Modern History
President Truman/Harry S. Truman
Who is the current Secretary of State of the United States?
Marco Rubio
What is the most populous city in the world?
Tokyo - 37 million
Who wrote the book “Little Red Riding Hood”? (There are 2 versions, any one of the 2 authors are accepted)
Charles Perrault
Brothers Grimm
There are three pillars of sustainability, one of which is ‘environmental sustainability’. Name the other two.
Economic and social
What was the meeting name at which the major European powers negotiated and formalised claims to African territories?
The Berlin Conference
Who WERE the two Non-constituency Members of Parliament in the Singapore Parliament (NCMP) in the 14th Parliament of Singapore (2020-2025), and what party do they both belong to?
With at least 7100 languages spoken across the world, over 800 languages spoken in this country alone, making it the most linguistically diverse country in the world. For 200 points, state this country and its capital (Both required for 200 points)
Papua New Guinea - Port Moresby
This literary metrical foot consists of 2 unaccented, adjacent short syllables. Also known as a diabrach, state this metrical foot.
Pyrrhic
Adopted in 1962, what is the title of the European Union’s (EU) legally-binding framework to boost agricultural productivity?
Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)
The creation of this Napoleonic client state in Germany led to the subsequent dissolution and collapse of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806 as announced by Emperor Francis II. Name the client state.
The Confederation of the Rhine / The Confederated States of the Rhine / The Rhine Confederation
The recent Japanese elections to the House of Councillors demonstrated a remarkable defeat of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and the rise of opposition politics in Japan, with a far right party gaining incredible success. State the name of this far right party and one reason for this trend of continuous decline of the LDP.
A) Sanseito
B)
1. Corruption scandals – The LDP has been rocked by major slush-fund misreporting involving top faction leaders, along with revelations of deep ties to the Unification Church after Abe’s assassination. These incidents have fueled public outrage and eroded long-standing trust in the party. Even core supporters have expressed disillusionment.
2. Economic frustration – Japan’s rising inflation, stagnant wages, and soaring costs of essentials have left voters dissatisfied. The LDP’s responses, such as modest cash handouts, were seen as inadequate. Opposition parties gained traction by offering bolder, more appealing economic measures.
3. Shrinking voter base – The party’s traditional rural strongholds are losing population, while urban, younger voters increasingly turn to alternative parties. This demographic shift is weakening the LDP’s electoral dominance. Rural–urban divides are now working against the party’s advantage.
4. Out-of-touch leadership – Many see LDP leaders as detached from everyday concerns and lacking charisma. They have struggled to present fresh ideas or a compelling vision. Newer populist and reform-oriented parties have filled the gap with sharper messaging.
State all 3 capitals of South Africa and their governmental functions (each capital corresponds to one of the 3 branches of government)
Cape Town (Legislative)
Pretoria (Executive)
Bloemfontein (Judicial)
The 4 Great Tragedies are 4 tragedies written by William Shakespeare that are considered to embody some of the deepest themes within Shakespeare’s tragedies. State all 4 works within this category. (No points if 1, 100 points if 2, 200 points if 3)
Hamlet
Othello
King Lear
Macbeth
Singapore’s Housing and Development Board (HDB) has pioneered the usage of a prefabricated technological system to address land scarcity and high property prices. Name this sustainable, cost-effective method of construction.
Modular construction
Following a major military defeat of colonial forces at Dien Bien Phu, this 1954 international agreement not only redrew borders and temporarily divided a Southeast Asian nation at the 17th parallel, but also included provisions for elections that never took place — directly contributing to a prolonged conflict that drew in multiple world powers. Identify this agreement (200 points) and explain why the failure to carry out its terms escalated into one of the most significant proxy wars of the 20th century (300 points).
This military agreement, signed in December 2022 between Sudan's Sovereign Council and the civilian Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC), was meant to pave the way for a transition to a fully civilian government. However, its failure to address key military-political disputes contributed to the escalation of violence between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces in April 2023. State the name of this agreement (100 points), its aim (100 points) and how its failure contributed to the outbreak of the 2023 Sudanese Civil War.
