Varsity QR Cave Country Nov. 12 Round 9
Middle Grades – 2013-14 Governor’s Cup Practice Questions
1.
An isosceles triangle has a base of length 15 units. The perimeter of the triangle is 39 units. What is
the length, in units, of one of the legs of the triangle?
12 (UNITS)
2.
First and last name required. Albert Gallatin once sarcastically referred to this person as "Mrs.
President". She frequently wrote to her husband, documenting their lives, progressive marriage, and
the American Revolution. Who was the wife of the second President and the mother of the sixth?
ABIGAIL ADAMS
3.
In 1964, he gave his "The Ballot or the Bullet" speech, in which he urged African-Americans to vote
for change as long as whites allowed them to do so. He collaborated with Alex Haley, the author of
Roots, on his autobiography. Who was this slain human rights activist, a leader in the Nation of
Islam?
MALCOLM X
4.
This kind of plant takes its name from words meaning "naked seed." The seeds are borne in cones,
and are not visible. What general type of vascular plant reproduces by means of an exposed seed?
GYMNOSPERM [JIM-nuh-spurmz]
5.
This Muslim practice requires that the pilgrims wear identical plain clothes to show that all are equal
in Allah's eyes. During the festival, the followers throw stones at three pillars which represent Satan.
Identify this pilgrimage made by Muslims to Mecca to worship at the Ka'bah.
HAJJ
6.
As an African-American dancer/choreographer, this man's work in the dance field emphasized the
black cultural experience. Revelations, one of his best known works is based on his experiences
growing up as a black youth in the South. Identify this choreographer famous for his "station wagon
tours" with his eponymous dance company.
(ALVIN) AILEY
7.
In August, you'll see the Perseids; In November, you'll see these. It's the name for the meteor
shower that seems to originate from the constellation named after the lion. What is this prolific
meteor shower called?
LEONIDS
8.
On a trip, Ryan traveled 5 miles north and then 12 miles east. How far, in miles, is Ryan from his
starting position?
13 (MILES)
2013-14 Governor’s Cup Practice Questions – Middle Grades Round 9 - Page 1
9.
The Luciads were written about this man's journeys. He gave the Portuguese Empire a valuable
monopoly on Oriental spice trade routes. Who was the first European explorer to sail directly to
India?
(VASCO DE) GAMA
10.
This story's title character causes a fifty-year-old rose to bloom again. Colonel Killigrew, Mr.
Medbourne, Widow Wycherly, and Mr. Gascoigne [gas-KOIN] drink water to make themselves
eternally young. Name this "fountain of youth" short story by Nathaniel Hawthorne.
"DR. HEIDEGGER'S EXPERIMENT"
11.
For a shipping vessel, this is the amount of cargo it is able to hold. In biology, it's the largest
population of a species that can survive in a given environment over a long period. What is the
alliterative two-word term for these maximum holding amounts?
CARRYING CAPACITY
12.
Identify the independent clause in the following sentence: My teacher told me to work harder
because my grades were slipping.
MY TEACHER TOLD ME TO WORK HARDER
13.
Suppose you flip a coin twice. What is the probability as a fraction that you will either get two heads
or two tails?
ONE-HALF (1/2)
14.
This city became the temporary seat of Catholicism in 1309, when Clement V took up residence
there. When Gregory XI returned to Rome, a series of "antipopes" ruled here during the Great
Schism. Name this French city associated with its namesake "papacy."
AVIGNON [AV-in-yahn]
15.
With a soprano range, this musical instrument is the foundation of the orchestra. The first chair
musician that plays this instrument in an orchestra is called the concert master. Identify this string
instrument that is played with a bow while resting on the musician's shoulder.
VIOLIN
16.
Examples of this concept include the Euro, the Japanese Yen, and the British Pound Sterling. Its
invention ended bartering, and its value may be linked to exchange rates or government issuance.
Name this specific medium of exchange, a form of money.
CURRENCY
17.
Given that the explicit formula for a sequence is A sub N equals 3 N plus 10, what is A sub 12?
46
2013-14 Governor’s Cup Practice Questions – Middle Grades Round 9 - Page 2
18.
