HARMONIC CONVERGENCE CAL A TOSSUPS (by Gaius Stern, Phil Huang and Matt Baker) 1. Rumors once circulated that he was really Louis XVII; he was born in the same year as the lost dauphin, in 1785, under the name Jean Rabine. In his later years, he passed his love of wildlife onto his son John, who also became a well-known naturalist in his own right. FTP, who was this painter who devoted most of his mature professional years to illustrations of American wildlife in works such as Birds of America? John James AUDUBON 2. The name's the same. The phenomenon in chemistry which describes the hybrid nature of the carbon-carbon bonds present many aromatic compounds, and the phenomenon in civil engineering describing the reason why the Tacoma Narrows bridge collapsed. FTP, give the common word, which is also used in music to describe a desirable vocal quality. A: RESONANCE 3. Generally considered to be Henry James' most difficult work, it deals with the life of Maggie Verver, the daughter of an American millionaire. FTP, name this 1904 work, not to be confused with a similar-sounding treatise published by Sir James Frazier. A: The GOLDEN BOWL 4. Ghost Train. Sullivan Street. Perfect Blue Buildings. Raining in Baltimore. 'Round Here. These are all songs on the album "August and Everything After", the debut album by, for ten points, what band hailing from Berkeley, California? A: COUNTING CROWS 5. In 1799, Selim III of the Ottoman Empire formally recognized the independence of this little Balkan country. Ruled by Tsars, it resisted Ottoman influence from the South and Austrian pressure from the North and fought against both in the First World War. After WW I, it was combined with its bigger neighbor to form part of the Yugoslav kingdom and its tsar was set aside. FTP, name this now once-again independent little Slav country. MONTENEGRO 6. Oscar Robertson's NBA assist record stood for almost twenty years before it was broken by Earvin "Magic" Johnson, but this 6'1" playmaker and holder of the single season assist record will soon break Magic's record. FTP, name this point guard of the Utah Jazz. A: John STOCKTON 7. Goode's World Atlas lists the predominant languages of this country as Dari and Pushtu. Farsi is also spoken. Some consider it a Middle Eastern country since its people are Muslim, but others do not since the people at not Arabic by descent. Although it was in the news in the '80s all the time, tidings from Kabul appear far less frequently these days now that the Ruskies are gone. FTP, name this Asian nation. AFGHANISTAN 8. Augustus called this historian, "my little Pompeian," and let him write his vast history of Rome as he saw fit, including criticism of Augustus and Julius Caesar and sympathy for Caesar's defeated rival, Pompey. Next to Tacitus, he ranks as one of the few great Roman historians of our Era. FTP, who was this famous Padua-born historian whose work From the Founding of the City spanned 143 books, of which only 35 survive today? Titus LIVIUS (accept LIVY) 9. At long last, DNA tests have resolved the issue of who she really was. Ten years after her death, posthumous tissue tests have definitively eliminated Anna Anderson as a pretender to the vast Romanov fortune, a claim she persisted to her dying day, despite stiff opposition from most surviving Russian nobles. FTP what Russian princess did Anderson claim to really be? ANASTASIA (prompt on "Romanov") 10. (Reader please note Ital. pronounciation: zz = ts) Abruzzi, Molise (Moe lee zay) Campania, Apulia, Basilicata, Calabria, Sicily and Sardinia. For ten points, these regions of Italy are all thought of as being in the Southern half of the country and are collectively given what nickname, which in Italian means, "middle of the day?" MEZZOGIORNO (MEH-tsoh-JYORE-no) 11. Born in about 1386 in Florence, this Italian Renaissance artist was the first post-classical sculptor to render the human body as self-activating and functional in works such as Gattamelata. The acknowledged mentor of Michaelangelo, many consider him to be the principal creative genius of the Early Italian Renaissance. FTP, who was this great mind one of whose