...why certain people get elected in America, and people still think there are WMDs in Iraq, take a look at the results of the new Adult Literacy Tests, which were administered to a nationwide sampling of college graduates in 2003.
When the test was last administered, in 1992, 40 percent of the nation's college graduates scored at the proficient level, meaning that they were able to read lengthy, complex English texts and draw complicated inferences. But on the 2003 test, only 31 percent of the graduates demonstrated those high-level skills.
And if that isn't distressing enough, how about this:
A test conducted in homes across New York State in conjunction with the 2003 national test found that New Yorkers were less literate in English than their national counterparts. Eleven percent of New Yorkers performed at the proficient level in reading prose texts, compared with 13 percent nationally...
So we can rejoice that a hefty 13 percent of American adults can "read lengthy, complex English texts and draw complicated inferences". Hey, at least we know the rest of the country isn't reading newspapers, but getting their news from TV and talk-show radio.
Jeez.
That is absolutely appalling. Even if that was at the high school level, it would be cause for concern. But at the level of college graduates!! So I guess it's true that a good number of people voted for the guy they would like to have a drink with. Even the college educated.
Posted by: Frank | December 18, 2005 at 08:25 AM
Yes, but there is a bit of a bright side: 60 percent or more of people under the age of 35 cite "The Daily Show" as their primary source of information about politics. Which should mean that progressivism is far from being dead in the U.S.A.
Posted by: Dave | December 18, 2005 at 09:09 AM
Truly mortifying.
Posted by: patry Francis | December 18, 2005 at 10:46 PM