What Do You Think the Questions Were?
Claire Berlinski, Ed. ·
May 8, 2011 at 7:14pm
I just came across the cover of Time magazine, October 1947.
The current affairs test: What do you imagine the questions were? Does anyone know where to find out?
When did Time last run a current affairs test, I wonder?
Non-current affairs test: Without looking up the date, can you say why Time chose that cover illustration?
Update: Thanks to E.J. Hill, who provided a link to test--which I flunked completely.
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Oct '10
Re: What Do You Think the Questions Were?
The cover art appears to be related to Hinduism, so I'd guess it had something to do with Indian politics, likely its independence movement.
May '10
Re: What Do You Think the Questions Were?
Time's archives are online and free. The quiz can be found here:
1947 Current Events Quiz
Mar '11
Re: What Do You Think the Questions Were?
In honor of the partition of India, perhaps?
Edited on May 9, 2011 at 2:44pmOct '10
Re: What Do You Think the Questions Were?
late 1947 was when Britain partitioned India and created West Pakistan and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). Also, they made the terrible mistake of avoiding the Kashmir question by calling for a plebiscite, never held, to decide the matter.
Dec '10
Re: What Do You Think the Questions Were?
Yeah, that dagger is in the Kashmir region, so I guessed there was an early squabble there.
Re: What Do You Think the Questions Were?
EJHill: Time's archives are online and free. The quiz can be found here:
1947 Current Events Quiz · May 8 at 10:21am
Comment of the day!
May '10
Re: What Do You Think the Questions Were?
The image is of the great goddess destroyer Kali/Durga. I am guessing it refers to that bloody partition between Jinnah's East and West Pakistan and India, and the murderous self harm it unleashed. many at that time thought Pakistan would succeed as a major state compared to the caste and backward superstition riddled India with Gandhi's rural inward looking self sufficiency. Well it seems history proved that idea wrong and the recent capitalism in India creating a large middle class
Re: What Do You Think the Questions Were?
I wonder how the average American scored on that test? I wonder how they'd score on a comparably difficult test today?
Feb '11
Re: What Do You Think the Questions Were?
You probably have to differentiate between people who are over seventy and have some memory of the period and everyone else.
Jul '10
Re: What Do You Think the Questions Were?
Few people realize how good Time was in that fat era for magazines. It was abundantly staffed with good people who knew how to report and write and traveled everywhere. Page after page was devoted to the cover story and you came away with a good understanding of whatever it was, from modern art to politics in Germany. The thin irony-saturated facsimile published under that name today is like a soup bone compared to that ample repast.
Jul '10
Re: What Do You Think the Questions Were?
Aug '10
Re: What Do You Think the Questions Were?
Plus, the cover art appears to have been more interesting.
May '10
Re: What Do You Think the Questions Were?
I've thoughtfully and painstakingly worked my way through the test.
Now, where are the answers? Am I missing something here?
Nov '10
Re: What Do You Think the Questions Were?
Don't leave me hangin', raycon. Why wasn't the plebiscite ever held?
ETA: Everything I know about India I've learned from Hindi films, and this tidbit wasn't covered in "Mission Kashmir."
Edited on May 8, 2011 at 10:54pmJan '11
Re: What Do You Think the Questions Were?
Obviously, they were predicting my imminent birth and overestimating my destructive capacities. (It's actually No. 1 Daughter who is an incarnation of Kali; the astrologer must have been one generation off.)
Jul '10
Re: What Do You Think the Questions Were?
Yeah, let's see those test results.
Re: What Do You Think the Questions Were?
Midget - that's Boris Artzybasheff, one of the most unique illustrators of his era. You can learn more here. Drew over 200 Time covers, among other things.
Mar '11
Re: What Do You Think the Questions Were?
The other thing that made Time so important at the time was the clarity and the simplicity of the writing and layout. Not unlike the founding of many tech and Internet and Web 2.0 companies, Henry Luce and the others involved went through much experimentation before arriving on a format that resonated. (And I believe, they were young, without many connections, and risked much.) Editorial bent aside, a nice story of the American Way. Unfortunately, they and the other newsweeklies lost that lesson and haven't quite adapted to the modern digital era.
Aug '10
Re: What Do You Think the Questions Were?
Why, thank you, Lileks.
I suppose somebody had to be responsible for that portrait of Kinsey. Nice to know that the illustrator who was also got to depict classier subject matter, like good ol' Kali here.
Oct '10
Re: What Do You Think the Questions Were?
Layla
Don't leave me hangin', raycon. Why wasn't the plebiscite ever held?
ETA: Everything I know about India I've learned from Hindi films, and this tidbit wasn't covered in "Mission Kashmir." · May 8 at 1:46pm
Edited on May 08 at 01:54 p
The two countries, India and Pakistan went to war in the area almost immediately after partition. India took control over most of the area, and the plebiscite has never been held. There is no actual border in this area, only what is called the "line of control". There are frequent skirmishes and the two countries push back at each other. Not a particularly safe place to call home.