A “Modern Manners” Quiz

   

You meet a comely blonde who was a brunette only the week before. Should you: a) tell her she looks enchanting, but don't mention her hair, b) tell her she's equally lovely as a blonde or brunette, c) tell her frankly how you like the change? 

How modern are your manners?

From 1958, the streamlined manners of the Space Age

Today's social behavior embraces far more than merely knowing which spoon to use for the apricot mousse. Modern etiquette involves everything from highways to self-service elevators, from trousered ladies to TV. This quiz tests how up-to-date you are on the streamlined manners of the space age. 

QUESTIONS 

1.  You're going 55 mph (the legal limit) in the lefthand lane, passing a long line of slow-moving cars in the right-hand lane of a parkway. The car behind blinks its lights. Modern highway manners dictate that you: a) pull over as soon as you find a gap in the right lane, and let him pass, b) stay put, on the ground that you're going at the top legal speed, and the man has no right to pass, c) stay where you are until you've gotten beyond the slower-moving cars, then pull over. 
2. You meet a comely blonde who was a brunette only the week before. Should you: a) tell her she looks enchanting, but don't mention her hair, b) tell her she's equally lovely as a blonde or brunette, c) tell her frankly how you like the change? 
3. At a dinner party your host serves you a delicacy of fried African ants in sauce, flown in for the occasion from Tangier. Modern savoir faire requires you to: a) eat them bravely and praise their flavor, b) give a good excuse such as being allergic to ants in general if you don't like them, c) tell him the truth. 
4. You and your neighbor board the self-service elevator in your apartment house at the same time. He wants to go to the roof, you to the basement. Your first destination should be: a) up, b) down, c) whichever is closer. 
5. It is acceptable for a woman in a downtown city street to do only one of these things: a) wear slacks, b) go without stockings, c) comb her hair. 
6. A famous TV personality walks toward you on the street. He's in your home so often via the living-room screen you think of him almost as a personal friend. Should you: a) rush up and shake his hand, b) pass him by without intruding on his privacy, c) merely nod a greeting? 
7. A female business executive takes a male client to lunch at a plush restaurant. Is it proper for her to: a) let the man pay, b) give him the money to pay, c) pay the check herself? 
8. You're sitting in a public place where there are several large “No Smoking” signs. A young lady asks you to light her cigarette. Proper behavior for you is to: a) point out the signs, b) hand her the matches and let her take her own chances, c) give her the light and politely refrain from comment. 
9. By chance, you bump into a friend coming out of a pawnshop; you know that he's been in financial difficulty of late. Your most mannerly course is to: a) pretend you don't see him at all; b) greet him warmly, but act as though you don't know where he's just come from, c) offer to help him out of his predicament. 
10. At a party, you're chattering with an obviously important guest, but you haven't the foggiest idea who he is. When a friend of yours joins the conversation and introductions are in order, you should: a) frankly tell the VIP you don't know who he is, b) ask the two of them to introduce themselves, c) go on talking without introductions. 

It is acceptable for a woman in a downtown city street to do only one of these things: a) wear slacks, b) go without stockings, c) comb her hair...

ANSWERS 

1. a) Pull over at the earliest possible moment. Blinking lights are a standard passing signal on parkways at night and the proper motorist honors them even when the passer is exceeding the legal speed. 
2. a) is the best manners. The fact that the lady has changed her hair-color indicates that she's dissatisfied with her earlier shade, hence doesn't want to be reminded of it. If she wants to discuss the change, that's her choice, not yours. 
3. The proper answer is b). In today's air age, we get to taste many rare treats imported from far away. We don't have to like all of them. But we still must be polite even if it means a small “white lie.” 
4. c). Other things being equal, it's logical to go to the nearer destination first. 
5. b). Public hair-combing is always in poor taste, and slacks generally are still considered bad form. 
6. The correct course is c). Celebrities like to be recognized, but they also like people to respect the fact that when an entertainer is offstage, he has rights of privacy. 
7. c). The lady should pay the check. Many woman executives bypass the problem by establishing charge accounts at restaurants. 
8. You should follow procedure a). Contemporary manners are based on being kind. It's not kindness to help somebody violate rules and endanger life and property. 
9. b) is right. If you pretend not to notice him at all, he'll probably suspect that you actually did see him; on the other hand, an unsolicited offer of a loan might be most offensive, however well-meant. 
10. The best-mannered move is a). Unless he's a prize stuffed shirt, he'll take your admission in good humor. Of course, you'll always meet some people who are living, etiquette-wise, in the last century. 

SCORING: Eight out of ten correct answers mean your manners are completely up-to-the-minute; five to seven correct answers mean your etiquette needs a bit of brushing-up; less than five correct indicate your social behavior is riding way behind the times. 

— By Alex Addison, 1958

Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia