Reality High Test Results, October 26 – November 1: For the First Time, No Eliminations!

Welcome back to another week at Reality High! It’s time yet again to beat some basic strategic skills into the heads of those who are totally clueless, not to mention trying to deal with the annoying ones without losing my mind. Fortunately, there are always a few great students to make my day.

However, this week I found myself teaching just 12 students – the six remaining teams of The Amazing Race 10. The remaining thirteen contestants from Survivor: Cook Islands were out for a retreat this week, so I won’t have any people from that show to send home. However, there are still going to be questions about the contestants still left in the game and those who were already out, based on the clip episode.

I had sent copies of the test to those students who had already left the class for them to answer and send back, while the contestants that were still in the game answered them prior to leaving for the retreat. So after the current Amazing Race students filed into class and were handed the tests which contained their questions, I took a look at the answers for the Cook Island students on the test.

When I saw the answers for all the former members of Hiki tribe to the first question, I realized that Sekou wasn’t the only one who had a lot to learn about the great outdoors:

1. True or False: Contestants shouldn’t take the outrigger off of their boats before they try to use it.

Unfortunately, all of Hiki answered “False” to this one. Sundra said that their problem was that they were “city kids,” and she was right. Obviously, they didn’t realize that people should keep the outrigger on before trying to use their boats. Their failure to do so resulted in the boat tipping over repeatedly. A bad mistake for them, but it sure was funny to watch and in any case it didn’t really hurt them.

When I took a look at the late, unlamented Billy’s answer to the second question, I began to realize why the rest of the Hispanics on Aitu couldn’t trust him:

2. True or False: When you try to form alliances, it’s a great idea to not scheme and plot too much, too soon.

Billy answered “False,” and I began to reach for the Excedrin. Not only was Billy lazy, not only was he completely inept at surviving in the great outdoors, but he was also inept when it came to forming alliances. He first formed a “final two” alliance with J.P., and then tried to turn the women against J.P. No wonder Cecelia, J.P., and Ozzy were ready to throw the second immunity challenge just to get rid of him! He forgot that people might talk to each other and he’d be busted if that happened. That apparently happened to Deena from Survivor: Amazon, and it happened to Billy here.

Meanwhile, Yul showed his usual high level of strategic technique with his answer to the third question:

3. True or False: If you find the hidden immunity idol, you should destroy and/or get rid of all evidence that would reveal that you found it.

Yul answered “True,” and I was happy to tell him that he was absolutely right! He knew that for now, it was best that nobody realized that the hidden immunity idol had actually been found. So he tore up the paper and threw it into the water, and then got the box the idol was in and set it adrift. Yul’s a very bright man, and I really like him. I hope he gets to the finals, but since he’s so nice, nobody should want to take him there. They’ll lose if they do. Therefore Yul’s only shot is to win immunity after he uses the hidden immunity idol or gives it to someone who’s on the chopping block (like Becky), and especially the final immunity challenge.

I took a look at Stephannie’s answer to the fourth question, and I smiled:

4. You are on the chopping block, but somebody else is going to be voted out. This person doesn’t know it. What do you do about it?

A. Let the intended victim think you’re going home, then blindside them.
B. Tell the person s/he’s going home just as you’re heading out to Tribal Council.
C. By all means, let the person know what’s happening as soon as possible.

Stephannie answered “A.” If you tell someone about your plans to send him or her home, that gives the intended target time to send you home instead! Alex found that out the hard way in the Amazon when he told Rob Cesternino he’d get rid of him at the final four. Rob C. then saved himself, and out went Alex. Stephannie didn’t make that same mistake. Instead, since she had put herself on the chopping block by saying that she was the weakest link, she let J.P. think that she was ready to go home and that she wouldn’t fight it. It worked, and poor J.P. never knew what hit him until it was too late.

Unfortunately, Stephannie screwed up with her answer to the fifth question:

5. True or False: If you aren’t accustomed to drinking alcohol, it’s best to refuse some even if it’s part of the reward.

Sadly, Stephannie answered “False.” Apparently, she doesn’t drink, just like me. And if you aren’t accustomed to alcohol, drinking some would get you drunk easily. So it would’ve been best for Stephannie to gently refuse any wine that was offered to her as part of the reward that Raro won. If she had done so, she probably wouldn’t have gotten drunk. However, after days of drinking boiled water, wine would’ve probably tasted great to most people, so I’m not surprised she tried it.

With the recap questions done, it was time to turn to the Amazing Race teams. After I graded their tests, I groaned when I saw Dustin & Kandice’s answer to the sixth question:

6. If you want to help a team get tickets to a certain location, which team should you help out?

A. A weaker team that you’re allied with.
B. A weaker team that you’re not allied with.
C. A stronger team that you’re not allied with but whom you want to help so that you can knock out another, weaker team.

Unfortunately, Dustin & Kandice answered “C.” I had to tell them that “A” was the correct answer. They protested that they didn’t like Lyn & Karlyn. I reminded them that Tyler & James were stronger and that all the teams would probably get on the same flight anyway. They should’ve just let Tyler & James get their own tickets and not angered Lyn & Karlyn. They continued to protest, but I told them that was the end of the matter. That shut them up.

