Northern Kentucky Academic League
JV – Packet 11
-First Half1. This man currently holds a post as Rector of the University of Glasgow, a position to which he was elected,
despite not living in Scotland. He is best known as a whistleblower that released government documents to
journalists while fleeing the United States in Hong Kong. Who is this former systems administrator for the CIA that
has been living in asylum in Russia?
(Edward) Snowden
2. The denotation of words is at the heart of this study of language. What is this branch of linguistics that covers
the human understand and definitions of words?
Semantics
3. This alkaline earth metal is rare in the universe despite being a relatively low mass element in period two on the
periodic table of elements. It is used in many aircraft components due to its ability to resist temperature changes
and low density. What is this chemical element with atomic number four and chemical symbol “B”-“e”?
Berrylium
4. This early Flemish painter created the Ghent Altarpiece from his brother, Hubert’s design during the early part of
1430s. Though only 25 of his works survive, pieces like Annunciation and Madonna of Chancellor Rolin have
cemented his place in history. Who was this painter of the iconic work known as The Arnolfini Wedding?
(Jan) van Eyck
5. Perform the scalar multiplication and addition: three multiplied by the row matrix: five, eleven plus the row
matrix: negative two, negative six.
Thirteen, Twenty-seven
6. This language of the Bantu family is now spoken by over 140 million people, though only 15 million people do so
as their first language. What is this official language of Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda that grew out of East Africa’s
Great Lakes region?
Swahili
7. This acid was once called aqua fortis and is clear in its pure form though it develops a yellow tinge over time as it
decomposes. This acid is used in the creation of TNT and other explosives. What is this strong acid that has a
chemical formula of “H”-“N”-“O”-“3”?
Nitric Acid
8. This man led the Bolivarian Revolution, a socialist movement in his home country. During his presidency,
Venezuela’s poverty rate was cut in half. Known in the United States for his defiance in the face of the American
government, who was this Venezuelan President from 1999 until his death in 2013?
(Hugo) Chavez
9. This was the site of the Elgin Marbles before they were taken to England. The architects that designed this
structure were Iktinos and Kallikrates, who built it in the 5th century BC. What is this temple to Athena that was
placed at the top of the Acropolis in Athens?
Parthenon
10. What is the length of the vector with initial point two, nine and terminal point negative three, five?
Radical Forty-One (units)
11. Along with ethos and logos, this is the third Aristotelian modes of persuasion. An example of this mode of
persuasion would be to ask a listener to put themselves in your shoes. What is this device that attempts to draw
on the listener’s empathy and emotions?
Pathos
12. This form of electromagnetic radiation was first studied by William Roentgen in 1895. Used in hospitals for the
purpose of CT scans and by airport security in viewing the contents of baggage, what is this wavelength of light
that falls between gamma rays and ultraviolet light on the electromagnet spectrum?
X-Rays
13. This architect immigrated to the United States shortly after the end of the Revolutionary War. His Charleston
County Courthouse drew the attention of George Washington who then called for this man to return north for
work in the nation’s capital. Who was this Irishman, best remembered as the winner of the design competition for
the creation of the White House in 1792?
(James) Hoban
14. In 1953, a coup d’etat led by the United States’ Central Intelligence Agency overthrew the government of this
Middle Eastern nation. A Shah, Persian for king, was installed and back by the United States until he was then
overthrown in 1978. What is this country that is currently led by Ayatollah Khamenei?
Iran
15. Find the sum of the infinite geometric series that begins four plus two-thirds plus one-ninth and so on.
Twenty-four fifths (accept: Twenty-four over five)
16. A result that stemmed from this law’s development was the realization that the ideal gas constant is the same
for all gases. What gas law states that the same number of molecules will be present in all gases that have the
same volume, temperature, and pressure?
Avogadro’s Law
17. This short story centers on the actions of Roderick a hypochondriac that has his sister entombed alive within
the family home. The narrator, who has assisted Roderick because he thinks the sister is dead, is shocked to find
her alive and as she attacks her brother, both of the siblings die. What is this short story that was published by
Edgar Allan Poe in 1839 which sees the titular home actually split in two before collapsing into the Earth?