His newer books include Secrets at Sea, A Season of Gifts, and The Mouse with the Question Mark
Tail. He depicts Joey and Mary Alice's visits with Grandma Dowdel in A Long Way from Chicago.
Which author won the Newbery Medal for A Year Down Yonder?
(RICHARD) PECK
19.
This comic book hero is an icon of pop culture. He reappears periodically as an important movie
icon. Who is this strongman with super powers including x-ray vision and a bright red cape?
SUPERMAN
20.
This theory underlies most of the concepts of modern biology. It holds that living things have their
origins in other types of living things that preceded them, and that changed over time. Identify this
theory described by Charles Darwin in "On the Origin of Species."
EVOLUTION (Accept other forms of the word)
21.
First and last name required. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives, the Ohio Senate, and
the U.S. Senate before being named U.S. minister to Colombia in 1828. He was replaced the next
year, not entering national politics until losing the 1836 presidential election to Martin Van Buren.
Running on the slogan "Tippecanoe and Tyler Too!", who was elected the ninth president of the
United States in 1840, only to die a mere 30 days into his presidency?
WILLIAM (HENRY) HARRISON
22.
In this book, the Vietnam War reaches Ha's home of Saigon [sahy-GON]. She and her family move
to Alabama, where she learns English and deals with the bully Pink Boy. Identify this Newbery
Honor Book by Thanhha Lai [TANG-ha LY].
INSIDE OUT AND BACK AGAIN
23.
Mr. Cutler's students are giving their book reports in this Broadway play. The students decide to turn
their reports about their favorite characters into a "Glee-like" musical. What is this play based on L.
Frank Baum's novel The Sea Fairies?
(A) MERMAID'S TALE
24.
State your answer as a simplified fraction. There are 52 cards in a deck, of which 13 are hearts.
What is the ratio of cards in a deck that are hearts to those that are not hearts?
1/3
25.
The chemist who invented this process also worked on Germany's poison gas program during World
War One. In 1918, he received the Nobel Prize for Chemistry for this process, which Carl Bosch later
turned into a large-scale industrial method. What process, named for the German chemist who
invented it, creates ammonia from nitrogen and hydrogen?
HABER [HAH-ber] (PROCESS)
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26.
George Clinton was chosen over him as Thomas Jefferson's running mate in 1804. He engaged in a
duel with Alexander Hamilton, the latter's death sparking a famous trial. Who was the third U.S. Vice
President?
(AARON) BURR
27.
He produced over twenty poetry volumes, including I'm a Stranger Here Myself and The Bad
Parents' Garden of Verse. He parodied Joyce Kilmer's poem "Trees" by saying, "Perhaps, unless the
billboards fall, I'll never see a tree at all." Which American poet of humorous verse penned the line,
"The Lord in His wisdom made the fly, and then forgot to tell us why"?
(OGDEN) NASH
28.
In a parallelogram, one angle measures 25 degrees. What is the angle measure in degrees of either
of the two adjacent angles?
155 (DEGREES)
29.
This class of animals includes the largest and most intelligent animals on the planet. The class is
subdivided into placentals, marsupials, and monotremes [MON-uh-treems]. Identify this class
characterized distinguished by its hair and mammary glands.
MAMMALIA [muh-MAY-lee-uh] (Accept: MAMMALS)
30.
This island was one of the islands that Poseidon received when he and his brothers divided the
realms of the Earth. Here was the birthplace of Atlas, for whom the island and the Atlantic Ocean is
named. Identify this mythical island that Zeus engulfed in the depths of the ocean forever.
ATLANTIS
31.
A right triangular prism has a base with legs of 6 inches and 8 inches. If the height of the prism is
12 inches, what is the volume in cubic inches of the prism?
288 (CUBIC INCHES)
32.
Governor George Berkeley's home was burned during this conflict, which saw a "Declaration of the
People of Virginia". One side in this conflict was spurred by anti-Native American sentiment and
composed mostly of poor young men. Name this rebellion in colonial Virginia whose namesake
reformer briefly achieved the commission he sought.
BACON'S (REBELLION)
33.
