Enjoy without moderation!
Because it’s always useful to know whether our mental faculties are still at their best so we can make the most of our trip – seeing clearly what we look at, feeling properly what we touch, hearing accurately what we listen to, interpreting correctly what we sense – we invite you to try these little tests, calmly and… without cheating!
Answers and explanations at the end of the article.
TEST 1
Count the number of “F”s in the following text:
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
FINISHED FILES ARE THE RESULT OF YEARS
OF SCIENTIFIC STUDY COMBINED WITH THE
EXPERIENCE OF YEARS
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Check your answer against the explanations at the bottom of the page.
TEST 2
– Choose a number between 1 and 100.
– Multiply that number by 9.
– Subtract 5 from the new result.
– Add up the digits of the result to get a number between 1 and 10.
– Match that number to a letter following alphabetical order. Example: A=1, B=2, C=3, D=4, E=5, etc…
– Now think of a European country starting with that letter.
– Then think of an animal starting with the letter that comes right after, in the alphabet, the letter from the previous step.
– Finally, think of that animal’s colour.
Did you get it right? Answer at the bottom of the page.
TEST 3
1. You are sitting – at your desk, at your table, in your armchair…
Lift your right foot and make it trace circles clockwise.
2. While your right foot keeps circling, draw the number 6 in the air with your right hand.
3. What happens?
Compare your experience with the comments at the bottom of the page.
TEST 4
“Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn’t mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a total mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.”
Surprising, isn’t it? Comments at the bottom of the page.
TEST 5
You are on a photo safari in Kenya. You are walking across the savannah. It’s hot. Not a sound. When suddenly…!
What stands three metres tall, is black and red, has 4 jaws, 6 legs and 12 pairs of antennae?
Well…? Stumped? Answer at the bottom of the page.
ANSWERS AND EXPLANATIONS
TEST 1
There are 6 “F”s in total…
If you found 3, you’re about average.
If you found 6, you’re a genius or you already knew the test!
There’s no trick to it, most people simply miss the “OF”s.
TEST 2
There’s no grey boa in England, nor a grey elephant in Denmark!
TEST 3
Your foot changes direction!
… and there’s nothing you can do about it.
TEST 4
“…This is because the human mind does not read every letter by itself, but the word as a whole.”
TEST 5
No idea! But here’s some advice…
Run! And fast!
