Science
English
Math
History
Pop Culture
100
This technology was supported by 22 zoning and connection grants from an agency led by Steven Chu. The Obama administration took heat for loans to a failed company that produced cylinders for this (*) renewable resource. For 10 points—the Rooftop Initiative is to increase use of what energy?
solar energy (accept variants like photovoltaic cells) [Steven Chu is the current Energy Secretary.]
100
These type of people live in Eastwick in a John Updike novel and are named Mayfair in an Anne Rice series. Those with blue spit are the title group of a Roald Dahl work. (*) For 10 points—name this type of person, whose “white” variety appears with a lion and wardrobe in a C.S. Lewis novel
witches (accept The Witches of Eastwick, Lives of the Mayfair Witches, The Witches, the White Witch, or The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe)
100
Pencil and paper ready. An urn contained an unknown number of marbles. After Chris tripled the original number, Dan doubled Chris's final count, making a total of 72 marbles in all. Working backward, one can find that the urn started with (*) —for 10 points—how many marbles?
12 marbles [2 x 3x = 72, so 6x = 72, and x = 12]
100
This man who promoted a Songun, or military first, policy became Secretary of the Workers Party in 1997. Known to his people as the (*) “Dear Leader,” he led a regime that conducted a 2006 nuclear weapons test. For 10 points—name this North Korean leader who died in 2011.
Kim Jong-il (prompt on “Kim”)
100
This actor has played John Dillinger, J. M. Barrie, and Ed Wood. He was arrested by the Red Queen in 2010 and put into (*) Davy Jones's Locker in 2006. For 10 points—name this star, the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland and Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean.
Johnny (Christopher) Depp
200
Paul Cézanne painted one of these called Victoire [veek-TWAH] and Katsushika Hokusai gave 36 views of a Japanese one. One is “magic” in a Thomas Mann novel, and the Grampians and (*) Caucasus are European sets of these geologic features. For 10 points—name these high places such as K2 or Olympus.
mountain (accept Magic Mountain, mountain chains, et cetera)
200
Beatrix Potter's Jemima Puddle-Duck was based on this character, as was Roudette in a Jim Hines book. In a Charles Perrault story, she wears a chaperon, is tricked into giving a house's location, and is threatened by a (*) wolf. For 10 points—name this colorful fairy tale girl.
Little Red Riding Hood
200
This term is Arabic for “restoration” and its fundamental theorem states that non-constant polynomials have roots in the complex numbers. Its techniques include FOIL-ing and completing the (*) square. For 10 points—name this branch of mathematics that solves equations and uses variables like x
algebra
200
One of these expeditions changed its plan and sacked Constantinople in 1204. Walter the Penniless and Peter the Hermit led one composed of peasants. The first was called for at the (*) Council of Clermont by Urban II. For 10 points—name these military campaigns to reclaim the Holy Land.
crusades (accept Fourth Crusade, Peasants' Crusade, or First Crusade)
200
Some include Ophiuchus [oh-FUKE-cus] in this collection because of its present closeness to the ecliptic. Precession of equinoxes has caused some of its members to drift apart in the (*) sky. For 10 points—Gemini, Leo, and Pisces are part of what set of twelve constellations some use in astrology?
answer: zodiac constellations
300
This technology was supported by 22 zoning and connection grants from an agency led by Steven Chu. The Obama administration took heat for loans to a failed company that produced cylinders for this (*) renewable resource. For 10 points—the Rooftop Initiative is to increase use of what energy?
answer: solar energy (accept variants like photovoltaic cells) [Steven Chu is the current Energy Secretary.]
300
The third book of this series, Mattimeo, sees an invasion led by General Ironbeak. The last title was 2011's The Rogue Crew, and this series is set in Southsward and Mossflower Woods. (*) For 10 points—name this Brian Jacques [“jakes”] series in which animals live in a namesake Abbey
Redwall
300
The ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter is symbolized by this Greek letter.
pi
300
Republicans who have held this position include Joseph Cannon, Thomas Reed, and James G. Blaine. Sam Rayburn held it longer than anyone, and (*) Nancy Pelosi was the first woman in this job. For 10 points—name this leading figure in the U.S. House of Representatives.
answer: Speaker of the House
300
In 2011's Week 7, this NFL team scored 62 points against the Colts. In 2005 they played home games in San Antonio and (*) Baton Rouge, and during the 2009 season won Super Bowl XLIV [“44”], again over the Colts. For 10 points—name this Superdome-based team featuring quarterback Drew Brees [“breeze”].
New Orleans Saints (accept either) [The 62 points ties the NFL's post-merger record. Hurricane Katrina forced them to move their 2005 home games.]
400
In 1952 Pan Am cut seven hours off a Tokyo to Honolulu flight using this phenomenon. The Polar one is at the top of the troposphere, and locations south of it typically have higher temperatures, as seen on TV (*) weather maps. For 10 points—name these fast air currents, called “streams.”
answer: jet streams
400
This liteary character teaches under the alias Elliot and declines a marriage proposal from St. John [sin jin] Rivers. Earlier she went to Lowood School, became governess of Thornfield Hall, and fell in love with her employer, (*) Edward Rochester. For 10 points—name this Charlotte Brontë [BRON-tay] character.
Jane Eyre (accept either name)
400
The ratio of a line's rise over its run is this quantity.
slope
400
This organization annually awards the Spingarn Medal. Founded in 1909 following the Springfield Riots, its magazine, The Crisis, was initially edited by W. E. B. DuBois [doo BOYCE]. Anti-lynching and (*) desegregation laws were advocated by—for 10 points—what African-American civil rights organization?
NAACP or National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
400
This 2011 event left a record 750,000 Connecticut residents without power, and led New York City to shut down its airports and issue its first-ever mandatory (*) evacuation order. It made landfall in North Carolina as a Category 1 storm. For 10 points—name this first hurricane of 2011.
What is Hurricane Irene (accept Tropical Storm Irene)
500
DES was an IBM standard for this process using a block design, controversially developed with NSA help. Large prime numbers are often used in the public key type. (*) For 10 points—give the term for techniques used by those wishing to keep data confidential, often using secret codes
encryption (accept word forms; accept cryptography or cryptology) [Some feared that the NSA had built in a “backdoor” for government access.]
500
“We all float down here” is what Pennywise the clown tells the characters in this work whose title creature can appear in various forms
What is It
500
This colorful ratio, approximately 1.62, has been tied to the rectangular forms in several ancient structures including the Greek Parthenon.
golden ratio (or golden mean; prompt on “phi”)
500
Near the start of this war, French king John II was captured by Edward, the Black Prince at the Battle of Poitiers [pwah-tee-ay]. In its later stages, the Siege of Orléans [AWR-ley-ahn] was lifted by (*) Joan of Arc. For 10 points—name this medieval conflict between France and England that lasted more than a century
Hundred Years' War (accept Edwardian War before “Orléans” is read)
500
By winning the 2010 Masters, Phil Mickelson earned his third jacket of this color awarded by the Augusta National Golf Club
What is green jacket
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