Varsity Dec. 3 Round 13
Middle Grades – 2013-14 Governor’s Cup Practice Questions
1.
His nomination as vice president was dubbed the "Second Missouri Compromise." As president, he
saw the completion of the Manhattan Project, the forming of the United Nations, and the
implementation of the Marshall Plan. Who succeeded Franklin Roosevelt as the 33rd president?
(HARRY S.) TRUMAN
2.
The following numbers were grades on a quiz: 20, 18, 15, 18, 17, 19, 20, 14, 17, 18, and 16. What
is the median of the data set?
18
3.
This chemist's interest in explosives stems from his father's manufacturing of explosive mines. His
first major discovery came with the creation of a blasting cap of black powder. What Swedish
chemist invented dynamite, and established the annual prestigious awards that bear his name?
(ALFRED) NOBEL
4.
This play is billed as "the unauthorized Harry experience." It is a parody of J.K. Rowling's seven
books in a mere seventy minutes. What is this two-man show about Harry Potter's escapades?
POTTED POTTER
5.
When added to an adjective, this two-letter suffix often gives it the meaning of "in a certain way."
What two-letter suffix is used in English to turn adjectives into adverbs?
-LY
6.
She played softball and tennis, and was a gymnast while attending an all girls' high school. The
mother of twins, she is the voice of Shira in Ice Age: Continental Drift, and a judge on American
Idol. Who was once known as "Jenny from the block"?
(JENNIFER) LOPEZ (ACCEPT: J LO)
7.
This economic system is often implemented in countries whose name contains "People's Republic."
Often associated with Communism, theorists studying it include Mao Zedong, Vladimir Lenin, and
Karl Marx. Identify this economic system focusing on public ownership of the means of production.
SOCIALISM
8.
This fabled location's name means "the gilded place." Sixteenth-century Spanish explorers searched
for its treasures throughout South America. Give the name of this "city of gold."
EL DORADO
9.
This inventor created the first motion picture camera. He is one of the most prolific inventors in
history, holding 1,093 patents alone or jointly. Name the "Wizard of Menlo Park" who invented the
light bulb.
(THOMAS) EDISON
2013-14 Governor’s Cup Practice Questions – Middle Grades Round 13 - Page 1
10.
Triangle ABC is similar to triangle DEF. If AB has a length of 3 units and BC has a length of 8 units,
find the length of DE, in units, if EF has a length of 24 units.
9 (UNITS)
11.
A cone has a base with a radius of 4 inches and a volume of 160 pi cubic inches. What is the height
in inches of the cone?
30 (INCHES)
12.
Damon Runyon's two short stories comprise the basis for this Broadway musical. "Luck Be a Lady"
seems to be the theme of this musical set on the streets of New York. What is this musical about
Nathan Detroit and his gambling antics?
GUYS AND DOLLS
13.
The main conflict of Steven Spielberg's 2012 film "Lincoln" centered around the President's
desperate attempts to get this passed. It was finally made law by Congress in 1865, just months
after the Civil War had ended. Name this Constitutional amendment, which abolished slavery.
THIRTEENTH (13TH) AMENDMENT
14.
This character opens the story by saying that Fortunato [for-choo-NAH-to] has grievously insulted
him. He exacts revenge by walling his enemy in an underground crypt. Who is this narrator of Edgar
Allan Poe's "The Cask of Amontillado"?
MONTRESOR [mahn-TREE-zur]
15.
This organ system acts as a scaffold by providing support and protection for the soft tissues of the
body. Each member of this system is a complex organ made up of cells, protein fibers, and
minerals. What organ system includes all of the bones and joints in the body?
SKELETAL (SYSTEM)
16.
A circle is inscribed inside of a square. The square has a side of length 10 units. What is the
circumference of the circle, in terms of pi units?
10 PI (UNITS)
17.
This bacterial genus has a flagellum [fluh-JEL-uhm] on both ends. These bacteria use their flagella
[fluh-JEL-uh] to move in a corkscrew motion. Identify the term for spiral-shaped bacteria.
SPIRILLUM [spy-RIL-um] (Accept: SPIRILLA, SPIROCHETE [SPY-ruh-keet])
18.
