> try a language proficiency test meant for ESL people for shits and giggles

fuck me, i understood what was said perfectly, but the distinctions they want you to draw on these standardized tests can get way too subtle. the correct answer could be more than one of these options depending on how much of a rat's ass the listener gives, or how good they are at small talk kind of thinking, etc.

not terribly different from reading comprehension sections of standardized tests i took in grade school, though. i always either got 95-100% or ~75%, not much in-between. it was always like you were trying to outsmart the test-maker instead of just understanding what the freakin words do or don't say.