MACC English Questions
Please Read Aloud: All of the questions in this match are 5-second questions.
This is the first directed question for team A.
1A.
From what work by what author is the following quote: “After all the highways, and the
trains, and the appointments, and the years, you end up worth more dead than alive”?
Begin (Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller)
This is the first directed question for team B.
1B.
In the novella, The Pearl, the best and happiest pearl buyer was one who did what? Begin
(bought for the lowest prices)
This is the second directed question for team A.
2A.
In the play, Sorry Wrong Number, how long has Mrs. Stevenson been ill? Begin (12 years)
This is the second directed question for team B.
2B.
In an excerpt from the nonfiction selection, Into Thin Air, which climber, left for dead,
stumbled into camp with a frozen right hand? Begin (Beck Weathers)
This is the third directed question for team A.
3A.
In the novella, The Pearl, Juana dressed Coyotito in what clothes when they went to sell the
pearl? Begin (the ones she had saved for his baptism)
This is the third directed question for team B.
3B.
In the short story, Through the Tunnel, what two things was Jerry determined not to be?
Begin (both must be given – possessive and lacking in devotion)
This is the fourth directed question for team A.
4A.
In the novel, The Secret Life of Bees, T. Ray’s favorite form of punishment when Lily had
done something wrong was the “Martha Whites.” How was Lily punished with them?
Begin (he made her kneel in piles of Martha White grits)
This is the fourth directed question for team B.
4B.
What literary term describes an event, a person or an object out of time or chronological
order such as the use of a clock in Julius Caesar? Begin (anachronism)
This is the fifth directed question for team A.
5A.
In the short story, Through the Tunnel, what did Jerry ask his mother to get for him after
he discovered the boys diving? Begin (swim goggles)
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This is the fifth directed question for team B.
5B.
In the novel, St. Dale by Sharyn McCrumb, who did Justine think fixed her car when she
was stranded on a dark country road? Begin (Dale or Dale Earnhardt)
This is the sixth directed question for team A.
6A.
In the novel, St. Dale by Sharyn McCrumb, who was the tour guide on the first Dale
Earnhardt Memorial Pilgrimage bus tour? Begin (Harley Claymore)
This is the sixth directed question for team B.
6B.
In the poem, Casey At The Bat by Ernest Thayer, what two players struck out before Casey
came to bat in the bottom of the ninth inning? Begin (Cooney and Barrows)
This is the seventh directed question for team A.
7A.
What literary term describes when the writer addresses someone or something not present
or non-human such as “Death, be not Proud”? Begin (apostrophe)
This is the seventh directed question for team B.
7B.
In the play, Sorry Wrong Number, what is Mrs. Stevenson’s maid’s name? Begin (Eloise)
This is the eighth directed question for team A.
8A.
In the poem, Casey At The Bat by Ernest Thayer, which of Casey’s teammates was on
second base? Begin (Blake or Jimmy Blake)
This is the eighth directed question for team B.
8B.
In the novel, The Secret Life of Bees, how did Lily’s mother die? Begin (She dropped a gun
and Lily picked it up and it went off and killed her)
This is the ninth directed question for team A.
9A.
In the poem, Oranges by Gary Soto, how old was the boy when he first walked with a girl?
Begin (12)
This is the ninth directed question for team B.
9B.
In the poem, Oranges by Gary Soto, what did the author say weighted the boy down? Begin
(2 oranges in his pocket)
This is the tenth and final directed question for team A.
10A.
In an excerpt from the nonfiction selection, Into Thin Air, Krakauer says that climbers, as a
species, are not distinguished by an excess amount of what? Begin (common sense)
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This is the tenth and final directed question for team B.
10B.
In the play, Death of A Salesman, who does Biff plan to ask for a loan to buy a ranch out
west? Begin (Bill Oliver)
That ends the portion of the match with directed questions. Coaches, if you have any team
member substitutions, please send those team members to the stage at this time. (Note:
Allow time for substitutes to be seated, introduce substitute team members.)
No form of conferring is allowed during the tossup portion of the match. Conferring includes
sharing of written or verbal information or signals. Please remove all written material
from you team tables. Writing is not permitted during tossup rounds, except in the math
round.
