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RQFTCI98 Final, Rounds 2-3: history, science
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Mark Brader
Jul 11, 2021, 12:39:20 AM7/11/21
to
> These questions were written to be asked in Toronto on 1998-04-20, and
> should be interpreted accordingly. All questions were written by
> members of the Usual Suspects, but have been reformatted and may have
> been retyped and/or edited by me. I will reveal the correct answers in
> about 3 days.
>
> For further information, including an explanation of the """ notation
> that may appear in these rounds, see my 2020-06-23 companion posting on
> "Reposted Questions from the Canadian Inquisition (RQFTCI*)".
This game included both an audio round and a video round as well as
current events. That leaves 7 rounds that I can post, and your top
5 scores will be counted. Each round consists of 15 questions in
5 triples. I will post them in 3 sets: 2 rounds this time (plus the
usual current-events-of-1998 excerpt), 3 next time, and then 2.
** Final, Round 1 - Current Events (excerpt)
Answer these 1998 questions if you like for fun, but for no points.
1. This week two major American bank mergers were announced.
Name any one of the four banks involved in these two deals.
2. It was a good week for lawyer Clayton Ruby. First, he
represented Friends of the Lubicon, who have been leading
a consumer boycott, in a successful bid to prevent this
Japanese paper firm from blocking it. What firm?
3. Ruby made it to the news again this week when he handed
videotapes showing what controversial activity to the RCMP?
I wrote two triples in each of the following rounds.
** Final, Round 2 - History
* Enlightened Despots
1. This Holy Roman Emperor who ruled 1765-90 abolished serfdom
and monasteries, emancipated the Jews, and tried to centralize
the empire's government -- which led to revolts in Hungary and
the Netherlands. Give his name and number.
2. This Prussian king who ruled 1740-86 was friends with Voltaire
and Bach; reformed his kingdom's laws, army, and institutions;
and started several destructive wars. Give his name and number,
or name and nickname.
3. This Russian czar who ruled 1855-81 ended the Crimean War,
abolished serfdom, released political prisoners, abolished
whipping as a legal penalty, reformed education, and instituted
local self-government -- before he was assassinated. Give his
name and number.
* Unlucky Figures in Mexican History
4. Who was the final Aztec king, captured by Cortés in 1521 and
later killed? His name is the same as the first name of the
"""recently""" elected mayor of Mexico City.
5. Who was the Hapsburg archduke who was sent to Mexico as Emperor
in 1864 by Napoleon III of France? He ruled for only 3 years
and was executed by firing squad in 1867.
6. This parish priest was one of the instigators of the Mexican
War of Independence. After some early successes, he was captured
and executed in 1811, and his head was displayed publicly in a
cage for several years. 10 years after his unfortunate demise,
the revolution he had started finally prevailed with Mexican
independence.
* Indian History
7. Who served as the final British viceroy of India, completing
his short term in 1948?
8. Which country invaded India in October 1962 and occupied
territory disputed since 1957?
9. Who was Indira Gandhi's younger son and intended successor,
who died in a plane crash in 1980?
* Driving on the Left
10. Which Canadian province or future province was the last where
people drove on the left side of the road; and, within 3 years,
when did they change to driving on the right?
11. Decode the rot13 only after you are finished with #10.
Gur nafjre gb #10 jnf Arjsbhaqynaq, gur arjrfg cebivapr.
Ohg hagvy n srj lrnef nsgre Jbeyq Jne V, sbhe bs gur avar
cebivaprf gura rkvfgvat unq genssvp qevivat ba gur yrsg, naq
svir ba gur evtug. Anzr *nal gjb* bs gur sbhe cebivaprf jurer
gurl qebir ba gur yrsg.
12. Which was the last country in continental Europe where people
drove on the left, *and*, within 5 years, when did they stop
doing it? (If you want to show off, for fun but for no extra
points, give the exact date.)
* World War II German Missiles
13. What does the V in the V-weapons stand for? Answer in English
or German.
14. What city was the target for the greatest number of V-2 rockets?
15. The V-2 was developed at a research center usually known by
the name of a nearby village. What name?
** Final, Round 3 - Science
* Programming Languages
In each case, name the computer programming language seen on the handout.
All of the languages in this triple either were invented or saw their
greatest usage in the 1960s.
1. Please see: http://www.eskimo.com/~scs/msb/oof/3/1.jpg
This first one was used on this continent mostly as a publication
language (that is, it was used to express algorithms in technical
papers), as seen here; but in Europe it was widely used for
actual programming.
2. Please see: http://www.eskimo.com/~scs/msb/oof/3/2.jpg
This language was originally designed as a publication language
only and looked different then; but once actually implemented,
it was found highly suitable for some kinds of mathematical work.
