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About This Quiz
It's already 2019 and we're nowhere close to flying cars, but that's not because the technology isn't there. It's because people barely know how to walk down the sidewalk anymore. And that's not because people are dumb. It's because there are so many new things to know that it's impossible to know everything.Â
When swimming in a sea of information, we sacrifice the easiest and most routine knowledge in order to store cooler and newer knowledge. Simple things like stopping and going and turning and talking have become complicated tasks in the digital age. Is it a good idea to take a selfie in the middle of a busy sidewalk? What about shooting off a text while crossing the street? What about while driving a car? What about while flying a car?
We have to deal with emails and social media and a digital society never seen before all while dealing with real life. Mix that with common sense, general knowledge, society's rules, book smarts, street smarts, work rules, relationships, etiquette, technology, globalization, wisdom and life in general, and there's a ton of information that we're expected to know. And to make things worse, we have to know it. We have to know how to leave a voicemail and how to pull over for a police officer and how to make small talk with a physical human.Â
The good news is it's unlikely that you've forgotten everything. You've just put it in the back seat and can remember it anytime, and here's the perfect quiz to brush up on the basic knowledge that everyone should know.
The person who was speaking last
The person who initiated the call
In a day and age where cellphones are near mandatory, dropped calls happen all the time, and we've all been in a situation where both parties call back at the same time. If you were the person who made the call, you should call back instead of waiting for the other person to call.
The person who answered the call
The person who was talking the most
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Fitted sheet
Flat sheet
You either swear by your flat sheet or removed it from your bed when you were 5 and haven't thought about it since. The reason for that sheet between you and your blanket is to keep your blanket clean. It's much easier to toss a sheet in the laundry than a blanket or comforter.
Pillow sheet
Floor mat
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1,000 feet
None
2 seconds
If you can't see the rear-view mirrors on the car in front of you, you're tailgating. Watch the car in front of you pass a landmark and count how long it takes for you to pass that same landmark. It should be at least two seconds. If you're on the highway, you need three seconds of space.
10 car lengths
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Tomorow
Tommorrow
Tommorow
Tomorrow
Tomorrow is one of the most popular days along with yesterday and today, but it is one of the most misspelled words in the English language. It has one letter m and two letter r's. You can remember the spelling by breaking the word into: to and morrow.
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Boombox
Empty toilet paper roll
Bluetooth speaker
Headphones
There are so many devices that allow us to take our personal audio with us wherever we go that it is almost impossible to think about tackling a commute in cacophony. But to ensure we don't add to the noise, we have headphones that keep our audio to ourselves.
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Sit on the railing and ride it
Stand on the left side of the escalator
Every city is different, but in most cities, if you plan to stand on the escalator, you should be on the left side. The right side is for walking. If you stand on the right side you'll interrupt foot traffic and nobody on the escalator likes interrupted foot traffic.
Immediately jump off the escalator
Stand on the right side of the escalator
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While driving
While sitting on the couch
Being glued to our phone is a part of life today, but we don't need to text while crossing a street or operating anything that requires our attention. Texting while driving is not only dangerous but also causes traffic issues, since everyone is looking at their phone instead of driving.
While crossing the street
While riding a bicycle
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Elbow pit
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, we should sneeze or cough into our upper arm or elbow area. Using our hand to cover our mouth will just spread germs everywhere our hand goes. Ideally, we should always keep tissues or a handkerchief on us when we're sick.
Inside palm
Back of hand
Foot
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5 - 10 maximum
Zero
Unless you are checking your phone as a social cue that you want to end a conversation, you shouldn't check your phone during any conversation. The only time you need to check your phone in company is during an emergency, and thankfully those rarely happen.
Less than 5
10 - 15
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Thomas Edison
Isaac Newton
Isaac Newton explained the universal law of gravity in such an absurdly simple formula that nobody could understand it when it was published in the "Principia" in 1687. He reluctantly answered questions so everyone could understand it, and today is credited with the discovery.
