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Letter: Children of conflict

Sir: The diary story ("btw", 29 January) about Janet Street-Porter receiving an inappropriate response when she wanted the word "sorry" reminded me of a question set for 11-plus pupils in Northern Ireland in the early Seventies. Candidates were asked to add a three-letter word to the sentence "The _ _ _y is looking for her husband", so that it made sense, the expected answer being "lad". However, given the benighted state of Northern Ireland at that time, in many areas children thought that "arm" was the required answer. Needless to say, they were given the mark.

DENNIS MILLAR

Belfast

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