This character is married to Elizabeth, but has an affair with Abigail Williams. He goes to the gallows
after confessing his adultery, but refuses to sign a false confession of witchcraft. Who is this
protagonist of Arthur Miller's The Crucible?
(JOHN) PROCTOR
2013-14 Governor’s Cup Practice Questions – Middle Grades Round 13 - Page 2
19.
This production term can be used in both lighting and sound directions. Technically, however, it is
an optical effect. What is this optical effect in which the image on the screen is gradually replaced
by a uniform dark area?
FADE (Accept word forms)
20.
This skirmish began when the CSS Virginia sank two Union ships and went for a third. However, the
Virginia, also known as the Merrimack, was soon stopped by the USS Monitor. Give this battle, the
first between ironclads, fought on March 8 and 9, 1862.
(BATTLE OF) HAMPTON ROADS
21.
According to Greek mythology, the plumage of a bird is decorated with the eyes from this giant.
This giant was chosen by Hera to guard Io because he had 100 eyes. Identify this giant whom
Hermes killed and Hera placed his eyes in the peacock's tail feathers.
ARGUS
22.
This general had a brother who served as an Admiral during the American Revolution. Though he
captured Bunker Hill, New York, and Philadelphia, the defeats at Saratoga forced his resignation.
Name the British commander-in-chief in North America from 1775 to 1778.
(WILLIAM) HOWE
23.
This plant structure includes the stigma that collects pollen grains. It also includes an ovary and a
style, which is a stalk that arises from the ovary. Name the female reproductive part of a flower.
PISTIL
24.
This poem's speaker laments, "O heart! heart! heart! / O the bleeding drops of red." Although "The
ship is anchor'd safe and sound, its voyage closed and done," the speaker's "father does not feel my
arm, he has no pulse nor will." Give the title of this elegy to Abraham Lincoln, written by Walt
Whitman.
"O CAPTAIN! MY CAPTAIN!"
25.
What is the measure in degrees of an exterior angle of a regular hexagon?
60 (DEGREES)
26.
A dancer's vertical distance from the floor may be measured in one of these three levels. What is
the lowest level of a dancer's movement?
LOW AND DEEP
27.
The success of this satellite began the era we called the Space Age. Despite limited usability and
value, it served as a sign of technological superiority by the Soviets. Launched in 1957, what was
this first man-made satellite to orbit Earth?
SPUTNIK
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28.
This largest federally-recognized tribe were employed by the military as code-talkers during World
War II. Found in the Southwestern United States, they often traded with the Pueblo people. Name
this Native American nation, indigenous to the Four Corners region.
NAVAJO
29.
This look at the Eighteenth Amendment is subtitled Murder, Moonshine, and the Lawless Years of
Prohibition. In 2012, it was a finalist for the YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Award. Name this Karen
Blumenthal book, whose title refers to illegally made and sold alcohol.
BOOTLEG
30.
Using the approximation that there are 2.5 centimeters in one inch, then how many centimeters are
in a foot?
30 (CENTIMETERS)
31.
A high school claims they have a 94% graduation rate. If there were 200 seniors in the class, then
according to this statistic, how many should graduate?
188
32.
This field deals with breeding, rearing, and harvesting water plants and animals. Although it is
mainly for food consumption, other uses are being developed. What type of farming has seen
continuous growth over the past several decades?
AQUACULTURE
33.
This Latin percussion instrument is made from a gourd. Grooves are cut into the gourd with large
holes in the bottom. What is this instrument that is played by rhythmically scraping the grooves?
GUIRO
34.
This military leader was born in 1162 as Temujin [TEM-oo-jin], but his adopted name means
"Universal Ruler." He united several nomadic tribes to create an empire that stretched from China's
Pacific coast to the Adriatic Sea. Name this creator of the largest contiguous empire in history, the
Mongol Empire.
GENGHIS KHAN
35.
This novel's heroine is a sixteen-year-old orphan who farms her uncle's homestead near Vida,
Montana. She befriends the Muellers, despite the pressure to be a "loyal" American who despises
Germans. What is this Newbery Honor Book by Kirby Larson?
HATTIE BIG SKY
36.
