Posts by boldraven3

cosmicgull52 said:Sure, if Aaron Rodgers stays healthy, they can probably just limp their way into the divisional round—and that’s about as far as they’d go...

Honestly, you sound like someone who just hates everything good in this world. 🙂

Benjamin Foster2 said:And then there’s that girl from the States—boldraven3, I think? She didn't even vote, yet if I recall correctly, she's rooting for the Green Bay Packers... 🤣

Your memory serves you well. ☕

Michael Ortiz68 said:The exact same thing happened in the Netherlands. It wasn't until Mark Rutte adopted some "Wilders-esque" rhetoric that his party actually gained momentum while the PVV began to slide.

As for what’s happening with the Swedes, I can't say for certain, but Stefan Löfven and the migration minister cooked up some new migrant policy that apparently caused Sara Karlsson to resign, calling it anti-migrant. Whether it was just political theater for the voters remains to be seen, but if it was, it likely worked.

On another note, you have to hand it to the Swedes for that 85% turnout. I suspect it might even top the Netherlands, where they also saw numbers north of 80%.

I was thinking the exact same thing. Honestly, though, major props to them for the turnout... it’s pretty rare to see people showing up in such massive numbers everywhere else...

nimblelynx7 said:A little bit of objectivity never killed anyone.

No. You don't get any real value out of this by just memorizing facts from the top 17 global subjects without actually understanding them—just jumping from one topic to the next because some sacred, rigid school curriculum tells you to.

If Jack ever decides to pack his bags and head to the States for school, he might realize that actually reading quality literature—with actual comprehension, mind you—is incredibly useful when sitting for the SAT, ACT, or LSAT. Crushing those exams is vital if you want to get into a decent university, which is the only way to land a degree that actually leads to a real career.

I've been working through some of these practice tests. Yeah, reading comprehension definitely helps, but honestly? It’s the critical thinking that does the heavy lifting. It matters way more than just memorizing a bunch of dry, useless facts. As for the math—you're going to need everything from at least the first two years of high school.
Compared to our national SATs, it’s a joke. And if you look at the Chinese gaokao? Both are nothing more than a complete comedy.

Believe it or not, nobody there gives a damn about trivial nonsense or what Uzbekistan's GDP looks like. Those people who think they can just bluff their way through "important matters" by reciting things from memory? They aren't going to fare well.

I've been working through some of these practice tests. Yeah, reading comprehension definitely helps, but honestly? It’s the critical thinking that does the heavy lifting. It matters way more than just memorizing a bunch of dry, useless facts. As for the math—you're going to need everything from at least the first two years of high school.
Compared to our national SATs, it’s a joke. And if you look at the Chinese gaokao? Both are nothing more than a complete comedy.

Believe it or not, nobody there gives a damn about trivial nonsense or what Uzbekistan's GDP looks like. Those people who think they can just bluff their way through "important matters" by reciting things from memory? They aren't going to fare well.

I've been working through some of these practice tests. Yeah, reading comprehension definitely helps, but honestly? It’s the critical thinking that does the heavy lifting. It matters way more than just memorizing a bunch of dry, useless facts. As for the math—you're going to need everything from at least the first two years of high school.
Compared to our national SATs, it’s a joke. And if you look at the Chinese gaokao? Both are nothing more than a complete comedy.

Believe it or not, nobody there gives a damn about trivial nonsense or what Uzbekistan's GDP looks like. Those people who think they can just bluff their way through "important matters" by reciting things from memory? They aren't going to fare well.
I’m not quite following your logic here. The LSAT doesn't even test math. Now, the SAT does have a math section, but I wasn't actually referring to that—I was focused on the verbal side, where reading comprehension is the real driver. (There’s also a pretty strong correlation between the LSAT and the verbal portion of the SAT). Math is its own thing, though I suppose being able to read well helps you grasp what the question is asking in the first place.

