TeachersFirst's Middle School Brain Twisters

Week of July 12, 2026

1.When price per barrel increases, which of the following would not be likely to occur?

Increased costs for shipping
Shorter or fewer driving vacations
Higher oil company profits
Lower use of public transportation
Increased airfares

2.If you multiply the number of female Supreme Court Justices by the age of majority in the U.S., you get

a three digit number
more than the number of states
more than the number of bones in your body
a perfect square
less than four dozen

3.Possible "guests" to the U.S. that typically arrive from June through November named Bonnie, Karl, and Martin, along with others like them, are often described using single-digit numbers to indicate

age
zip code
room number
strength
bus stop

4.In selecting running-mates for a presidential election, candidates usually consider all of the following except:

placating the party-faithful
kowtowing to the opposition
balancing the ticket
vetting choices carefully
enticing swing state voters

5.If it is 1:00 on Friday afternoon in Chicago, not during daylight saving; what time is it in Shanghai (without daylight saving)?

2 AM Saturday
2 AM Friday
Midnight Friday night
10 AM Saturday
3 AM Saturday

6.Ben runs a 100-yard dash in 12.5 seconds. Susan runs a 100-meter dash in the same time. Carol runs 50 yards in 7 seconds, and Peter runs 200 yards in 26 seconds. Who runs fastest?

Susan
Carol
Peter
Not enough information
Ben

7.The Sunny Valley School decided to re-name their school bus. Which name is not "colorfully" logical?

Sunflower Sue
Ochre Oscar
Banana Ben
Jaundiced Jess
Verdant Vera

8.Panda is to koala as...

maple is to tree.
snail is to conch.
bamboo is to food.
dog is to spaniel.
knife is to wedge.

9.Which sentence is grammatically correct?

None of the athletes are accustomed to losing.
Each country will send it's best athletes to Rio.
The gymnasts will stretch and bend in ways most of us could never do.
The next summer Olympics is not until 2020.
Winning is less important then sportsmanship.

10.How many boxes of six inch tiles will Hector need to buy if to cover a 12 by 15 foot floor if each box holds two dozen?

not enough info
30
18
15
36

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