In this first novel in the Avonlea series, Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert adopt a red-headed orphan
girl. The girl befriends Diana Barry, has a rivalry with Gilbert Blythe, and eventually earns a teaching
certificate. What is this L. M. Montgomery novel about Anne Shirley?
ANNE OF GREEN GABLES
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37.
Plants, and in some cases fungi, usually exhibit this response to the sun. It can be positive or
negative, depending on whether the plant grows towards or away from light, respectively. A 12letter word, what is the tendency for plants to grow towards a light source?
PHOTOTROPISM
38.
This empire arose at Gao about A.D. 1000, and was taken over by Mali about 1335. Its wealth and
power were based on the Niger River, and it regained its independence under Sonni Ali in the
1460s. Identify the largest of the ancient African empires, whose greatest leader is considered to
have been Muhammad the First Askia.
SONGHAI
39.
This musical era lasted for approximately seventy years, between 1750 and 1820. This era
emphasized clarity and the utilization of clarinets, flutes, and oboes in the orchestra. What is this
musical era dominated by Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven?
CLASSICAL
40.
When playing a game, your team starts with 50 points, but then loses 500 points. You then gain 325
points back. What is your final score?
NEGATIVE 125
End of First Half – Begin Three-Minute Inquiry Period
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Round 13 - Second Half
Middle Grades – 2013-14 Governor’s Cup Practice Questions
41.
Consider the sequence 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, and 34. What is the first element of the sequence
that is larger than 100?
144
42.
This landlocked country is bordered by the Jura Mountains and the Alps. Its political subdivisions are
called cantons. Which country has its capital at Bern and is known for being politically neutral?
SWITZERLAND
43.
This novel's heroes include an abused girl, a rat who loves light, and an unusually small, large-eared
mouse. Miggery Sow, Chiaroscuro [kee-ahr-uh-SKYOOR-oh], and the title character all long to
interact with Princess Pea. Identify this Newbery Medal winner by Kate DiCamillo [dee-kuh-MILLoh].
(THE) TALE OF DESPEREAUX
44.
This style of architecture was described by its inventor as "building the way nature does." This
architectural style included free-flowing space and a blending with nature. What was the style of
architecture with a name that sounds like a type of carbon-based chemistry?
ORGANIC (ARCHITECTURE)
45.
When shopping for these items on amazon.com, they can be found in the category of passive
components, within the industrial electrical department. It operates somewhat like a battery, but it
cannot create an electrical charge; It simply collects and stores one. Identify the component
consisting of one or more pairs of conductors separated by an insulator.
CAPACITOR
46.
His law says equal volumes of gases have equal numbers of molecules. His number is the count of
molecules in 1 gram mole of any substance. Name the Italian scientist that contributed this law and
this constant to molecular chemistry.
(AMEDEO) AVOGADRO
47.
Name and number required. He was named lord protector of England after the death of Edward the
Fourth. During the War of the Roses, he led the forces of the House of York, but was defeated at
the Battle of Bosworth Field, and was the last English king to die battle. What king's remains were
discovered in 2012 underneath a car park in Leicester [LES-ter], England?
RICHARD (THE) THIRD
48.
This author contrasted American and European views in Daisy Miller and Portrait of a Lady. In one
of his novels, Flora and Miles see the ghosts of their former governess and valet, Miss Jessel and
Peter Quint. Name the American author of The Turn of the Screw.
(HENRY) JAMES
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49.
This purpose for the completion of an artwork is one of the most formal purposes. In some
instances it may involve tattooing for spiritual representation. What is this art purpose that might be
used to honor the participants in a wedding or the deceased in a funeral?
CEREMONIAL
50.
When multiplying 35 and 47, what is the digit that will be in the tens place in the product?
4
51.
Nicknamed the "Professor," he taught geography and history at West Georgia University before
turning to politics. Elected to the House of Representatives from Georgia in 1978, he served from
1979 until resigning his seat in 1999. Who became speaker of the House in 1994 on the strength of
his Contract with America, and had an unsuccessful bid for the Republican presidential nomination in
2012?
(NEWTON LEROY "NEWT") GINGRICH (Accept: (NEWTON LEROY "NEWT") MACPHERSON)
52.
This inventor's mother was deaf, and his father taught deaf people how to speak properly. After
moving to the United States, he taught schools for deaf students in Massachusetts and Connecticut.