Thomas Edison
Galileo Galilei
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Pull over to the left
Floor it
Stop immediately
Pull over to the right
You should never pull over to the left side of the road unless it's a dire emergency or your car breaks down. It's dangerous. If you get pulled over by the police, safely pull over to the right, shut off your engine, roll down your window and put your hands on the steering wheel.
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Before cooking
After exercising
Before eating
After showering
It's nearly impossible to take a shower without washing your hands, so you don't need to wash them again, but you should always wash your hands before you eat and whenever they get dirty. Washing your hands when using public amenities is simply common courtesy.
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15 seconds
30 seconds
2 minutes
You need at least 90 seconds to properly brush your teeth and most experts recommend up to three minutes. Most electric toothbrushes have timers so you know exactly how long you're brushing your teeth. Brush at an angle on the gumline in a circular motion.
5 minutes
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Left side of the dish
On your lap
The first thing you should do when you sit down at dinner is gently unwrap your napkin and fold it across your lap. If you're at a party, you should wait until the host unwraps their napkin before doing so, and never use it to wipe your nose. Place your napkin on the table when you are finished.
Right side of the dish
In your off hand
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Flashing school bus lights
Red light
Stop sign
Yield sign
A yield sign means to yield because an oncoming or converging lane of cars has the right of way. You don't have to come to a complete stop and you shouldn't. Doing so causes traffic and confusion and frustration and everything bad while driving.
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The East
The sun rises in the world's eastern hemisphere. The islands of Tonga, Samoa and Kiribati are 17 hours ahead of New York City and are the first countries to see the sun every day. They are also the first countries to welcome the new year every year.
The North
The South
The West
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The host
If you go out of your way to invite anyone to dinner, you should expect to pick up the tab. The people you invited had no intention on going to dinner until they were invited, but if that isn't the case, you can figure it out when you get there.
The bill should be split evenly
Whoever makes more money
Everyone should pay for what they ordered
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30% and 90%
Everyone knows that cellphone batteries stop holding a charge after months and years of use. The best way to prevent taxing your battery is to charge it to 90% and never let it fall under 30%. Overcharging a battery is deadly.
5% and 25%
25% and 50%
85% and 100%
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Immediately hang up
Ask the cashier to wait while you finish the call
Make your order
Even if you had to wait in line for 15 minutes to order a coffee, it doesn't mean you can make the cashier wait for you to finish your phone call. You should know how to talk on the phone and order food at the same time, but if you can't, hang up and order.
Ask the person behind you to place an order for you
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100 feet before turning or changing lanes
It is illegal to not use your turn signals or to drive a car that doesn't have turn signals, but even if that's the case, you can stick your arm out the window to signal a turn. Stick your arm straight out to signal a left turn and bend it upward at a right angle to signal a right turn.
Turn signals?
After you make a turn
As you are turning
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Say hello
Squeeze their hand as hard as possible
They say you only get one chance to make a first impression and a first impression lasts forever, so the handshake might be the most important thing in life. Make eye contact, smile and do whatever you've been doing your entire life. Overthinking a handshake is the easiest way to ruin a handshake.
Offer a firm handshake
Make eye contact
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Get a running start
Announce the secret word
Nothing
Knock on the door
The world is a large and mysterious place and every inch of every corner practices its own customs, but for the most part, it is expected that you knock on a door, wait for a response and then enter. Entering a room unannounced leads to mental scarring nine out of 10 times.
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South Carolina
Maryland
Georgia
Alabama
Alabama was admitted to the Union in 1819 and became America's 22nd state. The 13 colonies were established in the late 1700s. Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Jersey were the first three states to join the Union, all joining in December of 1787.
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RSVP and try to make it
Decline the invite
There are a million different types of parties out there, so it all depends, but if a host took the time to create invitations and ask people to RSVP to their party, you should always respond by the date requested. You should never wait until the last second to make a decision.
Don't respond and play it by ear
Wait until the day of to make a final decision
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Paris
Paris is one of the most populous cities in all of Europe and one of the most visited on the planet. Just between the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and the Cathedral at Notre-Dame, millions of tourists visit Paris each year.
Rome
Athens
Washington, D.C.
