Friday, February 15, 2008
Errors in Kidspot
Kidspot has done it again. This time is a puzzle (2008 February 15) with an error and some questionable entries. This is the exercise:
One word in each group of four things doesn't belong. Can you spot the odd one?
1. Carrots, beets, onions, plums.
2. Linx, manx, mink, Siamese.
3. Porpoise, shark, tuna, salmon.
4. Bluebird, cowbird, ladybird, hummingbird
Answer:
1. Plums aren't vegetables,
2. Mink is not a cat,
3. Porpoise is not a fish,
4. Ladybird is a beetle.
The first one is OK. Plums are a fruit. But what about the second one? The answer given is "mink", as it is not a cat. However, the answer could very well be "linx", as that is the only entry that is misspelled because it has a wrong letter in it. It should be "lynx". The answer could very well be "manx" because that one is the only one with a case error. It should be "Manx" with a capital, because it refers to a proper place, namely an island near the British Isles called Man. And the answer could be "Siamese", because that's the only one of the four that does not have something wrong or different about it. Two misspellings have completely ruined this question.
The third one's answer is given to be "porpoise" because that is not a fish; it is a mammal. But the reason could also be that sharks, tuna, and salmon as food are common, but porpoises are much less common as food.
The last one reveals the origin of "Kidspot". It does not originate in the United States or Canada. "Ladybird" is given to be a beetle; however, I have always known this insect to be a "ladybug". A look at Wikipedia reveals that "ladybird" is a British (also South African and Australian) term for the insect, while "ladybug" is the North American term. Kidspot appeared this morning in a Richmond, Virginia newspaper, in the United States, so I am wondering how the British English got into the cartoon. Know your audience.
The most serious problem is with Number 2, however. The creators of Kidspot need to proofread their material before submitting it.
One word in each group of four things doesn't belong. Can you spot the odd one?
1. Carrots, beets, onions, plums.
2. Linx, manx, mink, Siamese.
3. Porpoise, shark, tuna, salmon.
4. Bluebird, cowbird, ladybird, hummingbird
Answer:
1. Plums aren't vegetables,
2. Mink is not a cat,
3. Porpoise is not a fish,
4. Ladybird is a beetle.
The first one is OK. Plums are a fruit. But what about the second one? The answer given is "mink", as it is not a cat. However, the answer could very well be "linx", as that is the only entry that is misspelled because it has a wrong letter in it. It should be "lynx". The answer could very well be "manx" because that one is the only one with a case error. It should be "Manx" with a capital, because it refers to a proper place, namely an island near the British Isles called Man. And the answer could be "Siamese", because that's the only one of the four that does not have something wrong or different about it. Two misspellings have completely ruined this question.
The third one's answer is given to be "porpoise" because that is not a fish; it is a mammal. But the reason could also be that sharks, tuna, and salmon as food are common, but porpoises are much less common as food.
The last one reveals the origin of "Kidspot". It does not originate in the United States or Canada. "Ladybird" is given to be a beetle; however, I have always known this insect to be a "ladybug". A look at Wikipedia reveals that "ladybird" is a British (also South African and Australian) term for the insect, while "ladybug" is the North American term. Kidspot appeared this morning in a Richmond, Virginia newspaper, in the United States, so I am wondering how the British English got into the cartoon. Know your audience.
The most serious problem is with Number 2, however. The creators of Kidspot need to proofread their material before submitting it.