I’m not sure what you mean by "laughable," though. For instance, what kind of score did you pull on the SAT verbal section? 🍿

Also, I have no idea how Uzbekistan's GDP relates to these exams, especially since none of them are testing "dry facts." What they actually do is present you with a few passages—which make up part of the overall SAT or LSAT verbal score—and then you have to answer specific questions based on those texts within your allotted time... usually about 35 minutes for the "reading comprehension" chunk. So, if you're a good reader, you're golden, but if not... well...

Maria Gray3 said:Atticus 👍

Reading good books does wonders for learning a language—whether it's a second one or even just improving your own. 😍

That is so true. 👍

Speaking specifically about the LSAT—which is still pretty fresh in my mind since I took it most recently—one major component is the reading comprehension section. From what I learned while studying (and from knowing people who have built entire careers out of LSAT prep), this is arguably the hardest area to actually improve... if you want to see that score jump significantly between your first diagnostic test and the actual exam day.

Why is that? Because, generally speaking, only those who are already habitual readers—people used to diving into substantive stuff—can really nail that section. And let's face it, a reading habit is something you build over a lifetime, not something you can cram into a few months of intense study.

Prep instructors often give their clients long reading lists or suggest devouring > and similar publications on a daily basis... but, as they themselves will admit, that doesn't do much good for someone who simply hasn't spent much time reading throughout their life.

I believe the American education system faces plenty of hurdles, but I'm certain an emphasis on reading and literature isn't one of them.

I also find myself sympathizing with teachers who get criticized for demanding that students read. Personally, I am so grateful to all my American English professors. Whether they were putting up with my messy handwriting or actually teaching me something meaningful... they made a difference. 😁

I honestly don't get this obsession with the idea that only "directly applicable" knowledge actually holds any value.

Think about it—if someone from a place like Iraq decides to head over to the States to pursue a degree, they might just discover that the habit of reading high-quality literature (with actual comprehension, obviously) is incredibly useful when tackling things like the SAT, ACT, or LSAT. And let's be real, scoring well on those exams is a massive advantage when you're trying to get into a top-tier university—the kind that hands you a diploma which actually makes finding a solid career much easier down the road.

Reading is one of those fundamental building blocks, and whether people want to admit it or not, literature plays a huge role in that process...

Persephone makes a great point. People who love to read will always find something to sink their teeth into—no school reading list is ever going to make them "hate" books...

I’ve been obsessed with reading since I was tiny; the librarians at my local branch used to treat me like one of their own. 🤣 And don't get me wrong, I always did my required school reading. In fact, those assignments based on the syllabus were actually some of my favorites—even when I absolutely detested the book itself! After all, explaining why a story didn't click with you shouldn't be an impossible task.

To be honest, I almost feel bad for my old teachers when I think back on those assignments... I would always write pages upon pages of analysis, but my handwriting was just a total disaster. 🤣

I wouldn't stand for a kid telling me, dead serious, that they didn't read something just because it was "boring"—and frankly, I don't think any parent should either. Sometimes, picking up something that isn't exactly your cup of tea is just part of growing up.

brightheron64 said:Why should a specific book, especially one hand-picked by someone else, ever be treated as a mandatory chore?
Goodness, I’m practically halfway through a career at Chase Bank and I still haven't tackled Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, or Proust... though I suppose I'm not quite old enough for those heavyweights yet, even if I have burned through mountains of other books...

The whole point of reading is the comprehension, the deep thinking, the actual connection to how someone expresses themselves... but that kind of magic only happens when you're driven by genuine curiosity or a fascination with the subject, not because it was slapped on a required reading list...

So, I'm completely on board with the idea that kids need to read, but please, just give them options—give them a choice ranging from Gilgamesh to Harry Potter, or from Aesop's fables to Dr. Seuss... and then, instead of lecturing them about what they *should* have read, try actually talking to them about the stories they actually chose for themselves...

She won't be picking jobs; she'll just go work for Google. 😉

You're missing out big time, especially when it comes to Dostoevsky. You should really consider borrowing Crime and Punishment from the library sometime.

I've actually read Crime and Punishment in both Spanish and English... my only real regret is that I don't know Russian, so I could finally experience it in its original language.