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Their day
There are several topics you shouldn't discuss in public, and politics, religion and salary are some of those topics. The easiest way to make small talk with someone is to talk about what they care about, and the easiest way to learn what they care about is to ask about their day.
Their political beliefs
Their salary history
Their religious beliefs
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When they're ready
There, their and there comprise a trio of homophones that is religiously misused. Their definitions are completely different but there isn't a more confusing group of words. The word "they're" is a contraction of they and are and is the correct word in this sentence.
When there ready
When their ready
When they ready
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You're on speakerphone.
Sometimes we have to use a speakerphone, and it's common courtesy to tell the person we called that they are talking on a speakerphone, especially if other people can hear the conversation. Secondhand embarrassment is real and people don't want to hear your conversation.
Hey, what's up?
What happened last night?
So, give me all details.
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Rome
Italy's capital is home to one of the greatest empires the world has ever seen, and its legacy is stained all over the city. You just have to walk around Rome for a few minutes to see statues and architecture dating back millennia.
Milan
Vatican City
Naples
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Secretly film it.
Help her.
Although it is legal to film people in public places, it should always be a luxury option, not a first option. In this situation, you should help the person grab the item first. Unless it's your job, you shouldn't go around filming people. You can always go around helping people.
Do nothing.
Film it and tell her about it.
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Abraham Lincoln
Theodore Roosevelt
Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin was like an American version of Leonardo da Vinci and did everything from art to science, but he was never president of the United States and he's not featured on Mt. Rushmore. The monument represents the birth, growth, development and preservation of America.
George Washington
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Place your fork and knife side by side on your plate.
Dinner table etiquette can get pretty complex, and every little thing can mean something different, but as far as the basics go, you signal you have finished your dish by placing your fork and knife onto your dish side by side. Fork prongs up and knife blade in is the way to go in America.
Snap your fingers.
Place your fork and knife on opposite sides of your plate.
Raise your hand and call them over.
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Betelgeuse
Sirius
The North Star
The Sun
The sun is the largest star in our solar system and that's why it's the center of the solar system. The North Star, Sirius and Betelgeuse are hundreds of light years away from our solar system, which is known as the Milky Way.
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Name
Phone number
Reason for calling
What you ate for lunch
One of the easiest things to do in the 21st century is to ignore a voicemail and pretend that you never got it. The longer, more complicated and more boring your voicemail, the more likely it is to get ignored. Be as succinct and informative as possible.
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Eyes
Ophthalmologists focus on eye diseases and disorders and optometrists focus on eyesight and light refraction. Optometrists prescribe glasses and contact lenses and eye exercises and ophthalmologists work on diseases like glaucoma.
Lungs
Ears
Heart
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Mongkol Chuewong / Moment / Getty Images
There are close to 200 countries in the world. What is the capital of Thailand?
Seoul
Bangkok
Bangkok is one of the most visited cities in the world and is equally known for its racy nightlife and temples of worship. It's a must-stop destination for any foodie, and it offers something for every type of traveler.
Beijing
Tokyo
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Silent
Don't underestimate how loud your phone's vibrate will sound during the silence of a crucial movie scene in a theater where everyone is on the edge of their seat. Put your phone on silent. It will make for a better movie experience for everyone, including yourself.
One bar
Vibrate
Half way
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A plant
A bottle of dish soap
You should never show up to any party empty-handed, but even worse than that is showing up wrong handed. Unless it's collector edition natural soap made from icebergs and Amazon clay, don't get someone dish soap for a housewarming gift. Gift something that adds warmth to their house.
A bottle of bourbon
A wine rack
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Reply All
Reply
Pressing "Reply All" on a company-wide email could make or break your career. The No. 1 thing you should check before sending any email from your work account is who is copied on the email. Nobody likes having a million emails in their inbox and nobody will like you if you contribute to the problem.
CC everyone
Bcc everyone
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7 days
30 days
1 day
It takes the planet just shy of 24 hours to spin once on its axis at about 1,000 miles per hour, which also means the circumference of the Earth is about 24,000 miles. The globe spins like a basketball on a finger, so the equator spins faster than the poles.
365 days
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