The Assessment Book Nobody Asked For: RICE’s Ten-Year Series MCQs for Adults
Being an adult can often feel like an examination that you’re constantly failing. There is no study guide to help you ‘get better’, and no amount of burning the midnight oil will turn you into an ace adult.

Nonetheless, we’ve cobbled together a list of Ten-Year Series questions for the only subject we should’ve been taught in school: adulthood.

Thankfully (or not?), there are no right answers, only choices and consequences.

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SECTION A: CAREER

1. Work-life balance is _____ for _____.

(a) an outdated term / ‘work-life integration’

(b) absolutely essential / an employee’s mental well-being, regardless of income bracket

(c) a reasonable expectation / companies who respect boundaries

(d) impossible to achieve / god’s sake

2. Jerry calls for an urgent meeting. For the first 15 minutes, everyone discusses what they did over the weekend. What is the most appropriate course of action?  

(a) Politely enquire with Jerry whether the meeting will begin within the next two minutes. Not-so-politely let him know that you will leave if it doesn’t.

(b) Listen to Eunice from HR tell you how her “cute” and “adorable” niece makes her want to have kids, while you ponder the complexities of reporting someone from HR to HR.

(c) Remember your 2019 resolution to be less passive aggressive. Smile at Eunice.

(d) Look for a new job.

3. If your friends switch jobs at the rate of one job every two years, how long would it take you to leave a job that you’ve been stuck at for five years?

(a) Another five years … Maybe six. Okay, seven.

(b) Stuck? Who says you’re stuck?

(c) When you finally realise that you never knew what you wanted to do, so you settled for the first job you could find, and stopped looking for meaning.

(d) Not applicable. You are genuinely happy where you’re at.

SECTION B: LOVE

1. Joel and Julie are planning a romantic date. Since Joel usually decides where to eat, he asks Julie whether she has a place in mind this time. How does she respond?

(a) I dunno, anything also can.

(b) Somewhere nice?

(c) You decide.

(d) No preference. I’m not hungry.  

2. John and Su Ling have been dating for 14 years when he _____.

(a) books out her favourite cafe on Valentine’s Day and proposes to her in front of friends and family, obliging her to say yes  

(b) proposes to her in the HDB showroom, obliging her to say yes

(c) flies her to Paris and proposes in front of the Eiffel Tower, obliging her to say yes

(d) happily proceeds into their 15th year of courtship as an emotionally secure couple, without succumbing to social norms

3. Sarah uses #Blessed for every family selfie. Describe the state of her marriage.

(a) Blessed.

(b) Doomed.  

(c) Completely normal.  

(d) All of the above, and none of the above.

SECTION C: LIFE

1. On January 1 this year, Rachel decided it was time to _____.

(a) live life exactly as she did on December 31 last year 

(b) set vague and half-hearted resolutions that she will likely forget by January 31

(c) quit her stable, well-paying job to open a cafe 

(d) post a 1,500-word ‘start of year’ reflection on Instagram, then share it to Facebook for better engagement

2. On top of my colleague Michelle’s recent promotion and added responsibilities at work, she is considering taking on a part-time masters degree. Michelle is:

(a) a masochist

(b) totally and utterly insane

(c) never going to get married or have kids  

(d) an adult whose decision-making capabilities haven’t fully developed

3. David is 35 and single. On January 13, his parents will give him an ultimatum of exactly six months to move out. On which date does David have to vacate his home before he gets thrown out?  

(a) July 13

(b) January 13

(c) January 12

(d) Never, once he increases his parents’ allowance.

4. Your university acquaintance, Wan Ting, invites you to her wedding. Which of the following communication styles conveys the best response?

(a) First-person narrative: I will not be attending your wedding.

(b) Active voice: The university acquaintance turned down Wan Ting’s wedding invitation.

(c) Passive voice: Wan Ting’s wedding invitation was turned down by her university acquaintance.

(d) Passive-aggressive voice: I can’t believe you’re getting married.

SECTION D: BONUS QUESTION

In 200 words or less, describe your feelings as you realise you will never achieve your full potential.

Submit your response here.

Inspired by the New Yorker. Tell us how you fared: community@ricemedia.co.

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