most famous works is St. George and the Dragon ? DONATELLO 12. This mythological figure fled in exile after killing his brother. Then he was falsely accused of seducing his host's wife when he rejected her advances. He was sent off on a suicide mission against pirates, but since he survived, assassins tried to ambush him. They failed. Still later when he was out riding his horse, it bucked him and threw him to Earth where he landed in a thornbush. One more thing-- his horse had wings. FTP, whose resume have I just recited, although I didn't mention that he also had to fight the Chimera? BELLEROPHON (accept Bellerophontes) 13. He was one of the first scientists to suggest a connection between light and magnetism through his demonstration that the plane of polarization of polarized light was rotated in a strong magnetic field. He also formulated the laws of electrolysis which bear his name, discovered benzene, and was the first to demonstrate the phenomenon of electromagnetic induction. FTP, name this nineteenth century English physicist and chemist. A: Michael FARADAY 14. This Russian goldsmith, jeweler, and decorator inherited the family jewelry business in 1870 and was commissioned by Alexander III to design the ceremonial Easter eggs given to the czarina every year, starting in 1884. These elaborate eggs became world famous and his name is now associated with extravagant design. FTP, name this Russian artiste. FABERGE 15. Today it is probably the best known battle of the War of the Spanish Succession, but it was fought in only the 3rd year of that 13 year long war. Eugene of Savoy and the Brits defeated the Bavarians and the French and the English commander, Marlborough went on to win eternal fame. FTP, what was this 1704 battle, judged by Creasy to be one of the 15 most decisive in Western history since it prevented French domination of Europe? BLENHEIM 16. There's one in Connecticut, Kentucky, Texas, South Carolina, and Washington DC. There are cities with this name also outside the US; for example, there's one near Toronto, another is the leading city of the Cayman Islands, and another is the capital of Guyana. FTP what common name do all of these cities and a prominant Jesuit university share? GEORGETOWN 17. In this 1784 French play, a young couple about to wed evades the schemes of a their employer who wants to make it with the bride. The title character mouths a philosophy of equality of mankind revolutionary for his time and ultimately prevents his boss from exercising droit de signeur (dwa de sin yure) by cluing in the duke's wife. FTP, name this Beaumarchais play, for which Mozart wrote the music. THE MARRAIGE OF FIGARO reader note : Barber of Seville was 1775 18. If you tour the Napa Valley, you will learn that a regular sized bottle of wine is half a Magnum, meaning that it comes in a 750 mL container. However, much larger bottles are available -- either for intense alcoholics or for large receptions. What is the name given to 4 Magnum-sized bottles of wine which are big enough to hold contain 6 Liters? IMPERIAL (also accept METHUSALEM) 19. Named after Elizabeth I's master of the mint, it states that "bad" money drives out the "good" because people hoard their nicest coins and spend the mutilated or overvalued coinage they obtain. As a result, the good money is driven from use. FTP, name this economic theory. GRESHAM'S LAW 20. He was one of few men to represent two different states in the House, first New Hamp. and later Mass. He also served twice in the Senate in non-consecutive terms, leaving the Senate to become Secretary of State on both occasions. One of the best orators of his day, he ruined his career by supporting the Compromise of 1850. FTP, name this great statesman. Daniel WEBSTER 21. In this grim 1911 novel, a farmer, stuck in a dead end marriage with a whining hypochondriac, finds love when his wife's pretty cousin shows up to work for them. He and the cousin form a suicide pact because they know the community will not approve of their love, but a sleighing accident cripples both, rather than kill them. As a result, they are even worse off than they were