3. In the days when the two dominant programming languages on this
continent were COBOL and FORTRAN, this language was promoted by
IBM as a common replacement for both:
EXAMPLE : PROCEDURE OPTIONS (MAIN);
/* Computes the mean and the number of values greater
than the mean */
GET LIST (N);
IF N > 0 THEN BEGIN;
DECLARE MEAN, A(N) DECIMAL FLOAT,
SUM DEC FLOAT INITIAL(0), NUMBER FIXED INITIAL(0);
GET LIST (A);
DO I = 1 TO N;
SUM = SUM + A(I);
END;
MEAN = SUM/N;
DO I = 1 TO N;
IF A(I) > MEAN THEN
NUMBER = NUMBER + 1;
END;
PUT LIST ('MEAN=', MEAN,
'NUMBER GREATER THAN MEAN=', NUMBER);
END EXAMPLE;
* Sound
4. One string is vibrating at a fixed rate. A second string is
vibrating at exactly 4 times that rate. In musical units,
what is the difference in pitch between the two sounds?
5. What is the name of this phenomenon? When two objects naturally
vibrate at the same frequency, the sound produced by one object
causes the other to vibrate.
6. When two tones are played whose pitch is very close together but
not the same, they alternately cancel and reinforce each other,
causing a pulsating effect where the frequency of the pulsations
equals the difference in the frequencies of the tones. What is
this specific physical effect called?
* Concrete
7. Concrete is known for its strength and in particular its
resistance to crushing. But what failing of concrete causes it
to often be strengthened with steel bars?
8. Concrete manufacture was known to the ancient Romans, but had
to be rediscovered in the 19th century. The British bricklayer
who reinvented cement, one of concrete's principal ingredients,
named his invention after a particular island because of the
quality of stone quarried there. The name persists to this day.
What is the island?
9. As wet concrete dries, the cement hardens or "cures".
What *chemical process* causes this effect?
* Botany
10. The organ of a flower that produces the male gamete, and consists
of an anther and a filament, is called what?
11. The layer between the xylem and the phloem in most plants,
especially trees, that gives rise to new cells and is responsible
for secondary (outward) growth, is called what?
12. The outer waxy or fatty coating on the external surface of many
plants, especially the leaves, is called what?
* Planets
13. Of the """9 planets""" in our solar system, which has the longest
sidereal day? That is, it takes the most time to rotate on its
own axis, relative to the stars.
14. Which of the """9 planets""" has the highest average density?
15. Which of the """9 planets""" has the most eccentric orbit? That is,
it has the greatest proportionate variation in distance to the
Sun from one end of the orbit to the other.
--
Mark Brader, Toronto Well, somebody had to be the pedant here!
m...@vex.net -- David Keldsen
My text in this article is in the public domain.
> should be interpreted accordingly. All questions were written by
> members of the Usual Suspects, but have been reformatted and may have
> been retyped and/or edited by me. I will reveal the correct answers in
> about 3 days.
>
> For further information, including an explanation of the """ notation
> that may appear in these rounds, see my 2020-06-23 companion posting on
> "Reposted Questions from the Canadian Inquisition (RQFTCI*)".
This game included both an audio round and a video round as well as
current events. That leaves 7 rounds that I can post, and your top
5 scores will be counted. Each round consists of 15 questions in
5 triples. I will post them in 3 sets: 2 rounds this time (plus the
usual current-events-of-1998 excerpt), 3 next time, and then 2.
** Final, Round 1 - Current Events (excerpt)
Answer these 1998 questions if you like for fun, but for no points.
1. This week two major American bank mergers were announced.
Name any one of the four banks involved in these two deals.
2. It was a good week for lawyer Clayton Ruby. First, he
represented Friends of the Lubicon, who have been leading
a consumer boycott, in a successful bid to prevent this
Japanese paper firm from blocking it. What firm?
3. Ruby made it to the news again this week when he handed
videotapes showing what controversial activity to the RCMP?
I wrote two triples in each of the following rounds.
** Final, Round 2 - History
* Enlightened Despots
1. This Holy Roman Emperor who ruled 1765-90 abolished serfdom
and monasteries, emancipated the Jews, and tried to centralize
the empire's government -- which led to revolts in Hungary and
the Netherlands. Give his name and number.
2. This Prussian king who ruled 1740-86 was friends with Voltaire
and Bach; reformed his kingdom's laws, army, and institutions;
and started several destructive wars. Give his name and number,
or name and nickname.