Identify this Scottish-born American audiologist best known as the inventor of the telephone.
(ALEXANDER GRAHAM) BELL
53.
This literary term refers to an object or place that has a meaning other than its literal meaning. For
example, a writer might use Uncle Sam to represent the United States. Identify this term that stands
for or represents something else.
SYMBOL
54.
This undocumented Latina faced barriers to her dream of attending college. She is the president of
the Arizona Dream Act Coalition and promotes citizenship for undocumented immigrants. Who is this
young woman who claimed that "We are Americans, and Americans don't give up"?
(DULCE) MATUZ
55.
What is the maximum Y value of the function Y equals 8X minus X squared ?
16
56.
Examples of this French phrase include Dr. Seuss and Mark Twain. Another would be O. Henry,
whose real name was William Sydney Porter. Identify the three-word French phrase for a pen name.
NOM DE PLUME
57.
Given the function F of X equals the square root of the quantity, X plus 4, close quantity, minus 5,
what is the y-intercept of the function?
-3 (ACCEPT: (0, -3))
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58.
This category of sounds are so low in frequency that human ears cannot detect them. Scientific
instruments that are able to detect them are used to find earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Used
by elephants to communicate with one another, what is range of sounds is below 20 Hertz?
INFRASONIC
59.
This expressionist artist's unconventional methods make restoration of his artworks difficult.
Although he preferred working on the floor, he would fling paint at the nearly completed work while
it hung on the wall. Who is this artist, sometimes called "the dripper"?
(JACKSON) POLLOCK
60.
This state's namesake and most famous city is actually not its capital. Its geographical diversity
includes features from the Appalachian Mountain chain to flat coastal plains where the Hudson River
empties into the Atlantic. Name this state, whose capital is Albany.
NEW YORK
61.
A boat traveling downstream can travel 20 miles in 4 hours. The same boat traveling upstream will
take 4 hours to travel 4 miles. What is the speed of the current in miles per hour?
2 (MILES PER HOUR)
62.
These directions are found at 45°, 135°, 225°, and 315°. They are found in between the four major
compass directions. What kind of directions are northeast and southwest?
INTERMEDIATE (DIRECTIONS) (Accept: ORDINAL)
63.
This four-letter Latin root combines with "fungi-" when speaking of a substance used for destroying
fungi. Identify the four-letter root form that follows "homi-" when talking of a person, and "sui-"
when speaking of oneself.
-CIDE Accept: C-I-D-E
64.
This musical texture is also called polyphonic. It was the characteristic texture of Renaissance music.
What is this musical texture in which multiple voices are independent from each other?
COUNTERPOINT
65.
This organelle is bounded by a double membrane, the inner of which contains folds called cristae
[CRIS-stay]. Located in the cytoplasm [SITE-oh-plaz-um], they are the sites of cellular respiration.
Identify the part of a cell that generates fuel for the cell's activities.
MITOCHONDRIA [mite-oh-CON-dree-uh] (Accept: MITOCHONDRION [mite-oh-CON-dree-uhn])
66.
Astronomy uses this five-letter Latin word for a light-colored highland area on a moon or planet. The
word is often found before another Latin word, "incognita," on old maps. What Latin root meaning
"land" is used in the word for the place you might keep your pet terrapin?
TERRA
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67.
DNA is made up of pairs of nucleotide [NUKE-lee-oh-tide] bases. Adenine [ADD-in-een]pairs with
Thymine [THIGH-mean], while Guanine [GWAN-een] pairs with this nucleotide base. Starting with
the letter "C", what is the fourth base found in the "rungs" of the DNA ladder structure?
CYTOSINE [SITE-oh-seen]
68.
Given the function H of T, H is the vertical height, in feet, of a ball being thrown straight into the air,
where T is measured in seconds. The equation to model this situation could be H of T equals
negative 16 T squared plus 32T. What is the height in f
16 (FEET)
69.
Leonard Bernstein composed the film soundtrack for this 1954 movie. The movie, directed by Elia
Kazan, starred Marlon Brando as Terry Malloy. What is this movie about an ex-prize fighter who, as
a longshoreman, stands up to his corrupt union bosses?
ON THE WATERFRONT
70.