before. FTP, name this Edith Wharton novel which depicts the problems of living in a small New England town. ETHAN FROME 22. Born in 1564 from a prosperous middle-class family, he wrote Edward II, The Massacre at Paris, Tamburlaine, The Jew of Malta, and Dr. Faustus. Name this brilliant playwright and spy who died in a tavern quarrel at the age of 29. Christopher MARLOWE 23. He has a golden boar who reflects brilliant light,made for the Aesir gods in a contest of skill between dwarf smiths. But he is better known for sitting on Odin's throne and falling in love with the beautiful giantess, Gerth. After a few menacing threats, Gerth's heart was won and after 9 days and nights, the wedding took place. FTP, who was this Vanir god, associated with fertility who fell at Ragnorak wielding a pair of antlers because he gave up his magic sword to get Gerth? answer: FREY (same as Freyr but NOT Freya) 24. One of the greatest musicians to come out of the Harlem Renaissance, this Jazz and blues singer dueted with Louis Armstrong and "once lived the of a millionaire". Her songs have been covered by Eric Clapton and Rod Stewart, and have been sampled by Cypress Hill. At the start of the Great Depression, she first sung the memorable "Nobody knows when you're down and out" based on her own experiences as a music star. FTP, name this music legend who died in a car crash in 1937. Name: BESSIE SMITH 25. Often quiz-bowl math questions ask you to some mathematician's identity based on biographical facts or principles he/she advanced. This question will not. FTP, simply identify this trigonometric identity: "plus or minus the square root of 1 minus cosine A, all over 2" 1 C 1 - cos A/ 2 = Sin (A/2) SIN of A over 2 26. Ross Perot is talking about forming a 3rd party. This is nothing new. 100 years ago, in 1894, a strong movement was underfoot among Westerners and Southerners -- especially farmers - to create a 3rd party. They even elected several US Senators and a few Congressmen before committing suicide in 1896 by nominating Democrat William Jennings Bryan. FTP, what was this party whose 1892 Presidential nominee garnered 22 electoral votes from 6 states? POPULISTS (accept People's Party) 27. If I told you Bill Cosby was once one of the most hated men in New York and daily lambasted in the New York Weekly Journal, you might look at me is disbelief -- but it's true. Maybe if I told you most people called him Governor William Cosby it would help a little. In fact, he was also called arbitrary and tyrannical. The judge thought this was libel, but the jury disagreed and set the defendant free, FTP whose famous 1735 trial was this which helped establish freedom of the press? John Peter ZENGER trial 28. Pencil and paper ready. If you have 8 socks in a drawer, 4 of which are red and 4 of which are blue, what is the probability you will randonly pull out a matched pair of either color, assuming you only pull two socks and do not replace? (3/14 + 3/14 =) 6/14 or 3/7 BONI 1) 20 points The Year 1066 is famous for the Norman invasion and the battle of Hastings. For 5 points each, answer the following 4 questions about that climactic year. Who was king of England on 1 Jan. 1066 EDWARD the CONFESSOR NOT Edward I) What Viking king also invaded England in 1066? HARALD HAARDRAADA (same as Harald III) At what battle was Harald Haardraada killed? STAMFORD BRIDGE What last Saxon defeated and killed Harald Haardraada? HAROLD GODWINSON 2) 30 points For those students who think Shakespeare is boring, maybe they have just read the wrong plays. For 10 each, identify the character from Shakespeare accused of impropriety or committing illicit sexual acts: Othello thinks this man has had relations with Desdemona CASSIO Hamlet considers this uncle's marriage to mom to be incestuous CLAUDIUS Claudio is tricked into thinking she has been unfaithful in Much Ado about Nothing HERO 3) 20 points This pair of countries has identical flags, but luckily they are on different continents, so there is little chance they will go to war over the national colors. Either flag has two horizontal stripes, the top is red, the bottom white. For five name each of these two nations, the one a multi island country, and the other is one of the world's smallest principalities. INDONESIA MONACO Now for ten more points, what Eurpoean nation has a flag whose top horizontal stripe is white and whose bottom horizontal stripe is red? POLAND 4) 30 points 30/20/10 Scientist 30) At the age of only 31, he won a Nobel Prize in physics for his work with sub-atomic particles. 