Wake-Up Call For China!

12 years ago

Is this really so? Can anyone actually be dumber than the Americans? (ducking for cover on this one! ...)

[ 5 ] Thanks

Signature

"The scientific theory I like best is that the rings of Saturn are composed entirely of lost airline luggage." - Mark Russell

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8998565].message }}

HeySal

12 years ago

We're way down the slopes in math and sciences - going for third world status. And China is below us? Good grief, that's got to be just freaking embarrassing.

Thanks
1 reply

Signature

Sal
When the Roads and Paths end, learn to guide yourself through the wilderness
Beyond the Path

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8998641].message }}

David Beroff 12 years ago

Originally Posted by HeySal

We're way down the slopes in math and sciences - going for third world status. And China is below us? Good grief, that's got to be just freaking embarrassing.

Urm... maybe you'd better re-read the article's headline again very carefully.
- [ 1 ] Thanks
Signature

Put MY voice on YOUR video: AwesomeAmericanAudio.com
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8999815].message }}

yukon

Banned 12 years ago

China was smart enough to take millions of jobs. Apparently someone in China knows basic math.

Thanks
2 replies

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8998659].message }}

HeySal 12 years ago

Originally Posted by yukon

China was smart enough to take millions of jobs. Apparently someone in China knows basic math.

Maybe ....but if they're below us........it ain't the masses who know it.
- Thanks
- 1 reply
Signature

Sal
When the Roads and Paths end, learn to guide yourself through the wilderness
Beyond the Path
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8998673].message }}
- yukon Banned 12 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by HeySal
  
  Maybe ....but if they're below us........it ain't the masses who know it.
  
  That OP link is from theonion.
  
  [ 3 ] Thanks
  
  2 replies
  
  {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8998686].message }}
  
  Kydee 12 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by yukon
  
  That OP link is from theonion.
  
  Which means it is accurate?
  
  Thanks
  
  2 replies
  
  Signature
  
  "Fashions fade, style is eternal." - Yves Saint-Laurent
  Kydee Style - GPlus Kydee
  
  {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8999850].message }}
  
  seasoned 12 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by Kydee
  
  Which means it is accurate?
  
  NOPE. This might be one of the FEW times the onion is telling the TRUTH! The reason the story is there is NOT because it is contrived, or just wrong. It is there because, to an AMERICAN, at FIRST blush, the headline looks like it is GOOD.
  
  It is like a bunch of robberies made from some GREAT robbers, and a headline that says "Mysterious robbers almost caught!"! And then it explains that they have clues indicating that the robbers were there only days earlier, and maybe showing how an object was moved. Or maybe it might say "Robbers FAIL to clean out vault", and the article says a penny was left behind.
  
  Well, HERE it is saying that Chinese students are falling further behind IN THEIR LEAD against US students.
  
  Steve
  
  Thanks
  
  {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9000038].message }}
  
  David Beroff 12 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by Kydee
  
  Which means it is accurate?
  
  The Onion is a news satire organization.
  
  Thanks
  
  1 reply
  
  Signature
  
  Put MY voice on YOUR video: AwesomeAmericanAudio.com
  
  {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9000263].message }}
  
  Kay King 12 years ago
  
  READ THE ARTICLE!!!!
  
  So much easier to express outrage than to read what it says.
  
  American students from the ages of 14 to 18 have now actually pulled slightly ahead of their 8-year-old Chinese counterparts.
  
  Thanks
  
  Signature
  
  Saving one dog will not change the world - but the world changes forever for that one dog
  ***
  https://www.pawsofwar.org/
  2024 Patriot's Award for Service to Veterans
  
  {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9000366].message }}
  
  HeySal 12 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by yukon
  
  That OP link is from theonion.
  
  Hmmm. Seems my reading comprehension has slipped beneath China's. Sure hope that is temporary.
  
  Thanks
  
  Signature
  
  Sal
  When the Roads and Paths end, learn to guide yourself through the wilderness
  Beyond the Path
  
  {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9001037].message }}
BigFrank Banned 12 years ago

Originally Posted by yukon

China was smart enough to take millions of jobs.

