Okay, feeling a bit better; I named all fifty states from memory in a little less than three and a half minutes. Granted, not really something most other Americans can do, but I doubt there's many Canadians can do it, either.
Fun way to torment most native speakers of the English language: ask them to recite the alphabet. No singing. No rhythm. Just recite the letters one after another. The looks on people's faces as they try to overcome the conditioning laid down by generations upon generations of teachers, family, etc. to SING THAT DAMNED SONG are priceless.
Never did manage to memorise the Lehrer song, but that's oen of the areas where I'm willing to do without. Every chemistry lab in the world that would be willing to let me through the door will have a periodic table somewhere on the premises. Why should I have to learn all the elements off by heart? I'm not going to be allowed to set foot in a chem lab more advanced than a basic college one anyway.
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... I can do the states in 45 seconds, and have been able to do so since fifth grade. Why? There's a song. I have to sing it in my head, though.
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Fun way to torment most native speakers of the English language: ask them to recite the alphabet. No singing. No rhythm. Just recite the letters one after another. The looks on people's faces as they try to overcome the conditioning laid down by generations upon generations of teachers, family, etc. to SING THAT DAMNED SONG are priceless.
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I can manage not to sing it, but I have to pause in the places where the song draws out notes. You know, ABCDEFG - HIJKLMNOP - QRS - TUV - WX - YZ.
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if it had gone on much longer, i'd be able to sing the song backwards.
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I am, however, aware of Tom Lehrer's The Elements Song. One day I will know the words.
There's antimony, arsenic, aluminum, selenium....
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