Ever wondered why IQ tests measure language skills? Or how lexical knowledge, the understanding of words and their contextual usage, impacts your Intelligence Quotient? Well, the reasons are interconnected. People who comprehend what they read and understand the contextual usage of words are said to enjoy reading more than people who tend to breeze through pages. They expose themselves to more words and broader lexicons, enabling them to express their thoughts and unique ideas more precisely. Additionally, a great arsenal of words and the corresponding comprehension of these words will enhance your processing power. Enhanced processing means faster intake of information and in simple terms, you are just smarter every day. [1]
Back in the day, a person’s intelligence quotient was gauged solely by dividing their mental age by their chronological age and then multiplying that number by 100. I, IQ tests now measure things like processing speed, memory, mathematical skills, language skills, and reasoning skills. [2]
However, vocabulary testing has come to be accepted as an integral part of most IQ tests. This is because it reflects intellect and comprehension. [3] When a person has a clear understanding of words, their meanings, and how they can be used appropriately in various contexts, studies reveal that it connotes intelligence. According to Robert J. Sternberg of Yale University:
“… Vocabulary is probably the best single indicator of a person’s overall level of intelligence. Stated in another way, if one wants a quick and not-too-dirty measure of a person’s psychometrically measured intelligence, and thus has time to give just one brief test of it, vocabulary is generally the best predictor of overall score on a psychometric IQ test.”
Take the quiz
Now that you know why, here’s a mini vocabulary quiz to determine if your IQ is genius-level or not. This is a multi-choice quiz that comprises 17 questions in total with each having 3 options to choose from. The answers are at the tail end of the questions, so try not to snoop.
1. fastidious (adjective)
a. excessively particular or demanding
b. bite-sized
c. rowdy
2. cobbler (noun)
a. someone who grows apples
b. someone who makes canes
c. someone who repairs shoes
3. abdicate (verb)
a. to give up a position
b. to secure a stronghold
c. to surrender
4. rescind (verb)
a. to boast
b. to endorse
c. to repeal
5. qualm (noun)
a. a recommendation
b. a feeling of unease
c. a recipe
6. loathe (verb)
a. to concern oneself with others’ business
b. to celebrate
c. to feel intense hatred
7. quaint (adjective)
a. chilly
b. colorful and bright
c. charming and unique
8. brazen (adjective)
a. bold
b. overfilled
c. mild
9. famish (verb)
a. to abolish
b. to mutiny
c. to cause extreme hunger
10. parched (adjective)
a. excited
b. extremely thirsty
c. devastated
11. contingent (adjective)
a. highly likely
b. impossible
c. conditional
12. enunciate (verb)
a. to commit a crime
b. to deteriorate
c. to pronounce clearly.
13. dire (adjective)
a. overwhelming
b. extremely serious or urgent
c. ugly.
14. gullible (adjective)
a. lazy
b. easily fooled
c. luxurious.
15. inferior (adjective)
a. lower in station
b. restless
c. unoriginal.
16. vapid (adjective)
a. overbearing
b. offering nothing of substance
c. minimal.
17. conundrum (noun)
a. a confusing and difficult problem
b. an apology
c. a confession
Scoring Yourself
Done with the test? You can now assess your performance. If you didn’t do so well on this test, there’s no reason to be bothered. At least, you’ve learned new words today and improved your vocabulary. Remember that IQ levels are not static and can be improved.
1) a
2) c
3) a
4) c
5) b
6) c
7) c
8) a
9) c
10) b
11) c
12) c
13) b
14) b
15) a
16) b
17) a
References
- “What constitutes a person’s IQ?” HowStuffWorks. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
- “If You Know The Meaning Of These 17 Words You Must Be A Genius.” A Post. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
- “Correlates of intelligence in computer measured aspects of prose vocabulary: word length, diversity, and rarity.” Science Direct. Charles F. Vetterli, John J.Furedy. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
- “A Wealth of Words.” City Journal. E. D. Hirsch, Jr. Retrieved June 12, 2020.