His best-known short stories include "The Blue Hotel" and "The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky." He
fictionalized his experience reporting in Cuba in "The Open Boat." Name this American author of The
Red Badge of Courage.
(STEPHEN) CRANE
34.
This branch of science comes from the Greek word for "nature." For centuries it was also called
natural philosophy. What natural science involves the study of matter and its motion, along with
related concepts of energy and force?
PHYSICS
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35.
This dance fuses numerous forms into a single dance style. It involves the percussive rhythms of
Africa, the hornpipes of the British sailors, and the jigs of the Ireland. What is this dance that
requires special metal plates on the dancer's shoes, and is associated with Gregory Hines?
TAP (DANCE)
36.
He created Death Valley by falling off a tornado he had ridden from Kansas to California. He loved
Slue-Foot Sue, who bounced into the clouds after Widow-Maker bucked her off his back. Identify
this mythical cowboy, who was raised by Texas coyotes.
PECOS BILL
37.
If your data set is the set of integers from 81 to 89, including the endpoints, what is the third
quartile of the data set?
87.5
38.
In the year 1000, he sailed from Greenland to Norway, where Olav I converted him to Christianity.
On the way home, he landed in present-day Nova Scotia, which he named Vinland because of its
wild grapes. Identify this Viking explorer, son of Erik the Red.
(LEIF) ERICSON
39.
Sometimes this music is called serious music. This music is composed in a classical tradition and is
not passed down through popular means. What is this music that might be composed for its own
sake?
ART (MUSIC)
40.
There is one of these containing water in the Ogallala, which lies under almost all of Nebraska. It is
the source for many wells and springs, and is literally a "water-bearing stratum." Give the common
one-word term for an underground layer of rock or soil that holds groundwater.
AQUIFER
End of First Half – Begin Three-Minute Inquiry Period
2013-14 Governor’s Cup Practice Questions – Middle Grades Round 9 - Page 5
Round 9 - Second Half
Middle Grades – 2013-14 Governor’s Cup Practice Questions
41.
Multiple answer required. The absolute value of the quantity X minus 5 equals 20. What are the
solutions to the equation?
(X EQUALS) 25, -15 (EITHER ORDER)
42.
These are responsible for producing variations in inherited characteristics, such as eye color or blood
type. Whether dominant or recessive, they are different forms of the same gene. Give that name of
these varying genes.
ALLELES [uh-LEELZ]
43.
This ancient Greek alliance was headquartered at the birthplace of Apollo and Artemis. When
Pericles moved its treasury to Athens, the Peloponnesian War broke out, and the institution
dissolved when the war ended. What was this confederation of Greek city-states that formed in 477
BC to fight the Persians?
(THE) DELIAN LEAGUE
44.
This composer employed the first use of the trombone glissando in his symphonic poem, Pelleas und
Melisande. After becoming a naturalized American citizen in 1947, he received the Award of Merit
for Distinguished Achievements. Who was this Austrian-born American proponent of the twelve-tone
technique often called dodecaphony?
(ARNOLD) SCHOENBERG
45.
This punctuation mark is used in compound sentences that contain commas. It also separates
elements in a series when the elements contain commas. What punctuation mark is used to join two
independent clauses when no coordinating conjunction is used?
SEMICOLON
46.
Patterns could be the word that describes this element of music. Different notes of differing lengths
are combined to create this musical element. What is this term for the beat of a musical
composition?
RHYTHM
47.
Rosacea [rose-AY-she-uh], an affliction that causes the face to be red in color, is caused when these
swell beneath the skin. From the Latin for "hair", these tubes carry blood deep into tissues. Give the
name of these blood vessels that connect arteries to veins.
CAPILLARIES [CAP-pill-air-eez)
48.
Spell the word in the following sentence that can be a synonym for "strange." The curious
experience changed her life forever.
C-U-R-I-O-U-S
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49.
The number of calories you consume eating popcorn chicken is directly related to the number of
pieces of chicken you have eaten. 12 pieces of popcorn chicken have 170 calories. How many
calories will be in 18 pieces of chicken?
255 (CALORIES)
50.
This type of climate is found in the arctic and antarctic regions of the globe. It is distinguished by
hindered tree growth and short growing seasons. Which biome is known for its permafrost?
