The Final Exam
Instructions: Read each question thoroughly. Answer all questions. Time limit - four hours. Begin immediately.
History
Describe the history of the Papacy from its origins to the
present day, concentrate specifically but not exclusively, on the
social, political, economic, religious, and philosophical impact
on Europe, Asia, America and Africa. Be brief, concise and
specific.
Literature
Compose an epic poem based on the events of your own life in
which you see and footnote allusions from T.S. Eliot, Keats,
Chaucer, Dante, Norse mythology and the Marx brothers. Critique
your poem with a full discussion of its metrics.
Music
Write a piano concerto. Orchestrate it and perform it with flute
and drum. You will find a piano under your seat.
Art
Explain Mona Lisa's smile.
Religion
Assuming the Judeo-Christian moral structure, take the stand for
Adam and Eve, and the eating of the forbidden fruit. Explain your
position fully to a Chassidic Rabbi, and answer his arguments. An
Anglican bishop will moderate this debate.
Logic
Using accepted methodology prove all four of the following That
the universe is infinite; that truth is beauty; that there is not
a little person who turns off the light in the refrigerator when
you close the door, and that you are the person taking this exam.
Now disprove all of the above. Be specific; show all work.
Philosophy
Sketch the development of human thought; estimate its
significance. Compare with the development of any other kind of
thought.
Epistemology
Take a position for or against truth. Prove the validity of your
position.
Medicine
You have been provided with a razor blade, a piece of gauze, and
a bottle of Scotch. Remove your own appendix. Do not suture until
your work has been inspected. You have fifteen minutes.
Biology
Create life. Estimate the differences in subsequent human culture
if this form of life had developed five hundred years earlier,
with special attention to the probable effects on the English
Parliamentary system. Prove your thesis.
Psychology
Employing principles from the major schools of psychoanalytic
thought, successfully subject yourself to analysis. Make
appropriate personality changes, bill yourself and fill out all
medical insurance forms. Now do the same to the person seated to
your immediate left. Also, based on your degree of knowledge of
their works, evaluate the emotional stability, degree of
adjustment, and repressed frustrations of each of the following
Alexander of Aphrodisias, Rameses II, Gregory of Nicea,
Hammurabi. Support your evaluations with quotations from each
man's work, making appropriate references. It is not necessary to
translate.
Sociology
Estimate the sociological problems that might accompany the end
of the world. Show how the boy meets girl theory developed.
Construct and experiment to test your theory.
Economics
Develop a realistic plan for refinancing the national debt. Trace
the possible effects of you plan in the following areas Cubism,
the Donatist controversy, the wave theory of light. Outline a
method from all points of view. Point out deficiencies in your
argument as demonstrated in your answer to the last question.
Computer Science
Define computer. Define Science. How do they relate? Why? Create
a generalized algorithm to optimize all computer decisions.
Assuming an 1130 CPU supporting 50 terminals, each terminal to
activate your algorithm, design the communications to interface
and all the necessary control programs.
Management Science
Define Management. Define Science. How do they relate? Why?
Create a generalized algorithm to optimize all managerial
decisions. Assuming an 1130 CPU supporting 50 terminals, each
terminal to activate your algorithm; design the communications
interface and all necessary control programs.
Public Speaking
2,500 riot-crazed students are storming the classroom. Calm them.
You may use any ancient language except Latin or Greek.
Physics
Explain the nature of matter. Include in your answer an
evaluation of the impact of the development of mathematics on
science.
Modern Physics
Disprove Einstein's Theory of Relativity. Construct an experiment
to prove your position.
Engineering
The disassembled parts of a high-powered rifle have been placed
in a box on your desk. You will also find an instruction manual,
printed in Swahili. In ten minutes a hungry Bengal tiger will be
admitted to the room. Take whatever action you feel is
appropraite. Be prepared to justify your decision.
Agricultural Science
Outline the steps involved in breeding your own super high yield,
all weather hybrid strain of wheat. Describe its chemical and
physical properties and estimate its impact on world food
supplies. Construct a model for dealing with world-wide
surpluses. Write your Nobel Prize acceptance speech.
Comprehension
Three minute time test. Read everything before doing anything.
Put your name in the upper right hand corner of this page. Circle
the word name in sentence three. Sign your name under the title
of this paper, after the title write yes, yes, yes. Put an X in
the lower left hand corner of this paper. Draw a triangle around
the X you just put down. On the back of this paper multiply
703x668. Loudly call out your name when you get to this point. If
you think you have followed directions carefully to this point
call out "I have." Punch three small holes in the top
of this paper. If you are the first person to get this far, call
out "I am the first person to this point, I am leading in
following directions." On the reverse side of this paper add
8950 and 9850. Put a circle around your answer and put a square
around the circle. Now that you have finished reading carefully,
do only sentence two.
Political Science
There is a red telephone on the desk behind you. Start World War
III. Report at length on its socio-political effects, if any.
Jurisprudence
In Part 2 of Shakespeare's "Henry VI", Jack Cade, the
leader of the Populist revolt, proposes that the first order of
business following a successful coup d'e'tat could be to
"kill all the lawyers". In light of the present
populist mood in the United States, assess the utility and any
potential impact of such a policy today.
Foreign Affairs
It has recently been suggested (especially after Black Monday)
that only a foreign war can restore America's lost national
consensus. Propose the ideal opponent(s) for the US in such a
war, and how the conflict might be engineered so that US would
seem not to be the aggressor in the situation. Discuss the pros
and cons.
Mathematics
Give today's date, in metric.
Chemistry
Transform lead into gold. You will find a tripod and three logs
under your seat. Show all work including Feynman diagrams and
quantum functions for all steps. You have fifteen minutes.
General Knowledge
Describe in detail. Be objective and specific.
Extra Credit
Define the Universe. Give two examples.