A Test Before Trying

"A Test Before Trying" is the tenth episode of Season 24. This episode is dedicated to Huell Howser, who first appeared in "O Brother, Where Bart Thou?"
==Synopsis==
Thanks to rising energy costs by Mr. Burns, Homer uses a discarded parking meter to make some extra money by planting it at various parking spots around town. Meanwhile, Bart is pressured by everyone at Springfield Elementary School to do well on the latest standardized test, because, if he doesn't, Springfield Elementary will shut down for having a low average.
==Full Story==
A group of test proctors come to Springfield Elementary. They explain that the students must take a standardized test and pass it or the school will be closed down. When the students take the test, they fail, and are about to go to different schools when Bart arrives. He explains to Lisa that he wasn't at school on the day of the test (he was playing with a beetle). Lisa explains to Proctor Perkins that Bart never took the test, and that the fate of the school is on Bart's score.
Bart, however, doesn't care for his test and has second thoughts when he has a nightmare about Springfield becoming the stupidest town in the country. On the day of the test, he is not prepared, and answers the first questions with the same answer and doesn't get a chance to answer the last question. The beetle that Bart played with earlier arrives and acts as a mark on one of the answer bubbles, and Bart passes his exam.
Meanwhile, Mr. Burns raises the price of electricity. Homer soon throws out his electric appliances, and finds an old parking meter. He uses the parking meter to set up parking spaces and take change from people. Chief Wiggum takes notice and is hot on Homer's trail. When confronted by Wiggum, Homer tries to escape, but crashes his car and loses the parking meter. Later, Marge makes Homer return the money he had stolen, and Homer does so by dropping the money in a wishing well.
== Reception ==
The episode was watched by 5.1 million viewers, earning a 2.4 rating.
==Citations==
fr:Un test avant d'essayer
pl:A Test Before Trying
pt:Um Teste Antes de Tentar
ru:Тест перед попыткой
Category:Mr. Burns Episodes
Category:Homer episodes
Category:Lisa episodes
Category:Bart episodes
Category:Education-themed episodes
Category:Episodes featuring guest stars
Category:Episodes named after a film or TV Show
Category:Superintendent Chalmers Episodes
Category:Principal Skinner episodes
Category:Edna Krabappel Episodes
Category:Episodes showran by Al Jean
Category:Written by Joel H. Cohen
Category:Directed by Chris Clements
Category:Sequels
Category:Sherri and Terri episodes
Category:Highly Rated Episodes
Category:Sherri and Terri