Teachers and students stumped by question about talking pineapple on a state exam

Students across the state are still scratching their heads over an absurd state test question about a talking pineapple.


The puzzler on the eighth-grade reading exam stumped even educators and has critics saying the tests, which are becoming more high stakes, are flawed.


“I think it’s weird that they put such a silly question on a state test. What were they thinking?” said Bruce Turley, 14, an eighth-grader at Lower Manhattan Community Middle School.


“I thought it was a little strange, but I just answered it as best as I could,” said his classmate Tyree Furman, 14. “You just have to give it your best answer. These are important tests.”


In the story, a take-off on Aesop’s fable about the tortoise and the hare, a talking pineapple challenges a hare to a race. The other animals wager on the immobile pineapple winning — and ponder whether it’s tricking them.


When the pineapple fails to move and the rabbit wins, the animals dine on the pineapple.
Students were asked two perplexing questions: why did the animals eat the talking fruit, and which animal was wisest? Teachers, principals and parents contacted by The News said they weren’t sure what the answers were.


“My reaction is horror that a question that’s so obviously confusing should be used on a test that is going to be used to determine our kid’s future and the future of our children’s schools,” said parent Leonie Haimson, of Class Size Matters, who first posted the question on her blog.


In response to revelations that the state exams had become predictable and easier to pass, the state last year awarded a new $32 million contract to testing company Pearson to overhaul the tests.


The new exams have higher stakes for principals and teachers statewide, whose evaluations will be based in part on student scores beginning as soon as this year.
Scarsdale Middle School Principal Michael McDermott said the question has been used before and “confused students in six or seven different states.”


And he had a quick answer to the question of who is the wisest: “Pearson for getting paid $32 million for recycling this crap.”


One of the questions even stumped 74 time Jeopardy! champion Ken Jennings, who said of he "who is wisest" question, "Honestly, I'm still not particularly sure what the intended answer is."


The city confirmed the questions were on the exam, but declined to discuss any specifics, and Chancellor Dennis Walcott directed questions to the state.


State officials wouldn’t divulge the answer and said they couldn’t speculate on whether the questions will be scored or scratched because of the controversy. They also noted that under new state rules, the questions and answers won’t be released.


Pearson spokesman Jason Smith said the state Education Department prohibited the company from speaking to the press on “matters like this.”


The Hare and the Pineapple
by Daniel Pinkwater

In olden times, the animals of the forest could speak English just like you and me. One day, a pineapple challenged a hare to a race.
(I forgot to mention, fruits and vegetables were able to speak too.)
A hare is like a rabbit, only skinnier and faster. This particular hare was known to be the fastest animal in the forest.
“You, a pineapple have the nerve to challenge me, a hare, to a race,” the hare asked the pineapple. “This must be some sort of joke.”
“No,” said the pineapple. “I want to race you. Twenty-six miles, and may the best animal win."

"You aren't even an animal!" the hare said. “You're a tropical fruit!"
“Well, you know what I mean,” the pineapple said.

The animals of the forest thought it was very strange that tropical fruit should want to race a very fast animal.

"The pineapple has some trick up its sleeve," a moose said.

Pineapples don't have sleeves, an owl said

"Well, you know what I mean,” the moose said. "If a pineapple challenges a hare to a race, it must be that the pineapple knows some secret trick that will allow it to win.”

“The pineapple probably expects us to root for the hare and then look like fools when it loses,” said a crow. “Then the pineapple will win the race because the hare is overconfident and takes a nap, or gets lost, or something.”

The animals agreed that this made sense. There was no reason a pineapple should challenge a hare unless it had a clever plan of some sort. So the animals, wanting to back a winner, all cheered for the pineapple.

When the race began, the hare sprinted forward and was out of sight in less than a minute. The pineapple just sat there, never moving an inch.

The animals crowded around watching to see how the pineapple was going to cleverly beat the hare. Two hours later when the hare cross the finish line, the pineapple was still sitting still and hadn't moved an inch.
The animals ate the pineapple.

MORAL: Pineapples don't have sleeves

Beginning with paragraph 4, in what order are the events in the story told?

A switching back and forth between places

B In the order in which the events happen

C Switching back and forth between the past and the present

D In the order in which the hare tells the events to another animal


The animals ate the pineapple most likely because they were
A Hungry
B Excited
C Annoyed
D Amused

Which animal spoke the wisest words?
A The hare
B The moose
C The crow
D The owl

Before the race, how did the animals feel toward the pineapple?
A Suspicious
B Kindly
C Sympathetic
D Envious

What would have happened if the animals had decided to cheer for the hare?
A The pineapple would have won the race.
B They would have been mad at the hare for winning.
C The hare would have just sat there and not moved.
D They would have been happy to have cheered for a winner.

When the moose said that the pineapple has some trick up its sleeve, he means that the pineapple

A is wearing a disguise
B wants to show the animals a trick
C has a plan to fool the animals
D is going to put something out of its sleeve

Read more: Talking pineapple question on state exam stumps ... everyone! * - NY Daily News

What say you, PerC? How would you answer these questions? Explain your answers!

