Brain Waves

We have a wonderful local resource for people with memory issues.  Called “Memory Matters,” it is blessing for those who need it.

They administer a free memory test to the public. I know many people who’ve taken it.  And actually remember that they did.  It’s called MocCa….short for Montreal Cognitive Assessment. 

There’s another brain assessment test out there.  MENSA.  That one’s for really, really, over-the-top smart people.  A local magazine runs a mini-MENSA test in each issue.

I got confused last month, thought the magazine said mini-MoCa, and decided to test myself.  Thus opening the door to trouble. And a great deal of self-doubt.

The first question was: “Add an R to a word that means a geographical feature and find a word that means something to put over an object.”  The answer was not immediately apparent.  It came to me the next day.  Way too late to qualify for success or intelligence.

The second question was much easier, or so I thought. “If a weird grocer charges 11 cents for a cucumber, and tomatoes and pumpkins each cost 9 cents, what will a squash cost?”

My answer:  squash and cucumbers are long and skinny and tomatoes and pumpkins are round and fat.  So a squash will cost 11 cents.  I felt really good about that one. 

Another possible answer:  A squash is a veggie, like the cucumber.  The others are fruits.  The answer is still 11 cents.  Except for the fact that a cucumber is a fruit.  Little known fact to some of us who were desperate to get a correct answer.

Both were wrong, of course.

It seems that particular grocer, according to the MENSA people, charges one penny per consonant and 2 pennies per vowel.  Ergo, the squash will cost 8 cents.

I mean, really.  How does a person think like that?  By being super-smart, I guess.

My takeaway?   Stay away from brain tests.  Mini or otherwise.  Ignorance is, indeed, bliss.

Test answer sheet image thanks to southside.edu