Tossups by Wesley Matthews, Matt Cvijanovich, and Mica Hilson
2004 Chicago Open
Tossups by Wesley Matthews, Matt Cvijanovich, and Mica Hilson
1. In Kaluza-Klein theories, this phenomenon is one of the most effective mechanisms for spontaneous compactification of extra spatial dimensions. It may be extended to macroscopic dielectrics by the Lifshitz Function, though it is more often seen as a retardation of the van der Waals forces in a colloid. First measured by Lamoreaux on the order of piconewtons, it may be calculated by hc/480L4 (pi h c over 480 L to the fourth) times mirror area. FTP, what is this small force resulting from quantum vacuum fluctuations of the electromagnetic field that acts between two close parallel uncharged conductors?
Answer: Casimir Effect
2. It includes a production of the play Turpin’s Ride to York.In his leisure, the hero of this novel discusses the news with Laban Tall and Henery Fray at Warren’s Malthouse, and in his work Cainy Ball and Joseph Poorgrass assist him. Baily Pennyways, though caught stealing barley and dismissed by the protagonist, notices her husband at Greenhill Fair, and helps him surprise her at a party. The protagonist had married that man despite his earlier involvement with Fanny Robin. FTP, name this novel in which Seargent Troy’s murder by William Boldwood allows Gabriel Oak to marry Bathsheba Everdene, a work by Thomas Hardy.
Answer: Far From the Madding Crowd
3. One of this organization’s early successes was the Newark Community Union Project, which was part of its Economic Research and Action Project designed to rally the urban poor. 1965 saw its first massive demonstration in Washington D.C. against the Vietnam War, thought it effectively disbanded four years later after internal struggles with the Progressive Labor Party. Remnants like the militant Weathermen remained. Founded by Robert Alan Haber at the University of Michigan, its goal was to establish a “participatory democracy.” FTP, name this organization whose manifesto was the Port Huron Statement and which was commonly referred to as SDS.
Answer: Students for a Democratic Society (accept just SDS before it is mentioned)
4. After he discovered the unfaithfulness of his wife Aegialia he went to Italy where he founded Brundisium and Arpi. According to Virgil he refused Venelus’s offer from Turnus and the Latins to join in the fight against Aeneas. Pindar states that he was granted immortality by Athena, a gift denied his father after he had eaten the brains of an enemy. He is best known in his role as an Argive commander and son of Tydeus. FTP, name this Greek hero, who in memorable scenes in the Iliad exchanges armor with Glaucus and wounds both Aphrodite and Ares; not to be confused with the owner of some flesh-eating mares.
Answer: Diomedes
5. In a letter to Taneyev, a revision of this work that begins with the original second theme of its opening andante sostenuto is explained. The trio of its third movement features the composer’s only use of the col legno. Its second movement, an andante marziale, contains a wedding march and a quotation of the aria “Spin, O my Spinner,” from the opera Undine. Its finale is based on the folksong “The Crane,” and its first movement is a setting of “Down by Mother Volga.” FTP, name this symphony noted for its use of Ukrainian themes, and possessing a petite nickname, a creation of Tchaikovsky
Answer: Little Russian or Tchaikovsky’s Second Symphony (prompt for Tchaikovsky’s name before it is given)
6. A Robinson Annulation is a combination of this reaction with a Michael Addition that uses a weak base rather than the typical strong one. TMS enol ethers enhance its enantioselective cross variety. It begins with the removal by the hydroxide of the acidic alpha hydrogen, forming a reactive enolate that attacks the electrophilic carbonyl group in its second step. Its final step is a simple acid-base reaction in which a water molecule is deprotonated by the alkoxide, creating the beta-hydroxyaldehide product. FTP, what is this condensation reaction also used for ketones as well as its eponymous functional group?
Answer: aldol condensation
7. He probably died in Calcutta without having joined some of his men in a visit to Mecca. Reputed to be seven feet tall, he was often referred to as “Three Jewels.” Among his exploits was the capture of Alagonakkara, King of Ceylon, whom he brought back to his homeland, and the establishment of Parameswara as king of Malacca. The best sources for those exploits are the chroniclers Ma Huan and Fei Hsin. He began his career as a servant of Zhu Di who gave him his most famous post upon becoming the Yunglo emperor. FTP, name this eunuch admiral who commanded the Treasure Fleet in Seven Expeditions during the Ming dynasty.
Answer: Cheng-Ho or Zheng-He (pronounced Jung Huh) or Ma Ho.
8. The protagonist believes his discovery of Nancy Hewitt’s partial African ancestry is the deed referred to by the title character, though Archibald Wilcox and Gregory Yates invent their own story. A shouting match between Shadbelly Billson and Thurlow Wilson leads to an auction by Jack Halliday, which allows Dr. Clay Harkness to win an election against Pinkerton. The title character waits for Barclay Goodson to die before taking revenge, during which Burgess saves Edward Richards by withholding his claim. FTP, name this story in which a sack of gilded lead is used to discredit the title town, by Mark Twain.