The Fall of the House of Usher
18. It is believed that the most recognizable image of this motivational icon of 1940s was based on a photo of a
young woman named Geraldine Hoff, a machine operator during the war. Who is this iconic woman that
represented the strength of women in the workforce during World War Two?
Rosie the Riveter
19. Considered one of the great pianist of the early 20th century, this composer’s Second and Third Concertos were
quite popular as was his orchestral works, The Isle of the Dead and the Symphonic Dances. Who was this Russian
composer of Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini?
(Sergei) Rachmaninoff
20. Multiply and simplify the radical expression radical forty-eight multiplied by radical twenty-four.
Twenty-four Radical Two
21. This unit has been defined as a certain fraction of the temperature of the triple point of water and is named for
the Hungarian engineer that called for the creation of an absolute temperature scale. What is this SI unit of
temperature that is equal to the Celsius temperature minus 273.15 degrees?
Kelvin
22. This man escaped from jail twice between over twenty bank robberies that he and his gang carried out during
the 1920’s and 30’s. Cornered in a biograph theatre in Chicago, Illinois, he was shot and killed by officers that saw
him pull a gun. Who was this depression-era criminal celebrity?
(John) Dillinger
23. While having Cherokee ancestry, this author is a member of the Kiowa tribe. While another work is viewed as
his magnum opus, he followed it with the novel The Way to Rainy Mountain. Who is this Native American author
of House Made of Dawn a novel which won him the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1969?
(N. Scott) Momaday
24. This Latin dance is known in part for the tight hold by the partners and the fast dip of the female. The head
snaps are also well known moves that are performed in certain variations of this dance. What is this dance that
originated near the turn of the 20th century in the area around the Uruguay-Argentina border?
Tango (music)
25. Solve the following equation for x: the absolute value of the quantity two x minus five equals nine.
X equals seven and negative two
26. This law was developed via induction by a 17th century British scientist to explain his observations of both
astronomical bodies and the rates of falling bodies on Earth. What law states that the force of attraction between
two objects is equal to the product of the masses of the two objects multiplied by a certain constant divided by the
square of the distance between the two?
Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation
27. One of this man’s final poems, The Broken Tower, reflected upon his affair with Peggy Cowley. Shortly after he
died after jumping overboard from a steamship in the Gulf of Mexico at the age of 32. Who is this American author
of The Bridge, his poem that has been called both a series of lyrical poems and an epic poem by literary critics?
(Hart) Crane
28. Songs from this popular 1950’s musical include “I’m an Ordinary Man”, “I Could Have Danced All Night”, and
“Wouldn’t It Be Loverly?” Based on George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion, what is this Lerner and Loewe musical
about Eliza Doolittle, a flower girl that attempts to learn how to speak like a lady from Professor Henry Higgins?
My Fair Lady
29. The American Army faced a foe in this battle which included the Lakota, Cheyenne, and Arapcho. Included
within this force were Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse. What was this 1876 battle of the Great Sioux War in which
George Armstrong Custer attempted a charge that resulted in his death along with the entire offensive force?
(Battle of) Little Bighorn
30. Z varies directly with X and Y. Z equals four when X equals nine and y equals four. Find the value of z when x
equals twenty-seven and y equals eight.
(Z equals) twenty-four
31. The frequencies of this waves can be found between 300 megahertz and 300 gigahertz. The Atacama LMA uses
this form of light to see what’s behind the dust clouds of our galaxy. What is this form of electromagnetic radiation
that is found between infrared and short radio waves on the electromagnetic spectrum?
Microwaves
32. This author of The Winslow Boy had difficulty facing his own homosexuality in the face of a world that had not
yet seen the progressions of the recent decade. Over a decade from 1946 until 1954, what British dramatist
created such plays as The Browning Version, Separate Tables, and The Deep Blue Sea, a play that saw a revival in
the 1990s?
(Terence) Rattigan
33. This student of the Denishawn School of Dancing and Related Arts partnered with Charles Weidman as she
moved to New York City in 1928. The company she started with Weidman was immensely successful, even
throughout the Great Depression. She continued her choreography even after arthritis ended her dancing career.
Who was this American dancer that authored The Art of Making Dances in 1958?
