GSAC XIV

Round 1 Tossups

1. / In 1999 he disappeared, but it was soon discovered that he was in Volcanica. One of his earliest nemeses was Magnolia Bulkhead, who wanted to marry him, but soon he and his first mate Seadog encountered a more famous enemy, the pirate Jean LaFoote. In the 80's he fought against Snyder and Sylvester, the Soggies, who could not stand to let his cereal be adored by everyone. FTP identify this commander of the S. S. Guppy who commonly resides in the cereal aisle of your grocery store.
A: Captain Crunch or Cap’n
2. / In the aftermath of the Balkan Wars, this country led by Prince Nicholas doubled in size, receiving half of the former Ottoman territory known as the Sanjak of Novi Pazar. Its January 1919 Christmas uprising was directed against the country to which it was eventually attached. In June 2006 it gained independence but still shared a soccer team with Serbia in the 2006 World Cup. FTP name this country whose name literally translates to “black mountain”, with capital at Podgorica.
A: Montenegro
3. / Pencil and paper ready. You have a square which you want to find the area of. The area of a circle circumscribed around it is 12.5 [twelve point five] pi and the area of a circle inscribed in it is 6.25 [six point two five] pi. The length of the diagonal is 5 square roots of 2, and the area of the square created by connecting the midpoints is 12.5. FTP, find the area of the square. You have 10 seconds.
A: 25
4. / Transportation between the American ones is provided in part by waterways like the Soo and Welland Canals, while the smallest of the African ones is Kivu. National parks around the American ones include Pukaskwa [poo-KAWS-kwuh] and Isle Royale, while all of the African ones are bordered by either Uganda or the Democratic Republic of the Congo. FTP, give this name applied to both the largest bodies of water in the Great Rift Valley and to Ontario, Erie, Michigan, Huron, and Superior.
A: Great Lakes
5. / Characteristically high levels of absorbency allow for use of them as bedding and packing material. Although often associated with easy adaptation to new environments, fertilization by motile sperm requires that they live near water. Inhibition in vertical growth is not attributed to abscisic acid, but instead to a lack of xylem and phloem, which prevents long-distance nutrient transport. FTP, name this group of nonvascular plants that includes liverworts and mosses.
A: Bryophytes (accept Bryophyta before “lichens”)
6. / In 1873, the government allowed his tribe to stay in Wallowa Valley but reversed its decision in 1877. Although General William Tecumseh Sherman praised his leadership qualities, and the press called him the Red Napoleon, he formally surrendered to Nelson Appleton Miles only 40 miles from the Canadian Border. FTP, name this Nez Perce chief who led his people on a 1,400 mile march and is famed for the surrender speech in which he stated “I will fight no more forever.”
A: Chief Joseph
7. / One chapter concerns “The Thinker”, Seth Richmond, while “The Teacher” details the life of Kate Swift. The protagonist is accustomed to walking on Trunion Pike, a setting which may have been based on the author’s own upbringing in Clyde. The characters in this work all ultimately open up to the main character, culminating in the final chapter, “Departure”, centering on George Willard’s leave from the town. FTP name this work, whose title refers to that town, a collection by Sherwood Anderson.
A: Winesburg, Ohio
8. / Like SyncML and IrDA, file transfer in this technology also known as IEEE 802.15.1 is handled by OBEX. Its more familiar name comes from Harald I of Denmark, which is fitting because he, like the technology, got separate factions and groups to talk together. The technology accomplishes this by setting standard frequency and communication protocols for devices such as cell phones, computers, and even cars, creating a piconet. FTP identify this wireless technology that allows consumer products to communicate using headsets.
A: Bluetooth
9. / Pencil and paper ready. A 750 gram ball of slime is rolling along a frictionless surface at 4 meters per second north. A second 250 gram ball of slime is rolling along a frictionless surface at 6 meters per second south. Both balls hit each other at the same time, stick together, and continue moving. Remember that momentum, mass times velocity, is conserved. FTP, give the speed and direction of the resulting 1 kilogram glob of slime after the two balls stick to each other. You have ten seconds.
