Qualifying Questions
A large part of the tradition of the order involves the qualifying questions that prospective members have to answer. These fun questions are actually small riddles: Each of them suggests a vulgar or lewd answer, however the candidate has to provide a completely innocuous answer to the same question.
A popular example would be the question:
| “ | What does a woman do sitting down, that a dog does on three legs, and a man does standing up? | ” |
The obvious answer to this question would be "pee" or "urinate", but the correct answer to is "shake hands" (as western etiquette demands that a man needs to rise from his seat to shake hands, while a woman needs not).
- What does a cow have four of and woman only two?
- What is a four letter word ending in K that means to have intercourse?
- What is it on a man that is round, hard, and sticks so far out his pajamas that you can hang a hat on it?
A candidate must answer four from a list of twenty-five of such questions. While there is a traditional set of questions, some modern clubs also make up new initiation questions along the same lines.
Read more about this topic: Ancient Order Of Turtles
Famous quotes containing the word questions:
“They [creative children] ask more questions than most children. They’re usually spontaneous and enthusiastic. Their ideas are unique and occasionally strike other kids as weird. They’re independent. Not that they don’t care at all what other kids think, but they’re able to do their thing despite the fact that their peers may think it’s strange. And they have lots and lots of ideas.”
—Silvia Rimm (20th century)