Beginning with paragraph 4, in what order are the events in the story told?
B In the order in which the events happen

The animals ate the pineapple most likely because they were
A Hungry

Which animal spoke the wisest words?
D The owl

Before the race, how did the animals feel toward the pineapple?
A Suspicious

What would have happened if the animals had decided to cheer for the hare?
D They would have been happy to have cheered for a winner.

When the moose said that the pineapple has some trick up its sleeve, he means that the pineapple
B wants to show the animals a trick

Originally Posted by JadenAria

Beginning with paragraph 4, in what order are the events in the story told?
B In the order in which the events happen

The animals ate the pineapple most likely because they were
A Hungry

Which animal spoke the wisest words?
D The owl

Before the race, how did the animals feel toward the pineapple?
A Suspicious

What would have happened if the animals had decided to cheer for the hare?
D They would have been happy to have cheered for a winner.

When the moose said that the pineapple has some trick up its sleeve, he means that the pineapple
B wants to show the animals a trick

No no no.

They ate the pineapple because they were annoyed. The moose was the wisest animal. The pineapple had a plan to fool the animals.

It was a strange story but it certainly wasn't nonsensical. It was easy to answer.

Annoyed, yes. I wish there were an option for vindictive. It seems to mE that the animals were pissed at the pineapple for tricking them...FOR NO REASON. And the owl was clearly the wisest. This is proven in the given moral of the story, which is exactly what the owl said. Plus, it's an owl.

Clearly the stupidest creature was the pineapple. He gained nothing by tricking everyone nd he pissed off a forest full of hungry creatures.

Originally Posted by La Li Lu Le Lo

No no no.

They ate the pineapple because they were annoyed. The moose was the wisest animal. The pineapple had a plan to fool the animals.

It was a strange story but it certainly wasn't nonsensical. It was easy to answer.

Relax, relax, relax.

I was split between A & C on the 2nd question & B & C on the last one. I think one could give a decent argument for either answer.

I don't really see a difference in #6 B & C, to me they just sounded like a different way of saying the same thing. I guess maybe the difference would be in C, the trick would be played w/o the animals realizing it & in B they'd be more aware of it? B would be like a magic trick being played, you realize that what you're seeing is a trick, but you don't know how it's done. C would be like you don't even realize that you're at a magic show. If anyone would care to give their thoughts on the difference, I'd appreciate it.

hmmm...after a bit more thought on #6...it's asked from the moose's perspective. The moose would think that the pineapple wants to show the animals a trick, not fool them, so I stand by my original answer.

No idea how you can say the moose the wisest, I think he was the stupidest (explained below).

Originally Posted by Marimeli

Annoyed, yes. I wish there were an option for vindictive. It seems to mE that the animals were pissed at the pineapple for tricking them...FOR NO REASON. And the owl was clearly the wisest. This is proven in the given moral of the story, which is exactly what the owl said. Plus, it's an owl.

Clearly the stupidest creature was the pineapple. He gained nothing by tricking everyone nd he pissed off a forest full of hungry creatures.

Eh, I was tired when I answered this & switched from Annoyed & Hungry 3-4 times before just submitting it. It's not like we'll get the "right" answers, anyway. I think they just got hungry after sitting there for 2 hours watching the pineapple do nothing xD

I personally don't agree on the stupidest creature. The stupidest creature (imo) was the moose (and then all the other creatures for agreeing w/him). If the owl was the wisest (in seeing the truth that the pineapple didn't have sleeves), then the stupidest would be the one to state the opposite (because they were blind to the truth/unable to see what was clear to the owl). Right?

Oh, I forgot to mention the reason I thought about choosing Annoyed as the answer to the 2nd question.

Before the end of the race, it's shown that the animals irrationally acted on their feelings. So it makes sense that after the hare won, they were annoyed & then acted on that annoyance. Guess my Se just overruled my Ni in my final answer to that one.

As a side note: I think the reason that so many people don't like these questions are because you're required to use Ni & Te(?) for most of the answers.

Originally Posted by Marimeli

Clearly the stupidest creature was the pineapple. He gained nothing by tricking everyone nd he pissed off a forest full of hungry creatures.

Perhaps the pineapple did it 4 teh lulz.

The idea that teachers should be judged based on how well they teach kids to respond to that level of idiocy is really astounding. Standardized testing is a reasonable means by which kids can be moved onto faster/slower academic tracks when needed, but is completely unsuited for teacher evaluations.

Originally Posted by JadenAria

I personally don't agree on the stupidest creature. The stupidest creature (imo) was the moose (and then all the other creatures for agreeing w/him). If the owl was the wisest (in seeing the truth that the pineapple didn't have sleeves), then the stupidest would be the one to state the opposite (because they were blind to the truth/unable to see what was clear to the owl). Right?

That is why I was careful to say the stupidest CREATURE... without a doubt the stupidest animal was indeed the moose. But I still can't see any motivation for the pineapple to behave in a way guaranteed to ensure his own demise for provoking the animals.

But I do get paid to argue about these things for a living :)

Originally Posted by mariogreymist

The idea that teachers should be judged based on how well they teach kids to respond to that level of idiocy is really astounding. Standardized testing is a reasonable means by which kids can be moved onto faster/slower academic tracks when needed, but is completely unsuited for teacher evaluations.

WHY can't I thank this more than once?? :P