They didn't take anything. We gave them away. Cheers. - Frank
- [ 2 ] Thanks
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9001639].message }}

seasoned

12 years ago

This is the ONION! If you want the truth, you can often REVERSE the parties and get the truth! It is kind of like madlibs.

I WAS going to try it and I realized something. THIS might be one of the RARE times the onion has a REAL article. READ IT CAREFULLY! From the center of the article:

American students from the ages of 14 to 18 have now actually pulled slightly ahead of their 8-year-old Chinese counterparts

So they are saying that the U.S. students are SUPPOSEDLY getting better, because they are ONLY 6-10 years BEHIND the chinese!

OK, NOW for the PUNCH LINE! The US is working on a UN plan to hurt US students. It is only partially up to like the 6th grade, only in like 35 states, and I don't know if they are doing math yet. ANYWAY, short term, it could cause a couple years damage as a sort of hiccup, and kids that fall behind in the wrong year might as well have moved to a different country. So DON'T think this will be a trend that will continue!

Steve

Thanks

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8998693].message }}

seasoned

12 years ago

BTW They are doing worse than OTHER countries ALSO!

In addition to disappointing marks from grade school children in China, 10-year-olds in Germany, South Korea, Japan, Switzerland, and New Guinea also reportedly tested an average of three percentage points lower than U.S. high school seniors in physics, with education officials from each country expressing deep concerns about the increasingly mediocre quality of their primary schools.

So GERMANY! BEWARE! Your 10 year olds are ONLY barely doing as well as US 17-18yo in PHYSICS!

Steve

[ 1 ] Thanks

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8998698].message }}

thunderbird

12 years ago

It didn't occur to me that anyone here would take the article seriously. It made me laugh so much, it was difficult for me to stop laughing when I suddenly had to be serious over something. The Onion has really good writers.

“'And even when they did test at the same level in mathematics, it often took Chinese elementary school students 10 to 15 minutes longer to do simple things like factor a polynomial equation or compute the derivative of a continuous function,' Fornasier added. 'That just isn’t normal.'”

Thanks
2 replies

Signature

Project HERE.

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9001042].message }}

HeySal

12 years ago

Originally Posted by thunderbird

It didn't occur to me that anyone here would take the article seriously. It made me laugh so much, it was difficult for me to stop laughing when I suddenly had to be serious over something. The Onion has really good writers.

"'And even when they did test at the same level in mathematics, it often took Chinese elementary school students 10 to 15 minutes longer to do simple things like factor a polynomial equation or compute the derivative of a continuous function,' Fornasier added. 'That just isn't normal.'"

I miss a lot of stuff, or misunderstand it when I get drowsey just before calling it a night. Also take to skimming a few opening lines and commenting without fully looking at stuff. I really have to take up a habit of just not posting in response to most stuff until morning when I can see and think with a little acuity again.

Thanks

Signature

Sal
When the Roads and Paths end, learn to guide yourself through the wilderness
Beyond the Path

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9001528].message }}

seasoned

12 years ago

Originally Posted by thunderbird

It didn't occur to me that anyone here would take the article seriously. It made me laugh so much, it was difficult for me to stop laughing when I suddenly had to be serious over something. The Onion has really good writers.

"'And even when they did test at the same level in mathematics, it often took Chinese elementary school students 10 to 15 minutes longer to do simple things like factor a polynomial equation or compute the derivative of a continuous function,' Fornasier added. 'That just isn't normal.'"

It DOES seem like it is a real article! The tone of the headline makes people ASSUME that americans are doing FAR better when it really only shows a minor improvement. But they AREN'T comparing Chinese students to American students. They are comparing chinese GRAMMAR SCHOOL students to American HIGH SCHOOL students!

You might as well say that Gorrilla newborns are weaker than Human bodybuilders! It's TRUE, but if you don't look at the newborns vs. bodybuilders, you may get the idea that it is false. Gorillas can be STRONG! Humans are rather frail.

Steve