(Doris) Humphrey
34. The United States gained large areas of the west with the signing of this treaty. Included in the land transfer
were Utah, Nevada, and California among other states. What was this treaty that ended the hostilities between
the United States and Mexico in 1848?
(Treaty of) Guadalupe-Hidalgo
35. What are the vertical asymptotes of the function f of x equals the quantity x plus three close quantity over the
quantity x squared plus five x plus six?
X = -2 (must include “x equals”, also, “X = -3” is a hole, not an asymptote.)
36. These gems that were first sought after in India are typically forged in the Earth’s mantle and brought to the
surface via igneous processes. Measuring a ten on the Moh’s scale, what is this allotrope of carbon within which
the atoms are arranged in a cubic crystal structure providing the resulting gem with extreme hardness and the
ability to disperse light at a high rate?
Diamond
37. This man published the short story The Dancing Girl of Izu in 1926, The Scarlet Gang of Asakura in 1930, and
Thousand Cranes a novel published in 1952. These works are among those that led to his 1968 Nobel Prize in
Literature. Who was this Osaka-born Japanese author of The Master of Go and Snow Country?
(Yasunari) Kawabata
38. This philosopher often commented on metaphysics, doing so in his works Prolegomena to any Future
Metaphysics and applying that branch of philosophy in his Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals. Who was this
late 18th century German philosopher, the author of the Critique of Pure Reason and the Critique of Judgement?
(Immanuel) Kant
39. The first European to see the Pacific Ocean did so from this Central American nation’s shores. What is this
modern country that was first explored by Vasco Nunez de Balboa?
Panama
40. Over the domain from 0 to 2 pi inclusive, what are the x-intercepts of the graph of y equals sine x cosine x?
0, pi over 2, pi, 3 pi over 2, 2 pi (accept: (0, 0), (pi over 2, 0), (pi, 0), (3 pi over 2, 0), (2 pi, 0))
-End of First Half-Second Half1. This English monarch was the fourth son of William the Conqueror and he succeeded his older brother William
the Second to the throne. Following his father and brother, William’s, deaths, he took the throne and spent much
of his time fighting with his other brother, Robert, who had control of Normandy. Who was this king, the first of
eight English monarchs to share his name?
Henry I
2. A bacteria colony currently contains 5,000 organisms. The number of organisms in the colony doubles every 8
hours. How many organisms will be present within the colony in one day?
40,000
3. This author of The Lying Days and Occasion for Loving was an anti-apartheid activist and was a member of the
African National Congress in the face of the group’s persecution by the South African government. Who was this
South African author, the winner of the 1991 Nobel Prize in Literature, who created such works as The
Conservationist, Burger’s Daughter, and Jury’s People?
(Nadine) Gordimer
4. Two of this pseudo-science’s goals were to create the philosopher’s stone and to create an elixir that would
allow the drinker to live forever. Dating back, in some form, to the days of the Greco-Roman Egypt, it became
more popular in the middle ages. What is this outdated practice in which people would attempt to change one
chemical into another, most notably gold, as a means to literally create wealth?
Alchemy
5. The swastika is an important symbol in this religion of India that preaches non-violence. Asceticism is a lifestyle
undertaken by this religion’s followers. Among the world’s oldest religions, what is this religion that was founded
by Rishabha, the first of the twenty-four tirthankaras?
Jainism
6. It was this man’s reign that initiated the time period that became known as Pax Romana. He was succeeded in
AD 14 by his adopted son Tiberius. The victor in the Battle of Actium, who was this Great-nephew of Julius Caeasar
and first Emperor of Rome?
Augustus (Caesar) (accept: Octavian)
7. This poet did not make it home from the Western front of the First World War, but before his death penned
“Insensibility”, “Strange Meeting”, and “Futility”, each of which served to tell the world about experiences he had
during the conflict. Who was this English author of such poems as “Anthem for Doomed Youth” and “Dulce et
Decorum est”?
(Wilfred) Owen
8. This metal has the highest strength in comparison to its density, giving it many uses, as in the making of golf
clubs. What is this element with atomic number 22, a transition metal with atomic symbol “T”-“i”?
Titanium
9. Together this pair of brother was known as the Dioskouri. According to Greek mythology, both were the sons of
Leda but one was the son of Zeus while the other was the son of the mortal Tyndareus. Who were these twin
brothers that were placed in the night sky by Zeus and now form the constellation known as Gemini?