Answer: “The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg”
9. Results were less negative when it took place in a plain office building rather than its original location. Results also differed substantially when instructions were given over a telephone rather than face to face. Tests done in other countries showed that 60-65% of subjects proceeded to the end of the experiment. It was done partly in response to the trial of Adolf Eichmann and the question of whether a Holocaust could happen in the United States. A man dressed in a lab coat would give instructions to the subject to shock the testee, a cohort, when he missed an answer. FTP identify this experiment on obedience named for a Yale psychologist.
Answer: Milgram Obedience Experiment.
10. It is walled around and all but one of the four gates is false, and there is no visible stairway to climb to its upper platform. It is flanked by two buildings of red sandstone one a decorative rest house and the other a mosque. Its height and width are the same discounting the four minarets at its corner. It overlooks the Yamura River and its primary room is octagonal in shape symbolizing the eight gardens of Paradise. Topped with a balloon shaped dome most visitors remember its white marble mirrored in a long reflecting pool. FTP, name this mausoleum in Agra built for the wife of Shah Jahan.
Answer: Taj Mahal.
11. This constellation’s chief variables are its W and 44 stars, and its notable pairs include its F6 subgiant Tau planetary system and its M2 red giant companion, and its yellow Kappa star and deep blue companion. It radiates the June Pons-Winneckids meteor shower, and the more impressive late December Quadrantids can be seen north of stars like Alkalurops and Izar. Its alternate name is suggested by its rise following its northwestern neighbor, Ursa Major. FTP, name this constellation also known as The Bear Driver, whose alpha star, the fourth brightest star in the night sky, is Arcturus.
Answer: Boötes
12. A preliminary conflict to this battle was the victor’s capture of Donauworth. One critical moment was Lord Cutts’ attack on the namesake village, which bottled up a large number of enemy troops. Another came at Oberglau where Holstein-Beck was repulsed by de Blainville. This allowed Marsin to launch a counterattack that was halted only by the timely arrival of Fugger’s cavalry from the victor’s right, which was commanded by Eugene of Savoy. The end came with a massive assault on Marshal Tallard’s center. FTP, name this 1704 battle, the greatest victory of Marlborough in the War of Spanish Succession.
Answer: Battle of Blenheim.
13. This author’s tale of impending murder of the Hill family by the Ihii is the subject of his short story “The Martyr,” while the student Remi is the subject of his first play, The Black Hermit. His other plays include I Will Marry When I Want and a collaboration with Micere Mugo, The Trial of Dedan Kimathi. His international fame comes from his novels, including the first in his native language Devil on the Cross, the story of the brothers Kamau and Njoroge Weep Not, Child, and the non-linear A Grain of Wheat. FTP, name this Kenyan author who details the life of Munira in Ilmorog in his best novel Petals of Blood.
Answer: Ngugi wa Thiong’o
14. He is saved from slavery by Ashpenaz, and later convinces Arioch not to kill him, leading to his rise to prominence. In one story, Habbakuk must be carried to Shinar by the hair to save him from starvation, and in another his friends are saved by the prayer of Azariah. His vision on the River Ulai involves four beasts of successively greater strength, and his greatest prophecy concerns the “seventy sevens.” He gained the King’s favor by revealing his dream about a fallen statue. FTP, name this prophet who predicted the fall of Babylon by interpreting the phrase “mene, mene, tekel, parsin” written on a wall at Belshazzar’s Feast.
Answer: Daniel (accept Belteshazzar)
15. In the south of this country, the Rupununi Savanna provides hunting grounds for the Wapisiana and Macusi tribes, and the Kunuku Range hinders access to its gold and diamond mining center. The sources of rivers like the Mazaruni and Cununi are found in its western Pakaraima Range near its highest point, Mt. Roraima. Marshall Falls blocks southward progress along its most important river at its second largest city, Bartica. That river, the Essequibo, meets the Atlantic west of its capital, the largest English speaking city in South America. FTP, name this country with capital Georgetown.
Answer: Co-Operative Republic of Guyana.
16. Although there have been over 5560 of them identified, a little over 500 of them are found in humans, making them the post populated class of druggable targets. One prominent variety is Cdk (c-d-k), a cyclin-dependent catalytic subunit that helps mediate the cell cycle. The most prominent member of this class of enzymes is dependent on adenylate cyclase, which triggers the release of cyclic AMP, to which this enzyme binds. FTP, name this class of enzymes, which plays a primary role in signaling pathways and which is commonly abbreviated P-K.
Answer: protein kinase
17. Though publication at Amalfi of his Liber Augustalis defined him as an absolutist, his quieter years saw such acts as the passage of his Imperial Land Peace at the Diet of Mainz. However, his struggles with Honorius III led to his signing of the Treaty of San Germano, he faced usurpers like Henry Raspe, and his claims at the Council of Cremona led to the rebirth of the Lombard League. His three excommunications resulted from his stalling on a certain pledge after his election following Otto IV’s defeat at Bouvines. FTP, name this Holy Roman Emperor from 1220-1250, who negotiated rights to Nazareth and Bethlehem in the 6th Crusade.