A: 1.5 meters per second north
10. / He wrote the orchestral work Kossuth to honor Lajos Kossuth, the hero of his country’s 1848 revolution. He wrote the ballet The Miraculous Mandarin and the six-volume series Mikrokosmos only after his opera, in which curious Judith opens seven doors in the title location, was rejected by the Fine Arts commission of Budapest. Heavily influenced by the folk melodies of Eastern Europe, FTP, name this Hungarian pianist and composer of Duke Bluebeard’s Castle.
A: Béla Viktor János Bartók
11. / The man who originated this concept also studied inequalities over time, which later became known as the Kuznets curve. If an object is purchased from abroad, net exports decrease along with this quantity, while other components include government expenditures, investment, and consumption. FTP name this measure of a country’s capital outflow, which differs from gross national product.
A: Gross Domestic Product
12. / Her name can be translated to “wide face” or “wide brow.” According to Herodotus, she was kidnapped by Minoans seeking revenge for Io’s abduction. A descendant of Io herself, she bore Sarpedon, Rhadamanthus and Minos after being raped by her lover. FTP, name this woman who was abducted by Zeus in the form of a white bull and had a major continent named after her.
A: Europa
13. / Many of his early works, including Tobit and Anna with the Kid and Belshazzar’s Feast, demonstrate extensive influence from his early mentor Peter Lastman. His later career showed a departure from the strong tones he used in works like The Sacrifice of Isaac and The Anatomy Lesson of Doctor Tulp toward the more hazy atmospheres that characterize The Jewish Bride and his numerous self-portraits. FTP, name this influential Dutch artist of The Night Watch.
A: Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn
14. / Pending its success, the royal children were to be kidnapped, a revolt was to be incited in the midlands, and the Catholic Elizabeth of Bohemia was to be made queen. However, the event never happened because Lord Monteagle, a prominent Catholic MP received a letter detailing the attack.FTP name this November 5, 1605 plot to blow up the houses of Parliament, which included Guy Fawkes among the conspirators.
A: Gunpowder Plot
15. / It strongly encourages women to “stick by his side” in verse three after advocating prenuptials in the previous verse.Number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for 10 weeks during 2005, this song, on the album Late Registration, won the Grammy for Best Rap Solo Performance.With Jamie Foxx singing the a cappella, FTP name this Kanye West song about a girl who “take my money, when I’m in need.”
A: Gold Digger
16. / This region is bordered on the northeast by Murcia near the mouth of the Almanzora River, and the Sierra Morena makes up most of its northern boundaries with Extremadura and Castilla [cas-TEE-ya] la Mancha. Much of its population lives around the Guadalquivir [gwa-dal-kee-VEER] River, which flows into the Gulf of Cadiz [CAH-deese] after passing through Cordoba and Seville. FTP, name this southernmost region of Spain.
A: Andalucía
17. / He consoles himself that he just has a case of food poisoning when he witnesses a face through his doorknocker. He later determines that he is plagued by the leave of his wife, Belle, and eventually gives his store clerk Bob Cratchit the day off after having the opportunity to see his crippled son. FTP name this hard-hearted character who eventually takes a liking to Tiny Tim in Dickens’s A Christmas Carol.
A: Ebenezer Scrooge (accept either name)
18. / The January 4, 1924 New York Tribune announced that this work would premiere at the concert of Paul Whiteman’s orchestra named “An Experiment in Modern Music.” Hastily arranged by Ferde Grofé, it became known for its opening clarinet glissando and its incorporation of jazz into a more symphonic format, which lends the piece its name that was suggested by the composer’s brother Ira. FTP, identify this piece for piano and the orchestra written by George Gershwin.
A: Rhapsody in Blue
19. / This novel, which earned its author an anthropology degree from the University of Chicago, includes a visit to the Caribbean island of San Lorenzo. He is lead to the island by his investigation of the day Hiroshima was bombed and his learning of a substance developed by Felix Hoenikker that freezes water at room temperature, Ice-Nine. FTP, name this satirical novel named for a children’s string game, written by Kurt Vonnegut.
A: Cat's Cradle
20. / Reginald Arthur created a painting of her death, and Ahmed Shawqi wrote a play about it. Her name means “father’s glory,” and she was the only member of her family to learn the language of her subjects. She married her brother to gain hold of the throne, but later, only her portrait appeared on the coins of her country. FTP, name this Egyptian pharaoh who committed suicide with her lover, Marc Antony.