Castor and Pollux
10. Express as a single trigonometric function sine 42 degrees cosine 37 degrees plus sine 37 degrees cosine 42
degrees.
Sine 79 degrees
11. Jost Van Dyke, Culebra, and Tortola are among the ten largest islands of this archipelago. The United States
purchased this island group from Denmark for $25 million in 1917. What is this subset of the Lesser Antilles that is
still an American territory today?
Virgin Islands
12. Twenty years prior to writing the epic poem for which he is best known, this author penned Aeropagitica, a
work which gained him international fame in his own time. He also wrote the poem Lycidas. Who is this English
author of Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained?
(John) Milton
13. The name of this acid is derived from the Latin word for ant because it is found in the venom of that insect.
What is this simplest of the carboxyclic acids which chemical symbol “H”-“C”-“O”-“O”-“H”?
Formic Acid
14. This god resided in Alfheimr, the realm of the elves and was the son of the sea god Njordr. His ship always
possessed a favorable breeze and it was foretold that he would be killed at Ragnarok due to being without the
sword that he gave up to gain his wife. Who was this Norse god of fertility that was associated with the Swedish
royal family?
Freyr
15. Consider the polynomial function f of x equals 3 x to the fourth power plus 5 x cubed minus 2 x squared minus
3 x plus 7. According to Descartes’ Rule of Signs, what is the maximum number of positive real zeros that this
function may have?
2
16. This law is the reason that a carbonated beverage will go flat when the carbon in the drink reaches equilibrium
with the surrounding environment. What is this law that states that the solubility of a gas in a liquid is directly
proportional to the partial press of that gas that is in equilibrium with the liquid?
Henry’s Law
17. This man published a collection of short stories entitled Exemplary Novels in 1613. However, he is best
remembered for a mock epic that includes the character Sancho Panza. Who is this Spanish author of Don
Quixote?
(Miguel de) Cervantes
18. This printmaker and painter often painted directly onto wood panels as was the case with his abstract
expressionist painting of the United States entitled Map. Who is this American painter that is best known for the
iconic paintings Flag and Three Flags, both of which feature the stars and stripes?
(Jasper) Johns
19. Find the length of a leg of an isosceles right triangle if it has a hypotenuse that is 18 inches long.
9 radical 2 inches
20. This process was first theorized by Leo Szilard in 1933. It most commonly occurs with heavy elements such as
uranium-235. What is this process whereby the decay of an atom releases particles and energy which then results
in the initiation of the decay of another atom, a process that would continue to repeat?
(Nuclear) Chain Reaction
21. Both the Lakota and Arikara Native American people have lived in and around this national park. What is this
national park that is located in southwestern South Dakota that was established as a monument in 1939?
Badlands National Park
22. One of this author’s most famous works is a series of contradictions made by leaders of the Catholic Church
entitled Sic et Non. Who was this 12th century logician and philosopher whose love affair with Heloise has been
remembered throughout history?
(Peter) Abelard
23. First isolated by Michael Faraday, this aromatic compound’s structure was first confirmed by Kathleen Lonsdale
in 1929, though it had been theorized almost 100 years earlier. What is this organic compound that has 6 carbon
atoms joined in a ring with each carbon atom bonded to a hydrogen atom?
Benzene
24. In ancient Rome this term was used to describe the area in front of the scenery. This area frames the scenery
and performance, blocking out 180 degrees of view, thus allowing the actors to focus only on the area in front of
this arch. What theatre term describes the archway surrounding the stage opening?
Proscenium (arch)
25. The diagonal of a square is 12 feet long. What is the area of this square?
72 square feet (or feet squared)
26. In dentistry, this metal is often alloyed with mercury to make fillings. Prior to 1964, there were two coins that
the United States created using this metal. What is the precious metal, with Latin name argentum and atomic
symbol A-G?
Silver
27. This island, located within the Greek Ionian Islands, contains one of the world’s largest natural harbors, on
which its capital, Vathy, is located. What is this Greek island, over which Odysseus ruled as king and was
attempting to return to throughout Homer’s The Odyssey?
