I found out that I actually did not
need the SAT's to go to EMCC, and that they would have no purpose to
me at this point, but I took them anyways. After some difficulty in
getting it in Bangor as opposed to New Hampshire, I went to take
them.
I attempted to do the test in the
uncomfortable one piece table and chair, and was surprised at how
quickly I could get through it. I would have fifteen minutes left at
least after completing each section and going back over it. I
occupied myself during this time in collecting myself for the next
section, and in observing the rest of the room.
The test was exeedingly regulated. The
moderator could not say anything not from a prepared speech. Once the
time for each section was running out, the moderator would stand up,
and stare at the analog clock on the wall until the second hand
concluded its minute. Then he would say "Pencils down."
Also, if I was not doing a math section, then I had to have my
calculator on the floor under my desk, though they did not explain
how a calculator could assist you in doing English.
Throughout the test, I had occasionally
noticed a queer humming noise. It was exceedingly loud, and I was
surprised that no one else had noticed it. I had looked, but been
unable to recognize the cause of the disturbance, and I assumed it
must be the grate that was above the clock.
I finished the last section, and I
determined to see if it was the grate. I watched it, as the noise was
quite raucous at the time, and I could not see any reason the grate
would be this noisy. Then I looked down, and realized that it was the
clock. The second hand had gotten stuck on the minute hand, and was
straining to continue past the slower moving restrictor. I looked
around the room, and was shocked that everyone, including the
moderator, was seemingly ignorant as to the drama unfolding above
their heads. I was getting seriously concerned that the clock would
break, when the second hand sprung free, and shot around the clock
leaping at five second intervals, as if making up for lost time. It
went around the clock in probably about ten seconds, and reached the
minute hand again, latching on. The straining motor sound was
probably as loud as a bus driving by our house, yet no one noticed
it. The second hand broke away, and streaked back around, this time
not hooking onto the minute hand, and eventually slowed down to its
customary second or two per second.
At the end of the section, the
moderator stood up, and waited for the second hand on the analog
clock to reach exactly the minute mark, then said "Pencils
down."
It was ridiculous to me that when this
was so regulated, it was using such a seriously messed up clock. One
of my teachers at EMCC told me that if someone had complained all of
our scores could have been thrown out. I ended up with good scores,
and because of them the college allowed me to take Mr. Goldfine's
English class. So if I had not taken the SAT's, then I would not be
writing this blog. And I have never seen another clock like that
again, fortunately.
I've made cuts and added some material. I hope you don't think that's rude. See what you think.
ReplyDeleteI attempted to do the SAT test in the uncomfortable one piece table and chair, and was surprised at how quickly I could get through it. I would have fifteen minutes left at least after completing each section and going back over it.
Even though the time didn't matter to me, it mattered to the proctor. The test was exeedingly regulated. The proctor could not say anything not from a prepared speech. Once the time for each section was running out, he would stand up, and stare at the analog clock on the wall until the second hand concluded its minute. Then he would say "Pencils down."
That clock was his god....
Throughout the test, I had noticed a queer humming noise. It was exceedingly loud, and I was surprised that no one else had noticed it. I had looked, but been unable to recognize the cause of the disturbance, and I assumed it must be the grate that was above the clock.
After I finished the last section, I determined to see if it was the grate. I watched it, and I could not see any reason the grate would be this noisy. Then I realized that it was the clock, not the grate, the clock the proctor worshipped. The second hand had gotten stuck on the minute hand, and was straining to continue past the slower moving restrictor. Everyone, including the proctor, was seemingly ignorant as to the drama unfolding above their heads. I was concerned that the clock would break, when the second hand finally sprung free, and shot around the clock leaping at five second intervals, as if making up for lost time. It went around the clock in probably about ten seconds, and reached the minute hand again, latching on.
The straining motor sound was probably as loud as a bus driving by our house, yet no one noticed it. The second hand broke away again, and streaked back around, this time not hooking onto the minute hand, and eventually slowed down to its customary second or two per second.
At the end of the section, the moderator stood up, and waited for the second hand on the analog clock to reach exactly the minute mark, then said "Pencils down."
He didn't know it, no one but me knew it, but--his god had failed.
Had anyone complained about the clock, all of our SAT scores could have been thrown out and we would have spent another pointless day worshipping in the tiny pews of a church whose god could not command the seconds, much less the minutes and hours.
If anything, I think it's polite.
ReplyDeleteI think I'm just used to having an introduction and conclusion in my writings, but narrative definitely works better with those removed. And I think that the MacGuffin stands out more. It is more of a direct and emphatic way of saying it, and I think it works better with narrative.