This political term now names any uneasy peace forced upon a defeated nation by a stronger one.
It originally referred to the historical period between the rules of Augustus Caesar and Marcus
Aurelius [uh-REEL-ee-us]. Identify this period of comparative tranquility throughout the
Mediterranean.
PAX ROMANA (Accept: PAX AUGUSTA)
71.
In September of 2013, Neil Young decried the extraction of oil from these, found in Canada's boreal
forests. Although the amount of oil that could be extracted from them is high, it would also produce
an inordinate amount of greenhouse gases. What are these areas of desert-like material that are
thick and dense with crude oil?
TAR SANDS
72.
These fictional cities were first reported by Spanish explorer Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca [AHL-vahr
NOO-nyes kah-VE-thah the VAH-kah]. Francisco Coronado searched the southwest U. S. for them,
but only found Native American settlements. Give the name for these seven cities of wealth coveted
by Spanish conquistadors [kon-KEES-tuh-doorz].
CIBOLA [SEE-buh-luh]
73.
This six-letter word means you cannot be seized. It sometimes refers to a facility where sick people,
especially the insane, are treated. What word also means refuge in politics, and is what Edward
Snowden asked Russia to give him after he released information about the National Security
Agency?
ASYLUM
74.
What is the sum when you add 1 over X to 1 over Y?
(QUANTITY) X PLUS Y (CLOSE QUANTITY) OVER (QUANTITY) XY (ACCEPT: (QUANTITY) X PLUS Y
(CLOSE QUANTITY) DIVIDED BY (QUANTITY) XY)
2013-14 Governor’s Cup Practice Questions – Middle Grades Round 13 - Page 9
75.
What term refers to songs that express the pride and hope of the American public in its country?
PATRIOTIC (SONGS)
76.
Multiple answer required. Identify the words in the following sentence that should capitalized: "The
Stephen Foster Story" is performed each summer in Bardstown, Kentucky.
THE, STEPHEN, FOSTER, STORY, BARDSTOWN, KENTUCKY
77.
Solve the inequality: 4X minus the quantity, 3X plus 2, is less than or equal to 8.
X IS LESS THAN OR EQUAL TO 10
78.
This king helped to standardize ballet as an art. He was an accomplished dancer and performed in
many ballets himself. Identify this French king, known as the Sun King.
(KING) LOUIS XIV
79.
This medical term means "addition, application, attachment" in Greek. Some people include
eyeglasses and hearing aids under this term, but most people associate it with amputees. Identify
the term for an artificial device that replaces a missing body part.
PROSTHESIS (Accept other forms of the word)
80.
This person's birth was documented by John White, her grandfather, before he left for England.
When he returned, she, her parents Ananias and Eleanor, and the entire colony of Roanoke had
disappeared. Identify the first person of English descent born in the modern day United States.
(VIRGINIA) DARE
End of Second Half – Begin Three-Minute Inquiry Period
2013-14 Governor’s Cup Practice Questions – Middle Grades Round 13 - Page 10
Extra Questions
LA-1
Identify the infinitive phrase in the following sentence: Caroline's ambition is to become a novelist.
TO BECOME A NOVELIST
SS-2
The aftermath of this war saw controversy over Texas' classification as a free or slave state. It was
ended with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Identify this conflict, which featured a battle at the
Alamo.
MEXICAN-AMERICAN WAR ACCEPT: U.S.-MEXICAN WAR
SC-3
This order of mammals is the smallest, having only five species. Members have mammary glands,
but the young nurse by licking up the milk that seeps through the skin surrounding the glands.
Name this group of egg-laying mammals whose only surviving members are the platypus and four
species of echidnas [ih-KID-nuhs].
MONOTREMES [MON-uh-treems] (Accept: MONOTREMATA [mahn-uh-TREM-ut-uh])
H-4
Two answers please. This couple is considered the first parents of Greek mythology. Who were
these parents that gave birth to monsters, Cyclopes, and the Titans?
GAEA; URANUS
M-5
When making a sandwich, there are 5 choices of breads, 3 choices of meat, and 8 choices of
vegetables. If you choose one of each, how many different sandwiches can you make?
120
2013-14 Governor’s Cup Practice Questions – Middle Grades Round 13 - Page 11