Answer: Frederick II Hohenstaufen.
18. This play contains a version of the Orphic cosmology and ends with the protagonist marrying Basilaea. In one of the funniest sections the protagonist fends off a poet, an oracle-monger and other intruders. Among the characters is Tereus, who introduces the protagonist and his friend to the chorus. Near the end of the play the hero negotiates with Triballian, Heracles, and Poseidon, a delegation from the Gods who are upset that their sacrifices are not reaching them. FTP name this play in which Euelpides and Peisetarios help the title characters become the new gods by building Cloudcuckooland, a work by Aristophanes.
Answer: The Birds or Ornithes.
19. As a youth he was the Texas state champion in the one-mile and was drafted by the Minneapolis Lakers, though professional basketball hopes ended after a knee injury in his time at Hardin-Simmons University. His son Todd is also a professional and staked Daniel Negreanu to Negreanu’s first major tournament victory. He founded his own printing press to release his most famous publication, which included chapters by Bobby Baldwin, Chip Reese, Mike Caro, and David Sklansky. That book, Super System, made him a worldwide name but revealed his hyper-aggressive strategy. FTP, identify this man, nicknamed “Texas Dolly,” a two-time World Series champion and “Old Man of Poker.”
Answer: Doyle Brunson
20. Among their leaders were Walter Sillers and Frank Dixon. Upset by earlier initiatives such as the Fair Employment Practices Commission this party was formed shortly after many delegates walked out of the Philadelphia Nominating Convention irate at the platform put forth by Hubert Humphrey. Their vice-presidential nominee was Fielding Wright who was selected at their own convention in Birmingham. Although they only had about 20,000 more popular votes than Henry Wallace and the Progressive Party they won 39 electoral votes carrying Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, and South Carolina. FTP, name this splinter party in the 1948 election whose candidate was Strom Thurmond.
Answer: Dixiecrats or States Rights Democrats.
He spent much of his childhood in Charleston, South Carolina and later tried to get a position at Harvard. Among his scholarly works was an update of John Dryden’s translation of Plutarch’s Lives. He only published two poetry collections in his life, The Bothie of Tober-na-Vuolich and Ambarvalia. His longer works included Mari Magno, which is structured like the Canterbury Tales, and Amours de Voyage. Many of his shorter works deal with religious doubt and include ‘Epi-strauss-ium” and “The Latest Decalogue.” FTP, identify this Victorian poet of Dypsychus best known as the subject of Matthew Arnold’s elegy “Thyrsis.”
Answer: Arthur Hugh Clough [CLUFF]
The presence of cesium ions in this mineral commonly causes its crystals to flatten perpendicular to its c-axis. Substitution of scandium for aluminum in its 6-coordinated site creates the rare deep blue relative, bazzite, while its colorless variety goshenite occurs if its characteristic structure is left unfilled. Its unit cell consists of a series of hexagonal channels outlined by four Si6O18 rings. Ferric impurities create its yellow and sky-blue varieties, heliodor and aquamarine. FTP, name this cyclosilicate mineral most famous for its gem variety emerald that also serves as a valuable ore for the element named for it.
Answer: beryl
2004 Chicago Open
Bonuses by Wesley Matthews, Matt Cvijanovich, and Mica Hilson
1. Name these baseball players from North Dakota, FTP each:
A. He was punter for the University of Nebraska’s football team before batting .352 during the Anaheim Angels’ run to the World Series title. He’s played first base for the Angels for nine years.
Answer: Darin Erstad
B. The only North Dakotan other than Erstad with more than 500 major league at bats is this man whose playing career climaxed with the Milwaukee Brewers in 1976, though his coaching career with the Toronto Blue Jays is more famous. That career ended, of course, when his lies about Marine service in Vietnam were revealed.
Answer: Tim Johnson
C. In addition to his pitching career, he wrestled as “The Masked Marvel.” In 1937, he led the AL with 9 pinch hits and 38 pinch at-bats with the A’s, but was waived to Detroit after winning 10 games in 1939.
Answer: “Line Drive” Lynn Nelson
2. Name these early 17th Century English dramas for 15 points each, or 10 if you need the author:
A. 15: After marrying her marrying her steward Antonio, the title character is betrayed by the slave Bosola to Ferdinand and the Cardinal, who force her to watch a fake corpse of her husband and finally strangle her.
10: John Webster.
Answer: The Duchess of Malfi
B. 15: Beatrice hires De Flores to do away with her betrothed Alonzo de Piracquo so she can marry Alsemero, who commits suicide with her when they are caught and brought before Alicante.
10: Thomas Middleton and William Rowley.
Answer: The Changeling
3. Name these things about various South American declarations of independence, FTP each:
A. In 1814 Simon Bolivar wrote his “Letter from” this place, his inspired political document advocating republican government throughout South America.
Answer: Jamaica
B. After this group led by Juan Antonio Lavalleja declared Uruguay’s independence from Brazil, it was amalgamated with the Provinces of La Plata. They later split into the Colorados and Blancos.
Answer: The Thirty-three Immortals