A: Cleopatra VII
STOP HERE
You have reached the end of the round. Do not continue reading unless a question was thrown out or the game is tied.
21. / First isolated in 1669 by Henning Brand, the United States and Israel have been accused of using its “white” form. Other allotropes include black and red versions, which can be used in fireworks. Originally found in urine, today it can be extracted from apatite and in biology is found in the backbone of DNA. FTP identify this element with atomic mass 31, number 15 and symbol P.
A: Phosphorus
22. / Made famous with the publication of James MacGillivray’s “The Round River Drive” in the Detroit News-Tribune in 1910, his story includes characters like Johnny Inkslinger and Dutch Jake. It has been said that he created the Black hills and Puget Sound, and that Lake Bemidji resembles his footprint. Often accompanied by a blue ox, FTP, name this legendary giant lumberjack.
A: Paul Bunyan
23. / Ettore Capriolo and Hitoshi Igarashi were stabbed in 1991 for knowledge of its content, which includes a description of how actors Gibreel Farishta and Saladin Chamcha are left unharmed when their plane explodes over the English coast. The deaths came as a result of a 1989 fatwa from Ayatollah Khomeini, who declared that its author was guilty of blasphemy against Islam. FTP, name this controversial novel by Salman Rushdie.
A: The Satanic Verses

Round 1 Bonuses

1. / Identify these neurotransmitters FTPE.
This first neurotransmitter to be discovered is responsible for the stimulation of muscle cells. Botox works by blocking it from functioning.
A: Acetylcholine
This neurotransmitter, associated with reward mechanisms in the brain, acts as an inhibitor on neurons. Drugs such as heroin, act to increase the level of it in the brain.
A: Dopamine
This neurotransmitter, sometimes associated with happiness, is a derivative of tryptophan. Hallucinogens like LSD can bind to its receptors, which can block it from inducing neurons.
A: Serotonin
2. / 2006 has been a good year for movies based on books.Given the description name the film FTPE:
This adaptation of a Dan Brown novel earned 224 million dollars globally in its opening weekend despite protests outside of theaters.
A: The Da Vinci Code
Despite only opening in five theatres, this adaptation of an Annie Proulx [PROUL] short story earned a world wide gross of 178 million dollars. The film was directed by Ang Lee.
A: Brokeback Mountain
This movie is based on Lauren Weisberger’s runaway bestseller of the same name in which Andrea Sachs works for a ridiculously overbearing editor of a fashion magazine.
A: The Devil Wears Prada
3. / Identify the following about the 1913 Armory Show, FTPE.
Perhaps the most famous artistic work to be unveiled at the Exhibition was this abstract work by Marcel Duchamp described as “an explosion in a shingle factory.”
A: Nude Descending a Staircase, Number 2
The Exhibition also displayed The Poorhouse on the Hill by this French artist, known for his works that connect impressionism to more abstract 20th century styles.
A: Paul Cezanne
Like Marcel Duchamp, this artist caused controversy with his paintings Luxury, II, The Blue Nude, and Goldfish and Sculpture.
A: Henri Matisse
4. / There shall be successive winters, with no summers and there will be great strife. All of these things of course signal the coming of a Ragnarok bonus. FTPE,
This son of Fenrir will devour the sun, while his brother Hati, will devour the moon.
A: Skoll
Thor will slay this creature, but not before he is poisoned by its venom.
A: Jormungandr [YOR-man-gand-er] (Accept Midgard Serpent and World Serpent)
Identify either of the humans who will survive Ragnarok by hiding themselves away where Surt cannot destroy them.
A: Lif or Lifthrasir
5. / Answer these questions about an instrument FTPE.
With a name meaning “three stringed,” this lute-like instrument is commonly associated with Indian music.
A: Sitar
This Bengali man, known for his sitar skill, composed both film and ballet scores, played at Woodstock, and founded schools of music in both Bombay and Los Angeles.
A: Ravi Shankar
This Beatle was one of Shankar’s students and later produced some of his albums.