Mark Brader:
These questions were written to be asked in Toronto on 2014-01-13,
and should be interpreted accordingly... For further information...
see my 2022-09-09 companion posting on "Reposted Questions from
the Canadian Inquisition (RQFTCI*)".
Sorry, I'm a day late again. Anyway, Game 1 is over and the winner
is JOSHUA KREITZER. Hearty congratulations, eh?
** Game 1, Round 9 - Science - Space Miscellany
In the original game this was called a miscellaneous round, but it
seems better to classify it as a second science round.
In the original game, this was this was the hardest round in the
entire season.
1. In what country was comet ISON discovered?
Russia.
Erland was over off by decades, everyone else by long distances.
2. What is a meteorite (as opposed to, say, a meteor)?
A piece of space rock that reaches the ground. 4 for Joshua, Erland,
Dan Tilque, and Dan Blum.
3. The Sun """is""" supposed to be in the most active phase of
the solar cycle, but it """is""" not delivering much in the way
of flares -- just some intermediate-strength M-class flares.
Name the class that includes the most powerful flares.
X. 4 for Dan Tilque.
In fact the first X-class flare of the then-current cycle occurred
the day after this game was originally played.
4. What does CME mean, with reference to the sun? Exact answer
required.
Coronal mass ejection. 4 for Dan Tilque and Dan Blum.
5. China achieved a Moon landing """recently""". What is the
two-word name, in English, of its Moon rover?
Jade Rabbit.
Its successor is Jade Rabbit 2. The original rover operated for
over 2 years; the second one, on the far side of the Moon, is still
operating after more than 4 years.
6. The United States """has""" two active rovers on Mars """at
present""". One is Curiosity. The other is almost 10 years old;
name it.
2014 answer: Opportunity. (It operated 2004-18.) 2023 answer: I
will accept Perseverance, although it's only been active since 2021.
Curiosity, by the way, is still active and has been since 2012.
4 for Dan Tilque.
Sojourner was only active for a few months in 1996-97. Discovery was
the name of the program under which it was launched, but that name has
not itself been used fora Mars rover.
7. In what crater did Curiosity start its journey on Mars?
Gale crater.
8. Within <answer 7> is a mountain which """it is hoped""" Curiosity
"""will""" explore. What is it called?
Mt. Sharp or Aeolis Mons. (It did.)
9. Name either of the two moons of Mars.
Phobos, Deimos. 4 for Joshua, Erland, Dan Tilque, and Dan Blum.
10. What term is used for a day on Mars?
A sol. 4 for Joshua, Dan Tilque, and Pete.
** Game 1, Round 10 - Challenge Round
* A. Americana
A1. """Only one name""" has been the surname of both a
US president and a British prime minister. What name?
2014 answer: Wilson. (Woodrow, Harold.) 2023 answer: Now also
Johnson. (Andrew and Lyndon, Boris.) 4 for everyone -- Joshua,
Erland, Dan Tilque, Dan Blum, and Pete.
A2. What state has the most northerly point of the "lower 48"
or contiguous US states?
Minnesota. 4 for Dan Tilque. 3 for Pete.
Maine is nowhere close to correct -- it's wrong by almost 2� of
latitude or about 130 miles or 215 km. You *four* people who tried
that answer need to deign to look at a Mercator-projection map once
in a while.
* B. More Alcoholics
Again, we name the actor/actress and the alcoholic character,
and you name the movie.
B1. Billy Bob Thornton as Willie Stokes.
2014 answer: "Bad Santa" (2003). 2023 answer: Now also "Bad Santa 2"
(2016). 4 for Joshua.
B2. Meg Ryan as Alice Green.
"When a Man Loves a Woman" (1994). 4 for Joshua.
* C. Historic Storms
C1. In what year was the Great (North American) Ice Storm which
is now known by that date?
1998.
C2. In what year did the remains of Hurricane Hazel ravage
Southern Ontario?
1954.
* D. Music: The Eyes Have It
We name the artist, and you name their song with "Eye" or "Eyes" in
the title.
D1. Sheena Easton.
"For Your Eyes Only". 4 for Joshua.
D2. Eric Carmen.
"Hungry Eyes". 4 for Joshua.
* E. Space
E1. Within 10% of the true number, how long is an astronomical
unit?
149,597,900 km (accepting 134,638,100-164,557,700) or 92,955,800
miles (accepting 83,660,200-102,257,400). 4 for Joshua, Dan Tilque,
and Dan Blum.
E2. In the last round we mentioned comet ISON. What is ISON
an acronym for?
International Scientific Optical Network. Since it was a name,
you had to be exact.
* F. Canadiana Geography
F1. Canada """is""" the second-largest country in the world.
Which country """is""" third?
Either China or the US, depending on what source you accept and
what measure of area you're using. The US was expected in the
original game, but I'm accepting either answer. 4 for Joshua,
Erland, Dan Tilque, and Dan Blum.
F2. What """is""" Canada's only officially bilingual province?
New Brunswick (Nouveau-Brunswick). (Still true.) 4 for Joshua,
Erland, Dan Tilque, and Dan Blum. 3 for Pete.
On this one Stephen Perry commented in 2014:
| I thought manitoba was also, since the 1985 lawsuit kerfluffle, but
| I am not going to lose the point for a second answer just to get it
| 'the hard way'.
He was talking about this Supreme Court case:
http://scc-csc.lexum.com/scc-csc/scc-csc/en/item/60/index.do
But the subject matter is limited to the enactment of provincial laws.
Official bilingual status extends beyond that.
Scores, if there are no errors:
GAME 1 ROUNDS-> 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 10 BEST
TOPICS-> Ent His Geo Lit Sci Spo Sci Cha SIX
Joshua Kreitzer 28 36 32 32 4 0 12 32 172
Dan Tilque 4 19 32 8 16 0 24 20 119
Dan Blum 20 16 23 20 16 0 12 16 111
Pete Gayde -- -- 16 16 7 20 4 10 73
Erland Sommarskog 0 8 28 0 11 0 8 12 67
--
Mark Brader, Toronto,
[email protected]
"Omit needless code! Omit needless code! Omit needless code!"
-- Chip Salzenberg (after Strunk & White)
My text in this article is in the public domain.
--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)