By: Jerry Burke
Take your time; you have 40 minutes.
Not a clue? Don't worry, you're not alone.
Then again, you might be alone if you happened to be in the Advanced Placement world history class last year at Elmont Memorial High School.
The Spartans' academic prowess was honored last week, when the College Board released its first-ever Report to the Nation on AP participation and performance data in America's public schools. Elmont was ranked No. 1 in the country, with 23 African-American students scoring 3 or higher on a scale of 1 to 5.
"They have to have a strong desire to make this commitment," Elmont principal Al Harper said of roughly 50 students who are currently taking the AP course. "The kids work extremely, extremely hard."
The students, who take the world history course in 10th grade, were among three classes on Long Island mentioned in the report. The others were John F. Kennedy High School in Plainview-Old Bethpage, for best overall performance in macroeconomics, and John L. Miller-Great Neck North High School, for the same test in the midsized school category.
Harper also credited Elmont's overall success to the enthusiastic teaching of Michael Indovino and the social studies staff, many of whom work after hours to help students better understand the detailed and extensive curriculum.
Each year, the College Board partners with colleges and universities to create AP exams that measure college-level learning in 34 subject areas. Most colleges in the U.S. factor AP exams into the admissions process. Many also award college credit or placement in higher-level college courses to those with scores of 3 or higher.
All of this is great news for high achievers at Elmont: Last year all of the school's 300 seniors graduated, and 97 percent went on to college.
The College Board report also listed New York as the top-scoring state in the nation, with 21.2 percent of students demonstrating college-level mastery of their courses in 2004.
Don't know much about history?
Try these seven questions about the history of the world (answers below):
1) In the 7th century A.D., what religion spread across much of North Africa?
A) Hinduism
B) Islam
C) Judaism
D) Christianity
2) During his reign (1398-1353 B.C.), an Egyptian pharaoh denied the numerous gods of Egypt and became the first monotheistic Egyptian king. What was his name?
A) Tutenkhamen
B) Akhnaten
C) Ramses III
D) Menes
3) During the Chinese Sui dynasty, a canal system was constructed that linked the Yellow river with the Yangtze river. What was this system called?
A) Sui Canal
B) Chinese Canal
C) Yangtze Canal
D) Grand Canal
4) Who was the "great liberator" of South America?
A) Francisco Pizarro
B) Juan Peron
C) Pedro Cabral
D) Simon Bolivar
5) What was the name of the moated capital of the Khmer empire, built around 900 to 1200 A.D., in dedication to the god-king Suryavarman II?
A) Hui
B) Potolla Palace
C) Angkor Vat
D) Golgotha
6) What is the name of the site of the first landing on the east coast of Australia of Captain James Cook in 1770?
A) Point Byron
B) Adelaide
C) Frasier Island
D) Botany Bay
7) Alexander the Great was forced to return to his capital after his troops mutinied following a battle near the Indus river in India. What was the name of the battle, which took place in 326 B.C.?
A) Hydaspes
B) Tyre
C) Gaugamela
D) Issus
Answers: 1-B, 2-B, 3-D, 4-D, 5-C, 6-D, 7-A
