Samuel Liew’s Blog

I’ve always wondered about the science behind making an educated guess for MCQ questions, especially if you have absolutely no clue about or just want to confirm your answer. I finally stumbled upon this cool article on the net which I want to repost and share (use at your own risk).

Intelligent MCQ Guessing

• Alternatives with absolute or universal qualifiers are usually wrong (“all”, “every”, “never”, “in no case”, “in every case”, etc.)
• Alternatives that seem impossible or that seem completely unrelated to the question are usually wrong (watch out for alternatives that are true, but have nothing to do with the question).
• If two or more alternatives say the same thing, each is probably wrong (you can have two that are wrong, but not two that are right on m/c tests).
• The answer to one question is sometimes given away in another question (tests contain a lot of information – use it).
• When 3 or more alternatives deal in different ways with one concept, one of them is usually right. The instructor usually doesn’t waste 3 alternatives on single incorrect concept. In this case, he or she most likely wants to have you discriminate knowledge.
• If two answers contain a similar sounding word, such as “subordination” and “subrogation,” choose one of these.
• If two answers are almost identical except for a few words, choose one of these.
• If two answers seem extreme, they should be eliminated, and a guess made as to the remaining answers. As an example, if the answer is to be a number, and 3, 57, 89, 1103 are the choices given, you should eliminate the 3 and 1103, and take a guess at one of the remaining choices.
• If you are unable to eliminate any answer on a 4 answer question, choose the third. Experience has shown that it has a better than 25% chance of being the correct answer.
• Don’t try to apply definitions from outside the course. Answer the questions found on your lecture and class reading; not based on educational knowledge that you have.
• Never argue with a question. Accept it at face value.
• When all else fails:
  1. choose the alternative that makes the best sentence, when added to the open-ended question.
  2. look for subject-verb agreement.
  3. know the instructor’s quirks of language.
  4. choose the longer answer. The instructor may have used more words to make the answer precise; thus the most correct.
• None of these rules works all the time, so use them only if you must.

#384

1. Group > Hug
2. Pollution > Toxic
3. Getaway > Holiday
4. Mall > Cop
5. Believe > Make-believe
6. Chimney > Smoke
7. Curses > Vulgarities
8. Contrite > Heart
9. Eyelash > Curls
10. Jobs > Apple

#385

1. Offense > Defence
2. Bench > mark
3. Kissing > Hugging
4. Timely > Reminder
5. Yellow > Pages
6. Get up and go > Morning
7. Beer > Belly
8. Calories > Count
9. Blast > Dynamite
10. Window > Pane

#386

1. Executive > Director
2. Director > Head
3. Dress > Up
4. Studio > Room
5. Accountant > Tax
6. Unit > Ohm
7. Engaged > Relationship
8. Safety > Vest
9. Post > It
10. Dialogue > Speech bubble

#387

1. Collectors > Tax
2. Passion > of the Christ
3. Winner > Trophy
4. Uninhibited > Feelings
5. Challenge > Duel
6. Self > Reflection
7. Your > Yours Truly
8. Viewer > Picasa
9. Random > Quote
10. Vice > President

#388

1. Authorized > Access
2. Flirting > Around
3. Bad > Temper
4. Digit > Finger
5. Sexy > Dress
6. Combinations > Lock
7. Guard > Room
8. Retina > Eye
9. Motion > Sickness
10. Concert > Choir

LunaNiña.com | Unconscious Mutterings | What is this about?

My reflection on my view of gray areas:

When you are thinking of doing something (gray area) that the Bible doesn’t state whether is right or wrong, ask yourself whether does it glorify God and whether it will stumble yourself and others around you.

After reflecting, I went ahead and use the power of Google to find this good article on the net regarding gray areas, and to summarize its key points:

Will it benefit me spiritually?
All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify. (1 Cor. 10:23)

Will it bring bondage?
All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything. (1 Cor. 6:12)

Will it defile God’s temple?
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body. (1 Cor. 6:19-20)

Will it cause anyone to stumble?
Food will not commend us to God; we are neither the worse if we do not eat, nor the better if we do eat. But take care lest this liberty of yours somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. (1 Cor. 8:8-9)

Will it further the cause of evangelism?
Give no offense either to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God; just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of the many, that they may be saved. (1 Cor. 10:32-33)

Will it violate my conscience?
He who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin. (Rom. 14:23)

Will it bring glory to God?
Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31)

John MacArthur, 2003. What to Do in the Gray Areas. Bible Bulletin Board, [internet].
Available at: http://www.biblebb.com/files/MAC/mac5.htm
[Accessed 15 June 2010]

#380

1. Rock n Roll > R&B
2. Be with you > Close to you
3. Richard > FFS Scammer
4. Hair > Style
5. Police > and thief
6. Experience > Wild
7. Father figure > Honoured
8. Nice > Tie/Dress
9. Switch > Over
10. Appearance > Deceiving

#381

1. Labor > Intensive
2. Sweater > Hoodie
3. Five minutes > in the blink of the eye
4. Treatment > Beauty
5. Eyebrows > Bushy
6. Awake > Owl
7. Salmon > Delicious
8. Red > Herring
9. Hospital > Consultant
10. Midwife > Labor

#382

1. Cream > Pie
2. Be with you >Duplicate
3. Pancakes > Soggy
4. Believe > in love
5. 45 > 9×5
6. Eat > Chicken
7. Background > Music
8. Pane > Window
9. Aim > Target
10. Collapse > Heart attack

#383

1. Fresh air > Breathe
2. Bodyguard > Protect
3. Wedding > Gown
4. Remind > Alarm
5. Wicked > Wednesdays
6. Crawling > Grub
7. Gasoline > Explosive
8. Anyone > out there?
9. Dancing > Queen
10. Wall > E

LunaNiña.com | Unconscious Mutterings | What is this about?