20) He discovered and named the meson in 1932 10) He also discovered the positron in 1935. His Nobel followed a year later. Carl David ANDERSON 5) 20 points This bonus will put you in dire straits because it will test your geographical knowledge of water bodies around the world. You will be asked 4 questions, but if you get one wrong, the bonus will end and you will lose what you earned. You may stop and keep your points at any point by asking the moderator to halt. The strait separating Iran from United Arab Emirates STRAIT OF HORMUZ The strait separating Australia from Tasmania BASS STRAIT The strait separating North Island from South Island COOK STRAIT The strait separating Malaysia from Sumatra STRAIT OF MALACCA 6) 20 points Guillotined or not? I will list four people, fictitious or real and you say whether they were executed by the guillotine, by other means, or not at all: Charlotte Corday GUILLOTINED Antoine Lavoisier GUILLOTINED Louis XVIII NOT AT ALL Charles Darnay NOT AT ALL (from A Tale of Two Cities) 7) 20 points Ireland and people Irish for 5 points each: Ireland's largest river and airport share this name SHANNON Current Irish Prime Minister Albert REYNOLDS Biggest brewery, is also one of Dublin's biggest employers GUINNESS 2nd Irish President, 1932-37, a hero of the rebellion Eamon DE VALERA 8) 25 points His army, spearheaded by 10,000 Greek mercenaries, marched against his brother, Artaxerxes II, Shah of the Persian empire in 401 BC. At the battle of Cunaxa, at the moment of total victory, he stupidly tried to kill Artaxerxes personally, but was slain by bodyguards, thus winning the battle and losing his life. For 25, who was this Persian prince, highly admired by Xenophon who served among the mercenaries and wrote famous memoirs the expedition and the return home? CYRUS THE YOUNGER (NOT Cyrus the Great) 9) 25 points Printer, ambassador, scientist and statesman, as well as first citizen of Pennsylvania, Benjamin Frankin was the most eminent American before revolutionary times. Answer these questions about Ben Franklin's life. (5 points) Franklin founded an academy that later became what college? UNIV OF PA (10 points) In writing Poor Richard's Almanac, Franklin used an alias. What was his alias? Richard SAUNDERS (10 points) Who succeeded Franklin in 1785 as minister to France? Thomas JEFFERSON 10) 25 points 10 for 1, 25 for both. Identify the Romantic Philosophers from their respective quotes: "We have listened too long to the muses of Europe." Ralph Waldo EMERSON "Treat people as if they were what they ought to be, and you help them to become what they are capable of being." GOETHE 11) 25 point The Texas annexation in 1845 covered territory now lying in 5 other states besides Texas. For five points each, identify those five states. NEW MEXICO, OKLAHOMA, KANSAS, COLORADO, WYOMING 12. 25 points Identify the following numbers as algebraic, irrational, neither, or both, for 5 points each. 1. The square root of seven. A: Both 2. Pi + 12. A: Irrational 3. The natural log of 2. A: Irrational 4. The golden ratio. A: Both 5. The square root of minus one. A: Algebraic 13. 20 points The Norse Mythological trickster Loki had three monstrous children by a giantess. Two fought at Ragnarok and one was the mistress of the underworld. Answer the following questions about them: She was a warden of sorts for the Underworld HEL It grew so fast the Aesir grew scared and tricked it into being chained up FENRIS WOLF Thor and this monster kill each other at Ragnarok, having had prior run-ins MIDGARD SERPENT This god lost his hand to bind Fenris up TYR or TU 14. 20 points Identify the authors of the following works containing "blue" in their titles, for 5 points each and a bonus for all three. 