Think you are Singaporean? Think again! How do you measure up in your Singaporeanisms, based on this pop quiz?
You may think you are a typical Singaporean, and the thought otherwise may never have crossed your mind. But, really, just how Singaporean are you?
We bring you a fun pop quiz with a few common Singaporeanisms or local habits to test yourself on. You might find a few things we define ourselves by.
The “How Singaporean Are You?” Pop Quiz
1. You spot a long queue in town but you don’t know what it is for. Do you:
a) Carry on walking
b) Ask someone in the queue what it is for
c) Join the line – it’s probably freebies/a promotion/a sale/for a taxi
2. You encounter a public toilet which you find unreasonably dirty. Do you:
a) Walk a further distance to find a cleaner bathroom
b) Use it anyway
c) Fulfil your nationalistic duty in complaining to the management
3. You are having lunch at a roadside coffee shop. Which of the following situations do you find most terrifying?
a) It’s raining
b) Car accident
c) Traffic Police
4. What do PIE, MRT and GSS stand for?
a) Pan Island Expressway, Mass Rapid Transit, Great Singapore Sale
b) People’s Island Entity, Mothers Reality Talk, Great Singapore Singers
c) Party in East Coast, Mandarin Rarities Television, General Security Syndicate
d) Pies I Enjoy, Mellow Rabbits Talk, Giants Stop Stomping
5. It is considered taboo in a coffee shop to:
a) Take a table with a tissue packet already placed there
b) Leave your used plates on the table after dining
c) Spit your bones onto the table
6. The terms “Kiasu”, “Bo Jio” and “Malu” are:
a) Singaporean slang words
b) Comic book characters
c) Types of kueh kueh [cakes]
7. What is the key indication in a relationship which shows it is reaching a serious level?
a) You match your clothes with each other
b) You talk about spending your lives together
c) You discuss buying a flat
8. Which of the following deals seems the most attractive to you
a) $30 for a handbag
b) A $100 bag going for half price
c) An 80% discount on a $600 branded handbag
Now that you have answered these questions, tally your score below!
1. (a) 1 (b) 2 (c) 3
2. (a) 1 (b) 2 (c) 3
3. (a) 1 (b) 2 (c) 3
4. (a) 3 (b) 0 (c) 0 (d) 0
5. (a) 3 (b) 0 (c) 0
6. (a) 3 (b) 0 (c) 0
7. (a) 2 (b) 1 (c) 3
8. (a) 1 (b) 2 (c) 3
How did you fare? The closer your score is to 24, the more likely it is that you react in the same way most of your fellow Singaporeans do. Congratulations!
If your score is quite far from 24, it may reflect that you may not be as Singaporean as you think! Really, you don’t think so? Well, prove it! What do you do that’s very Singaporean?
Either way, give it a few years. Soon, you might find you have more and more Singaporeanisms!
By Basil Lee
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