Minnesota State Aptitude Test (Msat)
DIRECTIONS
The test consists of three parts (critical reading, math & writing). Take as much time as you need and use any resource you like—Google, a calculator, Garrison Keillor. But would a real Minnesotan ask for help? You decide.
SCORING
You'll get instant answers here, though they'll also be provided in Minnesota Monthly's July issue. In any case, it’s like this: Pass or we’ll tell Iowa to be expecting you.
- 1.
What percentage of the world population is estimated to live in a warmer climate than the Twin Cities?
- A.
96 percent
- B.
45 percent
- C.
78 percent
Correct Answer
A. 96 percentExplanation
The correct answer is 96 percent. This means that a large majority, almost all, of the world population is estimated to live in a warmer climate than the Twin Cities. This suggests that the Twin Cities have a relatively cooler climate compared to most other places in the world.Rate this question:
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- 2.
Which two of the following are not cities in Minnesota?
- A.
Nimrod
- B.
Boring
- C.
Nowthen
- D.
Sleepy Eye
- E.
Niceville
Correct Answer(s)
B. Boring
E. NicevilleExplanation
Boring and Niceville are not cities in Minnesota. While Nimrod, Nowthen, and Sleepy Eye are all actual cities in Minnesota, Boring is a city in Oregon and Niceville is a city in Florida.Rate this question:
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- 3.
Where is the lowest point in Minnesota?
- A.
Lake Superior
- B.
The Mississippi River at Lake Pepin
- C.
The pothole on I-94 in Maple Grove
Correct Answer
A. Lake SuperiorExplanation
Lake Superior is the lowest point in Minnesota because it is located at the lowest elevation compared to the other options. It is a large freshwater lake that borders Minnesota and is the lowest point in the state. The Mississippi River at Lake Pepin is not the lowest point as it is a river and not at a lower elevation than Lake Superior. Similarly, the pothole on I-94 in Maple Grove is not the lowest point as it is a man-made feature and not a natural geographical location. Therefore, Lake Superior is the correct answer.Rate this question:
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- 4.
Which one of these gargantuan roadside attractions cannot be found in Minnesota?
- A.
World's largest fishing bobber
- B.
World's largest prairie chicken
- C.
World's largest ear of corn
- D.
World's largest pelican
- E.
World's largest moose
Correct Answer
E. World's largest mooseExplanation
The correct answer is World's largest moose. This is because Minnesota is known for its large number of moose, so it would be unlikely for the state to have a roadside attraction claiming to have the world's largest moose.Rate this question:
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- 5.
In the 1959 Alfred Hitchcock film North by Northwest, where is Northwest Orient Airlines taking Cary Grant?
- A.
New York to Minneapolis
- B.
Chicago to Rapid City, South Dakota
- C.
Detroit to Memphis
Correct Answer
B. Chicago to Rapid City, South DakotaExplanation
In the 1959 Alfred Hitchcock film North by Northwest, Cary Grant's character is being taken by Northwest Orient Airlines from Chicago to Rapid City, South Dakota.Rate this question:
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- 6.
The Minnesota State Fair has been canceled only five times since its inception in 1859. Which one of the following is not among the real reasons for the cancellations?
- A.
The Dakota Indian Conflict
- B.
The Civil War
- C.
The Great Influenza Epidemic
- D.
World War II
- E.
The World's Columbian Exposition
Correct Answer
C. The Great Influenza EpidemicExplanation
The Great Influenza Epidemic is not among the real reasons for the cancellations of the Minnesota State Fair. The fair has been canceled five times in its history, and the reasons for cancellation include the Dakota Indian Conflict, the Civil War, World War II, and the World's Columbian Exposition. However, there is no record of the fair being canceled specifically due to the Great Influenza Epidemic.Rate this question:
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- 7.
Of the following states, which one did Bob Dylan not claim to have grown up in?
- A.
Oklahoma
- B.
New Mexico
- C.
South Dakota
- D.
Minnesota
Correct Answer
A. OklahomaExplanation
Bob Dylan did not claim to have grown up in Oklahoma.Rate this question:
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- 8.
If Don Shelby parachutes into the diametrically opposite (antipodal) location of Minneapolis on the globe and makes his way to the nearest city, what language will be spoken there?
- A.
English
- B.
Chinese
- C.