1. The Blue Hotel A: Steven CRANE 2. The Blue Bird A: Maurice MAETERLINCK 3. name the composer of the opera "Duke Bluebeard's Castle". A: Bela BARTOK 15. 30 points Identify which of the Beatles sang lead on each of the following songs. You must answer John, Paul, George, or Ringo. 1. "Lovely Rita" A: PAUL 2. "Something" A: GEORGE 3. "Not a Second Time" A: JOHN 4. "Tomorrow Never Knows" A: JOHN 5. "Act Naturally" A: RINGO 16. 25 points Back when Spain controlled most of what is now called Latin America, hedr posessions were ultimately divided into four regions called Viceroyalties. For five points each and a five point bonus for getting all 4, please name those 4 Viceroyalties: NEW SPAIN, NEW GRANADA, NEW CASTILIA, RIO DE LA PLATA 17. 25 points Given a year and the team he played for, give the Cy Young Award winner for that season, for 5 points each, with a five point bonus for all correct. 1. 1972, Cleveland Indians. A: Gaylord PERRY 2. 1980, Baltimore Orioles A: Steve STONE 3. 1981, L.A. Dodgers A: Fernando VALENZUELA 4. 1986, Houston Astros A: Mike SCOTT 5. 1967, Boston Red Sox A: Jim LONBORG 18. 25 points Given a college or university and the state in which it is located, identify the city it lies in for 5 points each, 5 point bonus for all four. 1. Wayne State University, Michigan A: DETROIT 2. Lehigh University, Pennsylvania A: BETHLEHEM 3. Duke University, North Carolina A: DURHAM 4. Rensselaer Polytechnic, New York A: TROY 19) 30 points Identify the artist, 30-20-10. 30: He abandoned the study of law in 1861, travelling to Paris, where he met Camille Pisarro and began to devote himself to painting. 20: During the 1870's, he digested the theories of light that the impressionists were developing, retaining their sense of pure color but using colors to build up volume through the contrast of tones. 10: Probably the greatest master of post-impressionism, he once said, "Nature must be treated through the cylinder, the sphere, the cone". A: Paul CEZANNE 20. 25 points Although Cornwallis' defeat did not end the American Revolution, it pretty much ceased military operations. The victory itself would not have been possible had not this French admiral arrived and defeated the British fleet at the mouth of the Chesapeake and this sealed off Cornwallis' escape route by sea. For 25 points, who was this Frenchseaman who at once, upon victory, returned to the West Indies? ROCHEAMBEAU (not De Grasse) 21. 30 points Identify the composer, 30-20-10, from a series of works. 30: "Le Villi", "Edgar", and "La Rondine" 20: "Il Tabarro" and "Schicchi" 10: "Manon Lescault" and "La Fanciulla del West" PUCCINI 22. 30 points Identify the author by works, 30-20-10. 30: The Clock-Winder, A Slipping-Down Life 20: Searching for Caleb, Celestial Navigation Answer: Anne TYLER 10: Saint Maybe, Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant 23. 25 points Identify the years of the following events, for 5 points each. 1. John Scopes found guilty of teaching evolution. A: 1925 2. The Homestead Strike occurs in the Carnegie mills. A: 1892 3. The St. Valentine's Day Massacre. A: 1929 4. James Meredith enters U. of Mississippi. A: 1962 5. Robert Peary and Matthew Henson reach North Pole. A: 1909 24. 20 points To go from one country to a nearby one, sometimes you must sometimes traverse a large body of water. Identify these seas of separation, 5 each with a 5 point bonus for all 3. From S. Korea to China YELLOW SEA From Turkmenistan to Turkey CASPIAN SEA From Tunisia to Italy TYRRHENIAN SEA******* ***** ask for more specific than the Mediterranean 25. 30 points The Newberry Award is given to the best children's novel of the yr. I'll give you the award-winning story, and you give me its author. Bridge to Terabithia Katherine Paterson Number the Stars Lois Lowry Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry Mildred Taylor 26) 30 points Identify each of the following diseases as caused by flatworms or roundworms for 5 points each, with a 10 point bonus for all four correct. 1. Hookworm A: ROUNDWORM 2. Trichinosis A: ROUNDWORM 3. Chinese Liver Fluke Infection A: FLATWORM 4. Filariasis A: FLATWORM