While I don’t think Dustin & Kandice were right to put Tyler & James ahead of Lyn & Karlyn; Karlyn still didn’t handle the situation well, as her answer to the seventh question indicated:

7. One team decided to let another team cut in front of you when you’re getting tickets. What should be your response if they get away with it?

A. Just take a deep breath, count to ten, and book your tickets after the other teams get their tickets.
B. Complain about the situation in a confessional.
C. Complain about the situation in front of the ticket agent and get into arguments with the other two teams.

Lyn correctly answered “A,” but Karlyn answered “C.” I could certainly understand her anger over the situation, but the odds were high that every team was going to get on the same flight anyway, so it was pointless to argue with the other two teams – and in front of the ticket agent, too. When she continued to protest that Dustin & Kandice weren’t being fair, I told her that while I agreed with her, it was no excuse for arguing with them and with the relatively innocent Tyler & James. Lyn managed to calm her down, so I didn’t have to send her to detention.

Although Karlyn answered the seventh question badly, she (and Lyn) recovered with the eighth question:

8. True or False: The Amazing Race is a race, so in the end you need to look out for yourself and not for other people first.

Dustin & Kandice and Lyn & Karlyn answered “True,” although Lyn did so rather hesitantly. The fact is, the show’s called The Amazing Race, not The Amazing Chance to Make Friends. Although friendships can and often do form on reality competition shows, in the end only one team can win the million dollars. For all Chip’s happy-go-lucky and exuberant personality, he too knew this, which is why he and Kim decided to yield their friends Colin & Christie. It is also why Chip & Kim didn’t tell Colin & Christie and Brandon & Nicole that the American Airlines flight was postponed.

Moving on, I turned to the ninth question, and I wondered if I was going to need another Excedrin when I saw Rob & Kimberly’s answer to it:

9. Your car gets stuck in gear through no fault of your own, rendering the car inoperable. What is the best response to this unfortunate situation?

A. Shrug it off, get the replacement car and just try to make up ground quickly.
B. Vent some frustration by teasing each other.
C. Bicker and throw hissy fits at each other.

Rob & Kimberly answered “C,” and I counted to ten before telling them that they were wrong and that the correct answer was “A.” Rob protested that Kimberly should’ve just shut up and let him handle the situation. Kimberly argued that Rob was about ready to quit. They bickered for a couple of minutes before I was able to get a word in edgewise and told them flatly that they handled a bad situation terribly. I reminded them that John Vito & Jill from The Amazing Race 3 had a car break down on them, but they shrugged it off and continued on without any drama. And with that, I said that if they couldn’t stop yelling at each other, then they could just cool their heels… in detention!

I heard David & Mary say “Thank you!” as Rob & Kimberly stomped off to detention for the second time. And then I took another Excedrin, as my head was pounding at that point. Of course, I didn’t complain. I asked for this position, after all. But moving on, I sighed a little at the questions by almost all of the teams to the final question:

10. There are two Detour options. Which option do you take?

A. Go with the one that involves finding a sail in a certain location – and stick with the detour in question.
B. Go with the one that involves searching through a pile of salt, but bail if the search proves too difficult.
C. Go with the one that involves searching through a pile of salt and stick with it.

Only Dustin & Kandice correctly answered “A.” Erwin, Godwin, Lyn, Karlyn, Mary, Rob, Kimberly, Tyler & James all answered “B,” as did David after initially answering “C.” At least the teams had the right idea in deciding to bail once they found out how hard it was to find a salt shaker with the right clue. I only wish that they had decided to go with the Sea detour in the first place, and I especially wish that David & Mary, Erwin & Godwin and Lyn & Karlyn had decided to go with Sea in the first place. They wouldn’t have fallen back in the pack otherwise, nor would David & Mary have been marked for elimination again.

And in this case, I think David & Mary just won’t be able to recover from being marked for elimination this time. They were only able to get in first thanks to going for the Fast-Forward and Erwin & Godwin tricking Dustin & Kandice into thinking that the brothers were going for it. If there’s a Fast-Forward on this leg, David and Mary won’t be able to use it. Even if there’s no Fast-Forward this leg, the odds are really against them getting in first place. I fear that next leg will be the end of them.

In any case, I gave the six teams left their grades. David & Mary got a “C-,” because they were the last team to bail at the Salt detour, and because they went to the wrong place, ensuring that they came in last. Dustin & Kandice got a “B-,” which made them relatively happy. Erwin & Godwin got a “C+” because I don’t think they have the killer instinct, but they were still happy they didn’t get a failing grade. Lyn also got a “C+,” but Karlyn got a “C-.” Karlyn wasn’t too happy, but she noted that it was passing. Rob & Kimberly each got a “D,” which made them very unhappy campers. And Tyler & James got a “C” because they constantly got lost.

So I have no eliminations this week! But I’ll have my usual two eliminations next week. Will I be right in thinking that this is the end of David & Mary? Or will I be surprised yet again? And will Rob & Kimberly get out of detention or will they be permanent residents for as long as they’re in the game? Stay tuned!

Belle Book is a library clerk for a community college in Pennsylvania. She would love to see Yul win Survivor: Cook Islands! If you wish to contact Belle, she can be reached at BelleBook@aol.com .

Be sure to sign up for our e-mail update so you can stay informed about new articles on the site! For more news about reality TV, be sure to check out SirLinksALot!