TUNDRA
51.
An example of this French phrase would be to belch loudly during a funeral service. The phrase
refers to any embarrassing act or speech during a social occasion. What French phrase literally
means "false step"?
FAUX PAS [foh PAH]
52.
In 1912, it became the 48th state to enter into the Union, and it is currently the youngest of the
contiguous states. Two of its main geographic attractions include the Barringer Meteor Crater and
the Petrified Forest National Park. What is this state, whose capital is Phoenix?
ARIZONA
53.
These types of paintings were introduced in the Baroque era. These paintings created movement
through the use of strong light and shadows. What type of paintings show movement?
ACTION
54.
This type of energy can be subdivided into other types. For example, the elastic subtype of this
energy can be exemplified by a compressed spring, while the gravitational subtype can be shown by
a ball on a table top. Give this type of energy, which is stored and ready to be released.
POTENTIAL (ENERGY)
55.
What is the simplified radical form of the cube root of 54?
3 CUBE ROOT OF 2
56.
Although there are many musical variations, this is probably one of the most famous. Bach
supposedly composed this work for the companion of Count Keyserlingk. What was this work for
harpsichord published by Bach in 1741 under the title Clavierubung?
GOLDBERG VARIATIONS
57.
One of the more common examples of this part of speech is the exclamation "Ouch!" Identify the
part of speech that has no grammatical relation to the rest of the sentence.
INTERJECTION
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58.
Some records suggest this practice began during the Song dynasty, with a dancer named Yao Niang
[YOW NEE-ANG]. Nearly all upper-class women did it in the nineteenth century. The process was
banned in 1912, although many women did it secretly. By what beautification process did women of
“lotus feet ancestry” try to achieve the smallest foot possible?
FOOT BINDING
59.
State your answer in descending order. What is the sum when you add the following polynomials: 5
X squared plus 8 X minus 7, added to: 4 X cubed minus 8 X squared plus 9.
4 X CUBED MINUS 3 X SQUARED PLUS 8X PLUS 2
60.
This behavioral method is often attempted when there are multiple possibilities that could solve a
problem, and many are used to see which is best. It is a manner of experimentation in which one
tries many times and usually makes many mistakes. What is this three-word process called?
TRIAL AND ERROR
61.
"Manufacture," "mandate," and "manual" all contain a Latin root with this meaning. What is the
meaning of this Latin root, which is also used in the Spanish phrase, "mano a mano"?
HAND
62.
Cryogenics, the science of extremely low temperatures, is actually a sub-branch of this science. The
four laws of this define temperature, energy and entropy, and describe how they behave under
various circumstances. What is thee 14-letter word for the science that deals with the relationship
between heat, work, temperature & energy?
THERMODYNAMICS
63.
If a line goes through the points (4, -7) and (8, 9), what is the slope of the line?
4
64.
This architect was famous for his use of rectangular space. The buildings he designed include
undivided interiors that are almost indistinguishable from one another. Who is this architect of the
Seagram Building in New York?
(LUDWIG) MIES VAN DER ROHE
65.
This kind of map is used to show differences in elevation. It uses contour lines which connect
locations with the same elevation. Identify the type of map that uses relief to show natural and
man-made features.
TOPOGRAPHIC (MAP) or TOP MAP
66.
In July 2012 it signed the Geneva Conventions, solidifying its stature as a legitimate world nation. A
member of both the African Union and the United Nations, it gained independence in 2011 after a
referendum. What nation, with its capital at Juba [JOO-buh], signed the Comprehensive Peace
Agreement in 2005 that ended a decades-long civil war?
(REPUBLIC OF) SOUTH SUDAN
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67.
Shakespeare used this literary device when he had the third witch proclaim, "All hail, Macbeth, thou
shalt be king hereafter!" What literary technique hints at what will happen later in the narrative?
FORESHADOWING (Accept other forms of the word)
68.
This answer consists of a single letter. It is the chemical symbol for element number 19, and those
that don't get enough of it suffer from Hypokalemia [hype-oh-kay-LEE-me-uh]. Plentiful in bananas,
what is the symbol for the element potassium?
