map with them, or took a wrong turn down what they thought was a path but turned out to be a dry stream bed. It happens. There are a number of things that can be done in this situation, which is best?
What is the best way to respond?
When one is driving home on their evening commute, the last thing that they want to do is deal with a late night roadblock. Even if they should be grateful that the road is being fixed, the potholes are being filled in, the trees are being pruned back, the ditch is being filled—or whatever—it can be a real nuisance. There is nothing quite like the feeling of finally being done with a day of work, only to have the evening delayed. What is the best way to respond?
Which is the best part of the plane to sit in?
When flying, there are far fewer things to worry about than some people think. Some people are deathly afraid of flying, and some people couldn’t care less. Some people love it so much they would plan their whole trip around flights. There are a few things that one can do to make their flight the most pleasurably however—such as figuring out where to sit for the best flight. Which is the best part of the plane to sit in?
If someone was trying to hide the fact that they didn’t like someone's haircut, they might accidentally say “I hate it” instead of “I love it”. What is this phenomena called?
A real book smart person wouldn’t ever fall prey to a slip of the tongue. The true psychological name for mentally replacing a word is named after is named after the father of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud. Many people think that when they accidentally say the wrong thing, the wrong word they said is actually what they meant to say. For example, if someone was trying to hide the fact that they didn’t like someone's haircut, they might accidentally say “I hate it” instead of “I love it”. What is this phenomena called?
Who is known to hold the record for being able to speak 350 words per minute?
A street-smart person knows that Eminem holds the record for most amount of words in a hit song for his legendary Rap God track. However, a real book smart person would be able to answer this question about the fastest random word speaker. This means that they were not able to sit a craft the quickly spoken speech, but rather freestyled it at an incredibly fast pace. This speaker was believed to be able to speak at 350 words per minute. Who is this fast-talking man?
A true books smart person will be able to figure out which of these words was invented by William Shakespeare.
The true lover of books, William Shakespeare, is the best example of a book smart person that most would ever think of. He wrote nearly 40 plays, penned over 150 sonnets and invented over 1700 words. So, we could say that this guy really loved language. While no one knows who he really is, we know that his stories have lasted for centuries. A true books smart person will be able to figure out which of these words was invented by William Shakespeare.