Mark Brader writes:
> These questions were written to be asked in Toronto on 2014-12-08,
> and should be interpreted accordingly... I will reveal the correct
> answers in about 3 days.
Ah, would you believe 4 days? (Sorry about that, Chief.)
> For further information see my 2014-09-15 companion posting on
> "Questions from the Canadian Inquisition (QFTCI*)".
> ** Final, Round 4 - Geography
> * Tall Buildings
> For decades the CN Tower was the world's tallest free-standing
> structure, but since 2010 it has been surpassed by 5 other
> structures.
> 1. At 828 m (2,717 feet), the Burj Khalifa stands about 250 m
> higher than the CN Tower. It's the reigning champion tallest
> free-standing structure. What city is it in?
Dubai. (Indeed, its original name during construction was the
Burj Dubai.) 4 for Pete, Dan Blum, Marc, Björn, Erland, Peter,
Calvin, Joshua, Dan Tilque, and Rob.
> 2. Two towers taller than the CN Tower are found in the same
> country. Which one?
China. (Shanghai Tower, Canton Tower.) 4 for Marc and Rob.
2 for Calvin.
> 3. Last year, a new tower stopped just short of the CN Tower,
> but still became the tallest free-standing structure in the US.
> Give its auspicious New York City address.
1 World Trade Center (also accepting Freedom Tower). I required
the complete address. 4 for Pete, Peter, Joshua, and Jason.
> * UNESCO World Heritage Sites
> Of the 962 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, name the ones we describe.
> 4. One of the largest World Heritage Sites is the most famous
> coral reef system on Earth, covering more than 500,000 km²
> (200,000 square miles) in the southern hemisphere.
Great Barrier Reef. 4 for Pete, Dan Blum, Marc, Björn, Erland,
Peter, Calvin, Joshua, Dan Tilque, and Rob.
> 5. This ancient Greek citadel is home to the Parthenon.
Acropolis. 4 for Pete, Dan Blum, Marc, Björn, Erland, Peter, Joshua,
Dan Tilque, and Rob.
> 6. It was created by the Incas as a home for the emperor, but
> abandoned before the Spanish conquest. Rediscovered in 1911,
> it's a popular tourist attraction today.
Machu Picchu. 4 for Pete, Dan Blum, Marc, Erland, Peter, Calvin,
Joshua, Dan Tilque, and Rob.
> * Megacities
> The UN 2014 World Urbanization Prospects report gives populations
> of the largest urban agglomerations.
> 7. With almost 13,000,000 people, it's 18th in the UN list, located
> about 1,100 km (700 miles) southeast of Hong Kong. It was once
> called the "Pearl of the Orient", as it was central to vital
> Pacific trade routes.
Manila. 4 for Pete, Marc, Erland, Joshua, and Rob.
> 8. With over 16,000,000 people, it's 12th largest. Located on
> the Arabian Sea immediately northwest of the Indus River delta,
> it's known as the "City of Lights".
Karachi. 4 for Pete, Dan Blum, Erland, and Peter. 2 for Calvin.
> 9. This megacity near the Mediterranean, with about 14,000,000
> people, ranks 15th. It has had several names in its 2,500-year
> history; in 330 it was known as New Rome.
Istanbul. 4 for Dan Blum, Marc, Björn, Erland, Peter, Calvin,
Joshua, and Dan Tilque.
> * Leftovers
> In Europe there are traditional nations but also some idiosyncratic
> "leftovers", which we ask about. In each case, name the small place.
> 10. This enclave is the world's smallest republic, and it claims
> to be the oldest too. Founded by its namesake Christian saint
> in the 4th century, it "hosted" Formula 1 races from 1981 to
> 2006, but they were actually held in nearby Imola, Italy.
San Marino. 4 for everyone -- Pete, Dan Blum, Marc, Björn, Erland,
Peter, Calvin, Joshua, Jason, Dan Tilque, and Rob.
> 11. This principality is about the size of New York's Central Park.
> It is the world's second-smallest independent state (after the
> Vatican), and the most densely populated.
Monaco. 4 for Pete, Dan Blum, Marc, Erland, Peter, Calvin, Joshua,
Dan Tilque, and Rob.
See the density:
http://images6.alphacoders.com/457/457317.jpg
This is the only country in the world that is served by a long-distance
railway line which it has relocated so that no part of it within the
country is above ground.
> 12. Since 1866, this island has been a self-governing British crown
> dependency. A Celtic nation with its own language, it suffered
> Viking invasions and came under the power of Norway until 1266,
> when it was ceded to Scotland.
Isle of Man. 4 for Dan Blum, Marc, Erland, Peter, Calvin, Joshua,
and Dan Tilque.
Thus proving that John Donne was wrong in the previous round:
no, John, Man *is* an island.
> * International Monkey Day
> It's a Hallmark unofficial holiday on December 12, honoring both
> monkeys and apes.
> 13. Name any of the three countries that are home to the mountain
> gorilla.
DR Congo, Rwanda, Uganda. 4 for Marc, Björn, Erland, Joshua, Jason,
Dan Tilque, and Rob. 3 for Calvin.
> 14. One of the world's most intelligent monkeys, and therefore
> a favorite with research scientists, the capuchin monkey ranges
> through 14 different countries or other places. Name any one
> of them.
Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana,
Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela.
4 for Dan Blum, Marc, Björn, Peter, Joshua, and Rob.
> 15. Orangutans can now be found in the wild on only two islands
> on Earth. Name either island.
Borneo, Sumatra. 4 for Pete, Marc, Björn, Erland, Calvin, Joshua,
Jason, Dan Tilque, and Rob.
Scores, if there are no errors:
ROUNDS-> 2 3 4 TOTALS
TOPICS-> His Lit Geo
Joshua Kreitzer 52 44 52 148
Dan Blum 32 32 40 104
Rob Parker 32 24 44 100
Dan Tilque 36 20 40 96
"Calvin" 31 24 39 94
Erland Sommarskog 28 8 48 84
Marc Dashevsky -- 24 52 76
Peter Smyth 12 20 44 76
Pete Gayde 35 -- 40 75
Bruce Bowler 36 18 -- 54
Björn Lundin 8 11 32 51
Jason Kreitzer 20 12 16 48
--
Mark Brader, Toronto | "UNIX make moving not pain
m...@vex.net | but almost pleasure." -- "Housewife", 1941