K
69.
This art media entered the art scene with the advent of the computer. It may be electronic,
interactive, or virtual. What is this art media in which artists use various software products to create
and/or modify artworks?
DIGITAL (ART)
70.
What is the Y intercept of the quadratic function G of X equals quantity, X minus 8, close quantity,
squared, plus 4 ?
(Y = ) 68 (0, 68)
71.
During the American Revolution, this commander gained fame by using mere infantry to take British
fortifications at Stony Point, New York. In the Indian Wars, he negotiated the Treaty of Greenville,
and won the Battle of Fallen Timbers. Who was this American general whose hot temper earned him
his nickname?
(MAD ANTHONY) WAYNE
72.
In this novel, Hank Morgan travels from eighteenth-century America to sixth-century Britain. At
Camelot, he uses gunpowder to blow up Merlin's tower and introduces telephone wires and schools.
What is this satirical Mark Twain novel?
(A) CONNECTICUT YANKEE IN KING ARTHUR'S COURT
73.
Multiple answer required. What are the prime numbers that occur between 80 and 90?
83 AND 89
74.
This choreographer is perhaps more famous for her singing career. Her choreography skills were
first discovered by the Jacksons and she choreographed their video Torture. Who is this
choreographer of Tom Hanks' keyboard dance in Big and the touchdown dance in Jerry Maguire?
(PAULA) ABDUL
75.
This type of reproduction includes binary fission and budding. In what type of reproduction is the
new organism genetically identical to the single parent?
ASEXUAL (REPRODUCTION)
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76.
As a teenager, he secretly wrote the Silence Dogood letters for the Pennsylvania Gazette, often
lampooning popular culture. He later went on to write such works as The Way to Wealth and Poor
Richard's Almanack. Name this 18th century Pennsylvania statesman.
(BENJAMIN) FRANKLIN
77.
He informs Alice that everyone in Wonderland is mad, including herself. When the king orders his
beheading, no one can figure out how to achieve it, since he turns himself into a floating head.
Identify this feline, who can fade to nothing but a grin.
(THE) CHESHIRE CAT
78.
Putnam Valley Middle School is the setting for this scholastically-based musical. "My Friend the
Dictionary" in this musical is about a type of academic competition. Identify this musical where the
contestants can question a word's pronunciation and meaning.
(THE) 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE
79.
Suppose you are walking along a number line. From your starting position, you walk 5 units to the
right and then you walk 7 units to the left. If you end at a position of 14, at what position did you
begin?
16
80.
This essential vitamin builds strong bones and teeth. It is required for the absorption of calcium and
phosphorus in the body. Identify this vitamin that comes from milk, eggs, and sunlight.
(VITAMIN) D
End of Second Half – Begin Three-Minute Inquiry Period
2013-14 Governor’s Cup Practice Questions – Middle Grades Round 9 - Page 10
Extra Questions
SS-1
At this battle, Braxton Bragg defeated the Union forces of Don Carlos Buell. Bragg was forced to
retreat and the Confederate invasion of Kentucky ended. Name this Civil War battle fought on
October 8, 1862, in Boyle County.
(BATTLE OF) PERRYVILLE
H-2
He is the subject of a 2013 YALSA Nonfiction Finalist book. Karen Blumenthal dubbed him The Man
Who Thought Different because he founded the company that produced the Mac, iPod, and iPhone.
Name this late entrepreneur, the founder and CEO of Apple.
(STEVE) JOBS
M-3
In the SI system, the prefix milli- corresponds to ten to the negative third power. What does the
prefix micro- correspond to?
TEN TO THE NEGATIVE SIXTH (POWER)
LA-4
In this dramatic form, the scenes and acts of the play are tightly linked. Identify this form that some
plays take in which the acts are logically built on one another, finally leading to a clear resolution of
the play.
CLOSED STRUCTURE (FORM)
SC-5
These biological agents are not made of cells, and are much smaller than the smallest bacteria.
They cause influenza and the common cold. Identify these nonliving particles that cause disease.
VIRUSES
2013-14 Governor’s Cup Practice Questions – Middle Grades Round 9 - Page 11