We will now have ten tossup questions. Remember, the person who buzzes in must give the
answer immediately. Please wait until I recognize the team before you give an answer. The
penalty for buzzing in early and giving a wrong answer is minus 2 points, and the question
will then be reread in its entirety to the other team.
This is the first tossup question.
1.
From what work by what author is the following quote: “This is the last thing I remember
with perfect crispness-her breath floating down on me like a tiny parachute.”? Begin (The
Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd)
This is the second tossup question.
2.
In the play, Death Knocks by Woody Allen, describe the attire of the intruder that comes
through Nat Ackerman’s window at the beginning of the play? Begin (skin tight black
clothes, a hood, and a cape)
This is the third tossup question.
3.
In the short story, Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment by Nathaniel Hawthorne, what was the
greatest misfortune of Dr. Heidegger’s guests? Begin (That they weren’t long ago in their
graves or that they were still alive)
This is the fourth tossup question.
4.
From what work by what author is the following quote: “(He) was tall for his age and very
thin, with high, cramped shoulders and a narrow chest. His eyes were remarkable for a
certain hysterical brilliancy and he continually used them in a conscious, theatrical sort of
way, peculiarly offensive in a boy.”? Begin (Paul’s Case by Willa Cather)
This is the fifth tossup question.
5.
From what work by what author is the following quote: “We are better than we think and
not quite what we want to be. We are alive to the imaginations and the possibilities. We will
continue to invent the future through our blood and tears and through all our sadness.”?
Begin (Convocation Address by Nikki Giovanni)
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This is the sixth tossup question.
6.
From what work by what author is the following quote: “Be thou a bright flame before
me. Be thou a guiding star above me. Be thou a smooth path below me. And be ever a
kindly shepherd beside me. Today, Tomorrow and Forever.”? Begin (St. Dale by Sharyn
McCrumb)
This is the seventh tossup question.
7.
In the nonfiction selection, Coming of Age in Mississippi by Anne Moody, who did Anne say
it would be if she heard on the news that someone in Centreville had been murdered? Begin
(a member of her family)
This is the eighth tossup question.
8.
From what work by what author is the following quote: “The maid shows herself a
passionate child of passionate sire, and knows not how to bend before troubles.”? Begin
(Antigone by Sophocles)
This is the ninth tossup question.
9.
In the nonfiction selection, Appalachian Values, what three values that mountain people
have is connected with the story of the old woman who was snowed in and the Red Cross?
Begin ( Individualism, Self Reliance and Pride)
This is the tenth and final tossup question.
(Emcee note – if match is tied after this question go to the three tie breakers at the end of these
questions – use all three, even if tie is broken on first or second question!)
10.
From what work by what author is the following quote:
“I took my girl's hand
In mine for two blocks,
Then released it to let
Her unwrap the chocolate” ? Begin (Oranges by Gary Soto)
(SWAC Emcees only – Ask if there are any appeals)
EMERGENCY QUESTIONS (To be used in an emergency only –DO NOT USE AS EXTRA TIE
BREAKERS – but they can be used in place of tie breakers as they would be used if a
question has a mistake, if the emcee “flubs” a question, etc.):
You have 5 seconds to answer this question.
1.
From what work by what author is the following quote: “Till I actually saw him laid out in
his brown shroud with the rosary beads entwined between his waxy fingers I did not take
the report of his death seriously.”? Begin (The Drunkard by Frank O’Connor)
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You have 5 seconds to answer this question.
2.
In the short story, The Good Deed, why was Mrs. Pan in danger in China? Begin (she was
the widow of a large landowner)
TIE BREAKERS(To be used in cases of tie games – use all three questions, even if the tie is
broken with the first or second question; in case teams are still tied at the end of these
three questions – the game remains a tie.):
This is the first tiebreaker question.
1.
In the short story, No Talent Kid by Kurt Vonnegut, what sign of recognition did the
members of the A Band receive at Lincoln? Begin (letter sweaters)
This is the second tiebreaker question.
2.
What literary term describes the statement; How now brown cow? Begin (assonance)
This is the third tiebreaker question.
3.
What part of speech is the gerund in the following sentence used?: “They do not appreciate
my singing.”? Begin (direct object)