Malay
- D.
French
Correct Answer
A. EnglishExplanation
He would land near Australia.Rate this question:
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- 9.
Sven and Ole are working one freezing night at the old Grain Belt Brewery in northeast Minneapolis when Sven turns to Ole and says, “I don’t understand why I’m so cold, seeing as how we’re closer to the equator than to the North Pole.” To which Ole replies, “You’ve been sampling too much of the product. I’ll bet you my Vikings season tickets that we’re closer to the North Pole than to the equator.” Who’s right?
- A.
Sven
- B.
Ole
- C.
Both
- D.
Neither
Correct Answer
D. NeitherExplanation
The old Grainbelt Brewery in Minneapolis is on the 45th Parallel, which is equidistant to the North Pole and the Equator.Rate this question:
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- 10.
Prince is standing on the observation deck of the Foshay Tower in downtown Minneapolis, from which, on this cloudy day, he can only see roughly 15 miles in every direction. Which of these princely landmarks can he theoretically spot?
- A.
Paisley Park Studios
- B.
The Capri Theater
- C.
First Avenue nightclub
- D.
Lake Minnetonka
Correct Answer(s)
B. The Capri Theater
C. First Avenue nightclub
D. Lake Minnetonka -
- 11.
A barge containing Jesse Ventura’s latest memoir has sunk in the Mississippi River. Donning his Navy Seal gear, Jesse dives to the barge and surfaces with it in just 30 seconds. If Jesse swims at a speed of 1 foot per second, how deep was the barge?
- A.
60 feet
- B.
15 feet
- C.
30 feet
- D.
Not deep enough
Correct Answer
B. 15 feetExplanation
The question states that Jesse Ventura swims at a speed of 1 foot per second and surfaces with the barge in just 30 seconds. If he surfaces with the barge, it means that he reached the depth of the barge in 30 seconds. Therefore, the depth of the barge is equal to the time it took Jesse to surface, which is 30 feet.Rate this question:
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- 12.
You’re bicycling toward the Aerial Lift Bridge in Duluth from 1 mile away at 10 miles per hour just as it’s beginning its descent. Will the bridge be lowered in time for you to cross?
- A.
Yes
- B.
No
- C.
Depends if I stop to feed the gulls
Correct Answer
A. YesExplanation
The Aerial Lift takes three minutes to descend; you’ll take six minutes to reach it.Rate this question:
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- 13.
If Francis Johnson, the man who built the world’s largest ball of twine in Darwin, began on his 50th birthday to roll 100 pounds of twine per day onto what would become a 17,400-pound ball, how old was he when he finished?
- A.
52
- B.
73
- C.
50
Correct Answer
C. 50Explanation
Since Francis Johnson started rolling twine on his 50th birthday and rolled 100 pounds of twine per day, it took him 17,400 days to reach a 17,400-pound ball. Since there are 365 days in a year, we can divide 17,400 by 365 to find the number of years it took him to finish. The result is 47.67, which means it took him approximately 47 years and 8 months to finish. Therefore, he was still 50 years old when he finished rolling the twine.Rate this question:
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- 14.
You’re the best sugar-beet processor in Crookston—cranking through a million of the vegetables every year—and you decide to advertise this fact in an ad proclaiming, “We beet all, churning through enough sugar beets every year to line the road from Crookston to Duluth!” Could you be sued for false advertising?
- A.
Yes
- B.
No
Correct Answer
A. YesExplanation
The distance from Crookston to Duluth is 240 miles; sugar beets grow up to a foot long, meaning a million of them still won’t cover the distance.Rate this question:
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- 15.
Sven Sundgaard begins climbing, Spiderman-style, to the top of the IDS Center in downtown Minneapolis at a rate of 1 foot per second. At the very same time, Mary Tyler Moore drops her tam from the top of the IDS Center, and the hat falls down the side of the building at a rate of 3 feet per second. At what height will Sundgaard get a headful of hat?
- A.
594 feet
- B.
198 feet
- C.
167 feet
Correct Answer
B. 198 feetExplanation
The IDS Center is 792 feet tall, so Sven will get only 198 feet up before he’s hit.Rate this question:
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- 16.
Frostbite Falls is to International Falls as ________ is to ________?
- A.
Lake Wobegon is to Staggerford
- B.
Gopher Prairie is to Sauk Centre
- C.
