1. Technology
If you surf the internet, you have probably seen this
three-digit number a lot. The first digit, a four, represents a client error,
and the second digit, a zero, refers to a general syntax error. The three
numbers together represent a Not Found Error.
ANSWER: 404
2. British Literature
Give the exact four-word phrase which is followed by the
following words in a famous sonnet: “though some have called thee Mighty and
dreadful, for thou art not so; For those, whom thou think'st thou dost
overthrow, Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me.” The sonnet was
written by John Donne.
ANSWER: Death Be Not Proud (answer must match exactly)
3. Physics (10 Seconds)
Which unit is equal to 1.6 times 10-19 Joules?
Though it is a unit of energy, it is sometimes confused for a unit of electrical
potential difference. This unit has a two-word name.
ANSWER: Electron Volt(s) (Answer must match exactly)
4. Pop Culture
Harvey Stern in Deconstructing
Harry, Bud Parker in Pleasantville,
Homer Wells in The Cider House Rules,
and Red Pollard in Seabiscuit were all
portrayed by which actor? He is best known for playing Peter Parker, who turns
into Spiderman.
ANSWER: (Tobey) Maguire (accept more information)
5. Religion/Mythology
Which religion’s sacred texts include the Gathas and the
Avesta? It was probably the first religion to use missionaries and became very
popular during the height of the Persian Empire, but it is practiced by only a
few people today. Its prophet is mentioned in the title of a work by Friedrich
Nietzsche.
ANSWER: Zoroastrian(ism)
6. United States History
Which late nineteenth century Indian leader was often
motivated by a hatred of Mexicans? This Apache leader twice escaped capture
after surrendering, but he was forced to do hard labor after he was captured a
third time. Though he was feared and hated by whites in the 1880s, he eventually
made money selling souvenirs of himself and marched in the 1905 Teddy Roosevelt
inaugural parade.
ANSWER: Geronimo (or Goyathlay)
7. Algebra (30 Seconds)
Find the only solution to the equation: x minus the square
root of x equals ninety.
ANSWER: (Positive) 100
8. Current Events
Which not-for-profit organization is currently headed by
John Reed? Reed is being paid one dollar, which is about 188 million dollars
less than his predecessor, Richard Grasso. This organization’s motto is,
“The world puts its stock in us.”
ANSWER: NYSE (or New York Stock Exchange)
9. World Literature
Oddly enough, which playwright’s Communist sympathies
caused him to be exiled to the United States? He fought in World War One for
Germany before becoming a pacifist. Name this co-author of The Threepenny Opera who also wrote Drums in the Night, Galileo,
and Mother Courage and Her Children.
ANSWER: (Bertolt) Brecht
10. Biology
(Note to
moderator: pH should be pronounced using the two names of the letters.) Which
molecules are useful in preventing pH changes in blood? More importantly, they
consist of four polypeptide chains, each of which contains an iron atom capable
of transporting an oxygen molecule.
ANSWER: Hemoglobin
11. Language Arts
This is a spelling question. Spell the legal term which has
a meaning similar to deposition. It is a sworn statement in writing usually made
under oath and without cross-examination. Spell this word beginning with the
letter A.
ANSWER: A-F-F-I-D-A-V-I-T
12. Music
Though the quartet he headed often changed, who often
played with drummer Elvin Jones, pianist McCoy Tyner, and bassist Jimmy
Garrison? His popularity peaked in the late 1950s and early 1960s after he
recorded Giant Steps, Crescent, and A Love Supreme. Name this jazz tenor
saxophonist.
ANSWER: (John) Coltrane
13. Geometry/Trigonometry (30 Seconds)
Give your answer as a number. How many cubic inches are
there in a cubic foot?
ANSWER: 1728 (Cubic Inches)
14. World History
Which battle appears at the end of the Bayeux Tapestry?
Taking place in Sussex, it ended the reign and life of Harold the Second, and it
led to the crowning of William the Conqueror. It took place in 1066.
ANSWER: (Battle of) Hastings
15. Astronomy/Earth Science/Geography
What is defined as a wind blowing part of the year from one
direction alternating with a wind from the opposite direction? This term is
often associated with rainy seasons, especially in Southern Asia.
ANSWER: Monsoon(s)
16. United States Literature
It is 2400 square miles and bounded on the North by the
Tallahatchie River. Originally inhabited by Chickasaw Indians, it contains 6298
Whites and 9313 Blacks. Name this area which was mapped out in the novel Absalom,
Absalom and appeared in many works by William Faulkner.
ANSWER: Yoknapatawpha County (prompt on Yoknapatawpha, be generous in accepting answers)
17. Chemistry (10 Seconds)
What pale blue gas is very toxic but important in keeping
the Earth habitable? It is used in manufacturing as an oxidizing agent, but,
more importantly, it is very good at absorbing solar ultraviolet radiation.
Identify this allotrope of oxygen.
ANSWER: Ozone (prompt on 03)
18. Calculus/Math History (30 Seconds)
Find the fully simplified derivative for the function f of
x equals the natural log of the quantity x2.
ANSWER: 2/x (do not accept answers including absolute value)
19. Art/Architecture
The remains of a picnic are in the lower left corner, while
a woman dressed in white appears in the background. Identify this 1863 painting
which showed two clothed men with a naked woman. It brought attention to the
Impressionist movement and Edouard Manet.
ANSWER: Luncheon on the Grass
20. Nonfiction
Which economist and social scientist was forced to resign
from both the University of Chicago and Stanford due to personal affairs? He
would later write The Higher Learning in America: A Memorandum on the Conduct
of Universities by Business Men. He is better known for writing The
Theory of the Leisure Class and coining the phrases ‘pecuniary
emulation’ and ‘conspicuous consumption’.
ANSWER: (Thorstein) Veblen
NOTE: These questions are for breaking ties. If you need to replace a question, use the corresponding question from the Replacement packet. In a tiebreaker, the first correct answer wins the match.
Tiebreaker #1
(Note to
moderator: the word ‘lead’ in the first sentence refers to the chemical
element lead.) Which element is added to lead to make perfectly spherical lead
shot? This element and its compounds also form the most common type of irritant
poisons, which cause inflammation throughout the body. Due mainly to weathering,
it ends up in groundwater, and there has been some controversy during the past
few years as to how much should be allowed in drinking water.
ANSWER: Arsenic
Tiebreaker #2
Which title character produced 514 offspring, including the
runts Joy, Aranea, and Nellie? She often used the word Salutations, but her most
famous acts involved her use of the words Terrific, Radiant, Humble, and Some
Pig. Name the spider who saves Wilbur in a classic book by EB White.
ANSWER: Charlotte
Tiebreaker #3
Which state uses the postal abbreviation MS?
ANSWER: Mississippi