What are the 2 primary factors driving Global Thermohaline Circulation, the process of large scale ocean circulation, and what is its importance?
In the late Tang dynasty, ci poetry flourished, characterized by fixed melodic patterns and a more personal, lyrical tone than earlier shi poetry. Explain why this stylistic shift occurred in the political and social climate of the time.
1. Political Instability and Decentralization: The late Tang period was marked by increasing political instability and decentralization of power. As the central government's control weakened, regional power centers emerged, and with them, a greater emphasis on local cultures and artistic expressions. This environment fostered experimentation and the adoption of new poetic forms like ci, which could reflect the diverse experiences and emotions of a less centralized society.
2. Popular Entertainment and Musical Influence: Ci poetry, originally intended to be sung to pre-existing melodies, gained popularity in entertainment quarters and among courtesans. This close association with music and performance contributed to its more lyrical and emotive quality, distinct from the more formal and often didactic tone of shi poetry. The melodies themselves often dictated the structure and length of the lines in ci poems, leading to the characteristic "long and short lines" that differed from the uniform lines of shi poetry.
3. Shifting Social Values: The Tang dynasty saw a gradual shift in social values. While shi poetry was often associated with scholarly pursuits and Confucian ideals, ci poetry became a vehicle for expressing more personal and emotional themes, including love, loss, and introspection. This focus on individual experience and emotion aligned with the changing social landscape, where individuals were seeking new ways to express themselves and connect with others.
4. The Influence of Individual Poets: While the social and political context provided the fertile ground for ci poetry, individual poets like Wen Tingyun and Li Yu played a crucial role in shaping its development and popularizing its unique characteristics. Their contributions solidified the form's distinctiveness and ensured its continued development into the Song dynasty.
In 1972, the first international conference dedicated to environmental issues convened. What was the name of this conference, and what was its most significant outcome? (both parts)
Right before the end of the Second World War, Clement Attlee scored a highly unexpected landslide victory against the incumbent prime minister Winston Churchill in the 1945 UK General Elections winning 393 Labour Seats against the 197 Conservative Seats. This has occurred for several reasons, state 2 of them (100 points if one correct only)
In late 2024, Ahmed Hussein al-Sharaa, leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, led a coalition of militant factions across Syria towards a lightning offensive against the Ba’ath Syrian autocratic regime headed by Bashar al-Assad. In less than 2 weeks, the rebel coalition managed to capture Damascus and President Assad fled the country to seek refuge in Russia, marking an end to 60 years of the rule of the Assad Regime. Several reasons could have contributed to this speedy defeat, with even opposition forces left surprised as to how fast the Assad regime fell. For 500 points, state 3 reasons as to why President Assad lost and the rebels won.
This island nation in the Pacific Ocean has no standing military, yet it is heavily involved in regional security diplomacy. It sits on the “Ring of Fire,” making it vulnerable to volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. Additionally, its Exclusive Economic Zone is vastly larger than its land area, making maritime resources a key part of its economy. Identify the country and explain the significance of its maritime claims relative to its size and vulnerabilities.
Samoa
Although small in land area and vulnerable to earthquakes and cyclones, Samoa’s large Exclusive Economic Zone gives it access to valuable fishing resources, particularly tuna. By licensing foreign fishing vessels and controlling maritime trade routes, Samoa generates critical national revenue. This maritime wealth helps offset the country’s limited agricultural land, strengthens food security, and enhances its geopolitical influence in the Pacific region, despite its lack of a standing military.
This literary method, prominent in Latin America’s Boom period, involves nonlinear, fragmented narratives that disrupt traditional storytelling. Explain why authors used this method during the 1960s–70s.
Authors used nonlinear, fragmented narratives to challenge colonial and elite literary conventions, reflect the complexity of Latin American identity and history, and engage readers in active meaning-making amid political turmoil.
A neurological disorder caused by severe methylmercury poisoning, this disease plagued Japanese locals who ingested fish and shellfish contaminated by industrial discharge in the 1950s-60s. Name this disease.
Minamata disease