Woodbury is to St. Paul
Correct Answer
B. Gopher Prairie is to Sauk CentreExplanation
We’re looking for fictional towns based on real places.Rate this question:
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- 17.
Waterskiing is to Lake City as ________ is to ________?
- A.
Snowmobiling is to Brainerd
- B.
Rollerblading is to Wayzata
- C.
Ice-fishing is to Mille Lacs
Correct Answer
B. Rollerblading is to WayzataExplanation
We’re looking for inventions and the places they were invented.Rate this question:
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- 18.
Robert Zimmerman is to Bob Dylan as ________ is to ________?
- A.
James Janos is to Jesse Ventura
- B.
John Nelson is to Prince
- C.
Liza Minnelli is to Judy Garland
Correct Answer
A. James Janos is to Jesse VenturaExplanation
We’re looking for stage names and the person’s real name.Rate this question:
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- 19.
Lou Grant is to Minneapolis as ________ is to ________?
- A.
Paul Bunyan is to Bemidji
- B.
Brandon and Brenda Walsh are to Wayzata
- C.
Winona Ryder is to Winona
Correct Answer
B. Brandon and Brenda Walsh are to WayzataExplanation
We’re looking for TV characters and the city they came from.Rate this question:
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- 20.
The Spuds are to Moorhead as the ________ are to ________?
- A.
Awesome Blossoms are to Blooming Prairie
- B.
Saints are to St. Paul
- C.
Thundercats are to Grand Rapids
Correct Answer
A. Awesome Blossoms are to Blooming PrairieExplanation
We’re looking for high school teams and the city they’re from.Rate this question:
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- 21.
Tim Pawlenty is singing the Minnesota Rouser at the University of Minnesota homecoming (“Rah, rah, rah for…”), when he suddenly forgets what comes next. Can you help him out?
- A.
The Golden Gophers, yah!
- B.
U-M hurrah!
- C.
Ski-U-Mah!
- D.
MN-hi-yah!
Correct Answer
C. Ski-U-Mah!Explanation
The correct answer is "Ski-U-Mah!" because it is the next line in the Minnesota Rouser. The given lines are part of the University of Minnesota's fight song, and "Ski-U-Mah!" is the chant that follows "Rah, rah, rah for...".Rate this question:
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- 22.
Three pints of Summit Extra Pale Ale into your book club, you’re asked to recite the famous final passage of The Great Gatsby. What is it, F. Scott?
- A.
“In the real dark night of the soul, it is always three o’ clock in the morning, day after day.”
- B.
“His dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it. He did not know that it was already behind him.”
- C.
“So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.”
- D.
“Clearly I could see him now, as though I had traded night for day, and knew we should not see his kind again, if indeed we ever had.”
Correct Answer
C. “So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.”Explanation
The correct answer is the famous final passage of The Great Gatsby, which states, "So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past." This passage captures the theme of the novel, highlighting the relentless pursuit of dreams and the inability to escape the past. It signifies the characters' struggle to move forward and their constant longing for a better future, despite being trapped in the cycle of their own history. The phrase "boats against the current" symbolizes their resistance against the forces that hold them back, while "borne back ceaselessly into the past" emphasizes their inability to break free from the past's grip.Rate this question:
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- 23.
Don Shelby is canoeing in the Boundary Waters when a moose suddenly rises beneath him, tipping the canoe over. Upon surfacing, Shelby exclaims, “___________!”
- A.
"Uff da!"
- B.
"I smell moose chili!"
- C.
"Good to know!"
Correct Answer
C. "Good to know!"Explanation
Because “Good to know” is Don Shelby’s signature WCCO-TV program.Rate this question:
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- 24.
EXTRA CREDIT - If Mayor R. T. Rybak leaves Williams Arena riding his mountain bike at 15 miles per hour heading east on University Avenue, and Mayor Chris Coleman leaves the Minnesota State Capitol (Rice Street and University Avenue) at the same time doing backflips at 8 miles per hour heading west on University Avenue, where are they meeting?
- A.
Cheng Heng Restaurant
- B.
The Dubliner Pub
- C.
Arnellia's "The Legendary Club Apollo of Minnesota"
- D.
Twins Motor Inn
Correct Answer
C. Arnellia's "The Legendary Club Apollo of Minnesota" -
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