I am the original poster of this thread...
With "True/False" questions that are not clearly "False" the key to answering the question correctly is knowing "when" and "when not" to allow a "minor" exception to make the question false.
I have had the "opportunity" to read and review around 1400 NFHS questions plus 200 FHSAA (Florida) questions (which are very similar to NFHS questions). One thing that I have learned is that you have to know the test writer's intention (i.e., what they are really asking). That only comes from repetition in seeing numerous NFHS questions. These tests are pretty good at measuring your academic knowledge of the rules, but note that academic knowledge (i.e., book smarts) isn't always the same as on-the-field knowledge (sometimes more of a practical approachor the practical application). (PLEASE DO NOT INTERPRET THIS AS A SLAM TO NFHS TEST WRITERS...IT IS NOT!!! It is just that you when you approach an academic test you have to be in an academic mind frame not the on-the-field (practical) mind frame!) It's just when you are dealing with absolute questions (i.e., True/False) you can argue both sides for about 25% of the answers....but with the consistency the NFHS questions and tests has built up over time in the way their questions are written, the rate of "defective" questions is down to only 1 to 2%.
In other words, some people say you should not read into questions...sometimes that's true, but sometimes its not true. There is no hard and fast rule--except to not take these tests in a vacumn (i.e., take each question in light of recent NFHS questions).
Please note that these five practice questions are NOT NFHS!!!! They were written by a very experienced official that I respect, but they are subject to the a practical approach I mentioned above and therefore I believe if I accept his answers I will be incorrect if I say the exact same question on an NFHS test in the future. I believe the test writer was testing one thing....but I believe a NFHS test writer would have answered the question the way I did.
An example would be "(T/F) Penalties are either 5, 10 or 15 yards." According to NFHS this is true, but hopefully every one knows at least a few exceptions:
1. but no more than half the distance to the goalline
2. the distance portion of a penalty may be declined.
3. sometimes the penalty is measured from the spot not from the previous spot, etc.
But these exceptions do not make the question false....Bewcause these exceptions are not what the test writer is asking.
BktBallRef: <>
Well, not to sure how to respond...I'm not giving the reason why I missed it-I'm giving the reason why I think my answer is the correct one.
In my original post I mentioned "bad wording" in Questions 1 and 2 and I will now place Questions 3 and 4 in that same category. For these answers there is still disagreement among the posters...it may be an area were, oddly enough, while we cannot agree on the answers, we can agree on the understanding of the rule...
Question 5...BktBallRef: << 5- It's A or B. You're reading the rule for interlocked blocking, not interlocked legs.>>
Thanks, I now agree with Answer B (I'm assuming illegal formation (which is a foul simultaneously with the snap) is a dead ball foul???).
From the NFHS Rulebook:
RULE 7: Snapping, Handing and Passing the Ball
SECTION 2: Position, Numbering and Action At The Snap
ART. 2 ... The players on each side of and next to the snapper may lock legs with the snapper, but any other A lineman must have each foot outside the closest foot of the player next to him at the snap. A's players may stand, crouch or kneel.
PENALTY: Illegal procedure or illegal formation (Arts. 1, 2, 3) - (S19); illegal snap (Art. 4) - (S7,S19); illegal numbering (Art. 5) - (S19); illegal shift (Art. 6) - (S20); illegal motion (Art. 7) - (S20); planned loose-ball infraction (Art. 8) - (S19) - 5 yards.
My thanks to all for the help...let me know if you still disagree.
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