Some of the more difficult test questions I recall from graduate school examinations had to do with bipartite statements.
What one was asked to ascertain, as the test taker, was whether parts A and B were both true and related, true but unrelated, or if either part were false, or both were.
So options for answers would be:
A — both parts true and related
B — both parts true but unrelated
C — only part A was true
D — only part B was true
E — both parts were false
This was a long time ago, and I don’t know if such questions still exist.
I suspect they may.
It is hard to imagine their being improved upon (from the test maker’s POV).
As one might imagine, there was not much room for guesswork. What is more, questions like this went on and on, one after another.
Plus the test was timed, so there was not much opportunity to cogitate.
Mercifully, the whole test was not composed of such questions.
One did indeed need to know the topic well.
Or be a skilled test taker.
Or both.
I present two quotations, both of which I consider beautiful as stand alone statements.
I ask whether you, the reader, consider them true and related (or the probability of that, if they might be).
