Mystikool,
Alfred Binet's test was never meant to attempt to tap inate intellegince. As Waiting pointed out, it was designed to be a diagnostic tool to help children. It is still used today, primarily by school psychologists for the same purpose.
Such tests would be better termed academic aptitude and achievement tests. Most of such tests are usually designed to measure general, overall mental ability. While there are unique factors measured by particular tests, most measure what is called Spearman's G factor. The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) measure three factors, verbal, quantitative, and spatial. Some tests measure specific factors with more reliabilty. For example, spatial ability is well measured by the Minnesota Paper Form Board, the Embedded Figures Test, and Witkin's Rod and Frame Test. By the way, I have administered all of the tests mentioned above.
PS,
I want to aplogize for cussing at you. I was in a bad mood over a research puzzle, and your misuse of terms hit a hot button of mine - I shouldn't have done it.
Now, regarding the origins of intelligence. It is both genetic and environmental. Genetics sets the upper limit, and environment determines whether you will reach it or not.
How important is IQ, as measured by tests? A meta-analytic study in Psychological Bulletin in 1998, found it to be the best predictor of job success.