Ahh, haven’t been updating my blog for quite a while with a proper post already. It is much easier to post short updates to Twitter and Facebook, which partly contributed to the decline in posts. Another reason would be the lack of time and/or the lazyness to come up with content.

Anyway, this semester has been quite normal for me. Nothing really that interesting or exciting, so let’s keep it to a point-summary.

• I auditioned for FCC’s worship team keyboard position. Hope I can get in as understudy. Nope, the results are not out yet.
• Completed a uni project that was quite fun. Had to build a simple search engine with RPCs and involve parallel processing. More info.
• Added some Facebook functionality onto my website. Notice blog comments are now powered by Facebook, and you can “Like” certain pages on my site.
• Updated the wordscramble game on Facebook to make it look cleaner. Also because the previous service provider clearspring.com is closing down.
• Made a Top 10 Scammers List Facebook app for the Friends For Sale Official Scammer List page.
• Got my driving license and bought a second-hand car
• Singapore Connection sailing (not really) and BBQ event
• Had breakfast at IKEA several times and met up with Justin, Chin Wah, Joshua, Si Rui on separate occasions.
• Joined the “Singapore Facebook” so that I can say that I’ve “been there, done that”

Coming events

• Exams… (second and third week of June)
• FCC youth camp (one hour drive from Perth!)

Have been thinking questions about what if I were to die suddenly, what should I write to be read after passing away, what would I be leaving behind, what instructions should I pass on to my family, what to do with my works (i.e. website), etc.. I was thinking of creating a procedure in the admin section on my website to automatically do stuff when I am no longer around.

It’s almost halfway through the year, and it’s a good time to take some time to reflect and evaluate the resolutions we made at the beginning of the year. How easy to make goals and resolutions but not carry them out! The other way is to be content with everything you have, and live with no regrets, which is currently my mission statement.

Most of the people I know around my age, some younger, are already in some relationship. For me, I am still kinda clueless and lost. My current view on this is that I strongly believe in never rushing any relationship, but to properly learn to truly appreciate and love the other before committing. The three magic words, no matter how magical it sounds to the other person, should not be said without meaning it. Besides love, trust and honesty are the keys to a successful and long-lasting relationship. Just as there are different levels of friendship, there are similar levels of love. Never take love at face value, for beneath it there might be unspoken words and motives.

Sometimes, I wonder if I am too clever for my own good, or stupid without even realising it. Maybe clever in same ways and not so in others. I wish I had friends who will be really frank and honest with me. I’d rather have that type of friends than those that are ‘lukewarm’ and the play-safe type. Plus, there is constructive criticism anyway.

Oh, it’s raining again…

#376

1. Habit > Unconsciously
2. Relaunch > Space shuttle
3. Mondays > to Fridays
4. Bootstrap > Data
5. Funk > Colourful
6. Appreciate > Wine
7. Yay! > Pose
8. Life > as it is
9. Sheets > and covers
10. Date night > Blind date

#377

1. Drug > Pharmacy
2. Questions > Intriguing
3. Active > Sports
4. Facts > and Figures
5. Amount > Total
6. Supervise > Observer
7. Ingredients > Rare
8. Dentist > Scaling & Polishing
9. Meal > Fast-food
10. Packaging > Bubble wrap

#378

1. Hell > Eternal suffering
2. Scott > Common name
3. Dominion > Authority
4. Stunt > Jackie Chan
5. Cougar > Big cat
6. Columbia > Christopher
7. Gasp > Surprise
8. Cancerous > Cells
9. Bitty > Nibble
10. Quit > Alt-F4

#379

1. Creepy > Ghost story
2. Links > Bookmarks
3. Sane > Humans
4. Bun > Hot-cross buns
5. Visual > Multimedia
6. Remote > Control
7. Freaking > Out
8. Curly > Hair
9. Saga > Scandal
10. Different > Opinion

LunaNiña.com | Unconscious Mutterings | What is this about?

#372

1. Children > Innocent
2. Saddlebags > Saddleback
3. Restraint > Willpower
4. Awake > Alarm
5. Blood > Splatter
6. Shutter > Speed
7. Posted > On
8. Corn cob > Yellow
9. Flagrant > Excuse
10. Fart > Stink

#373

1. Burrito > Chips
2. Spike > Hair
3. Tougher > Sentence
4. Mock > Up
5. Slurp > Soup
6. Knock > Over
7. Conference > Hillsong
8. Madness > Crazy
9. Minds > Bright
10. Connection > Networking

#374

1. Bow out > Respect
2. Relationships > Love
3. Facebook > Friend
4. Items > Wishlist
5. Ours > Vision
6. Sting > Bee
7. Hangover > Party
8. Contacts > Lenses
9. Lonely > Period
10. Seven days > Daily

#375

1. Philanthropy > Charity
2. Said > Quote
3. Blanks > Out
4. Tapas > ?
5. Orgasm > Sex
6. Movement > Silent
7. Detention > Barracks
8. Restaurant > Fine dining
9. Weird > Notation
10. Sniffle > Indirect

LunaNiña.com | Unconscious Mutterings | What is this about?