A talking pineapple challenges a hare to a race. The other animals wager on the immobile pineapple winning — and ponder whether it’s tricking them.

When the pineapple fails to move at all and the rabbit wins, the animals dine on the pineapple.

Why did the animals eat the talking fruit?

Which animal was wisest?

0.o

If you'll need me I'll be refreshing msnbc.com waiting for the breaking headline about the neurotoxin released in the DC area today.

Here's a link to the story.

Initially I assumed it was some kind of essay-response section. And I didn't really have a problem with using an absurdist story for that, assuming the goal is to display an ability to think and put it in words it would give the kids obvious creative freedom on how to proceed.

But since it was multiple choice, it's just stupid. I assume some kind of placeholder silliness that mistakenly made it into the final test.

The answers are "they wanted to" because none of the more specific answers is justified by the context and "the owl" because he had the good sense not to be mentioned and owls are always the wisest.

I chose 'C'. Because they were hungry.

The animals had been sitting around for hours watching the race. No mention was made of snacks so we know they were hungry. The rest is speculation.

Perhaps, if you discount the talking animals' logical dietary habits. For instance, if the coyote was truly hungry, he would have eaten the hare.

So the answer is E) They were lazy. The hare was too fast and too far away to be eaten.

Meanwhile, the author of the story weighs in

The things I remember.

Here's Peter Segal's (of Wait Wait Don't Tell Me) run in with Pearson, the test making company. Part 1, Part 2.

Heh, I remember that story. I didn't realize it was the same company.

I guess that wasn't such a bright idea after all.....