Ithaca
28. This property of a rotating object is equal to its angular velocity multiplied by its moment of inertia. What twoword term is defined as the tendency of an object to continue its rotation about an axis?
Angular Momentum
29. In this play, Honey, Nick’s wife, vomits twice – the first time because she has had too much to drink and the
second time because she was accused of fabricating a false pregnancy. George and Martha conceive of three
games that they play with the other couple throughout the play. The winner of the 1963 Tony Award for Best Play,
what is this absurdist play by Edward Albee?
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf
30. Ignoring units, what number results from subtracting the surface area of a sphere with radius 3 inches long
from the volume of the same sphere?
0
31. An example would be criticizing someone else’s language for sounding different you’re your own.
Anthropologists, when studying a culture outside of their own, attempt to view that culture without the bias of
their own so as to not exhibit this negative trait. What is this form of discrimination in which a person views the
culture of others from the perspective of their own?
Ethnocentrism
32. The title of Eugene O’Neill’s play Ah, Wilderness! is taken from this 11th century poem. What is this work of
Omar Khayyam that was first translated into English during the 19 th century by Edward FitzGerald and consists of
hundreds of quatrains?
Rubaiyat
33. This musician’s tool was invented by John Shore in 1711 and was used to help the musician ensure their
instrument properly calibrated. What is this two-pronged device whose length and mass determine which pitch is
produced when struck?
Tuning Fork
34. Portia dresses in disguise as a lawyer who gives a speech called “the quality of mercy”. Antonio is this play’s
title character and protagonist who finds himself indebted. What is this Shakespearean play that has Shylock, a
money lender, as its antagonist who calls for a pound of flesh from Antonio?
The Merchant of Venice
35. What is the area of a half circle with a diameter of 19 centimeters?
361/8 pi square centimeters (or centimeters squared)
36. This device was developed in the early 20th century in two different forms, vacuum tube and solid-state. What
is this electrical component that has one side having low resistance and the other side high resistance, restricting
the flow of a current to one direction?
Diode
37. This American playwright and novelist saw many of her works adapted for the stage and film including her
Cimarron which won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1931. The musical Show Boat was also an adaptation
of one of her novels. Who was this author of So Big and Giant, the latter of which was also turned into a film in
1956?
(Edna) Ferber
38. This student of Franz Boas went on to teach the great anthropologist Margaret Mead at Barnard College. Her
Patterns of Culture was an examination of cultures around the world and a definition of the word, “culture.” Who
is this anthropologist and author of the non-fiction work on Japanese culture following the second world war, The
Chrysanthemum and the Sword?
(Ruth) Benedict
39. In this film, the underwater Pepperland is protected by Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Songs in the
movie include “When I’m Sixty-Four”, “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”, and “All You Need is Love.” What is this
animated comedy featuring the members of and music of The Beatles?
Yellow Submarine
40. What is the equation of the axis of symmetry of the parabola graphed by the equation y minus 7x equals x
squared plus 9x minus 4?
X = -8 (must say “x=”)
-End of Second Half-Tiebreakers1. If a spring has a spring constant of 4 Newtons per meter, Hooke’s Law states that what force will be necessary to
compress the spring by 3 meters from its equilibrium position?
12 Newtons
2. The role of this person is to guide all aspects of the play to meet their creative vision. He or she then coordinates
the set design, props, costumes, et cetera. What is this position in theatre which, after the playwright, provides the
greatest amount of artistic interpretation to how the actor’s should perform the play?
(Theatre) Director
3. Taking place in 1908, this landmark case set a precedent for the legality of applying different labor laws to the
two genders. The case developed out of the conviction of an employer who forced a female employee to work
more than ten hours in a day. What is this Supreme Court case that allowed for the restriction of the number of
hours worked by women, for health reasons?
Muller v. Oregon
4. This man first received worldwide attention for his novella Goodbye, Columbus that was originally released with
five short stories. In 2000, he wrote the novel The Human Stain. A prolific writer over the previous 55 years who
was this author of American Pastoral, The Anatomy Lesson, and The Ghost Writer?
(Philip) Roth
5. Find the limit as x approaches 3 of the expression 2 x squared minus 6 x plus 3.
3
-End of Tiebreakers-