3. This Russian czar who ruled 1855-81 ended the Crimean War,
abolished serfdom, released political prisoners, abolished
whipping as a legal penalty, reformed education, and instituted
local self-government -- before he was assassinated. Give his
name and number.
* Unlucky Figures in Mexican History
4. Who was the final Aztec king, captured by Cortés in 1521 and
later killed? His name is the same as the first name of the
"""recently""" elected mayor of Mexico City.
5. Who was the Hapsburg archduke who was sent to Mexico as Emperor
in 1864 by Napoleon III of France? He ruled for only 3 years
and was executed by firing squad in 1867.
6. This parish priest was one of the instigators of the Mexican
War of Independence. After some early successes, he was captured
and executed in 1811, and his head was displayed publicly in a
cage for several years. 10 years after his unfortunate demise,
the revolution he had started finally prevailed with Mexican
independence.
* Indian History
7. Who served as the final British viceroy of India, completing
his short term in 1948?
8. Which country invaded India in October 1962 and occupied
territory disputed since 1957?
9. Who was Indira Gandhi's younger son and intended successor,
who died in a plane crash in 1980?
* Driving on the Left
10. Which Canadian province or future province was the last where
people drove on the left side of the road; and, within 3 years,
when did they change to driving on the right?
11. Decode the rot13 only after you are finished with #10.
Gur nafjre gb #10 jnf Arjsbhaqynaq, gur arjrfg cebivapr.
Ohg hagvy n srj lrnef nsgre Jbeyq Jne V, sbhe bs gur avar
cebivaprf gura rkvfgvat unq genssvp qevivat ba gur yrsg, naq
svir ba gur evtug. Anzr *nal gjb* bs gur sbhe cebivaprf jurer
gurl qebir ba gur yrsg.
12. Which was the last country in continental Europe where people
drove on the left, *and*, within 5 years, when did they stop
doing it? (If you want to show off, for fun but for no extra
points, give the exact date.)
* World War II German Missiles
13. What does the V in the V-weapons stand for? Answer in English
or German.
14. What city was the target for the greatest number of V-2 rockets?
15. The V-2 was developed at a research center usually known by
the name of a nearby village. What name?
** Final, Round 3 - Science
* Programming Languages
In each case, name the computer programming language seen on the handout.
All of the languages in this triple either were invented or saw their
greatest usage in the 1960s.
1. Please see: http://www.eskimo.com/~scs/msb/oof/3/1.jpg
This first one was used on this continent mostly as a publication
language (that is, it was used to express algorithms in technical
papers), as seen here; but in Europe it was widely used for
actual programming.
2. Please see: http://www.eskimo.com/~scs/msb/oof/3/2.jpg
This language was originally designed as a publication language
only and looked different then; but once actually implemented,
it was found highly suitable for some kinds of mathematical work.
3. In the days when the two dominant programming languages on this
continent were COBOL and FORTRAN, this language was promoted by
IBM as a common replacement for both:
EXAMPLE : PROCEDURE OPTIONS (MAIN);
/* Computes the mean and the number of values greater
than the mean */
GET LIST (N);
IF N > 0 THEN BEGIN;
DECLARE MEAN, A(N) DECIMAL FLOAT,
SUM DEC FLOAT INITIAL(0), NUMBER FIXED INITIAL(0);
GET LIST (A);
DO I = 1 TO N;
SUM = SUM + A(I);
END;
MEAN = SUM/N;
DO I = 1 TO N;
IF A(I) > MEAN THEN
NUMBER = NUMBER + 1;
END;
PUT LIST ('MEAN=', MEAN,
'NUMBER GREATER THAN MEAN=', NUMBER);
END EXAMPLE;
* Sound
4. One string is vibrating at a fixed rate. A second string is
vibrating at exactly 4 times that rate. In musical units,
what is the difference in pitch between the two sounds?
5. What is the name of this phenomenon? When two objects naturally
vibrate at the same frequency, the sound produced by one object
causes the other to vibrate.
6. When two tones are played whose pitch is very close together but
not the same, they alternately cancel and reinforce each other,
causing a pulsating effect where the frequency of the pulsations
equals the difference in the frequencies of the tones. What is
this specific physical effect called?
* Concrete
7. Concrete is known for its strength and in particular its
resistance to crushing. But what failing of concrete causes it
to often be strengthened with steel bars?
8. Concrete manufacture was known to the ancient Romans, but had
to be rediscovered in the 19th century. The British bricklayer
who reinvented cement, one of concrete's principal ingredients,
named his invention after a particular island because of the
quality of stone quarried there. The name persists to this day.
What is the island?
9. As wet concrete dries, the cement hardens or "cures".
What *chemical process* causes this effect?
* Botany
10. The organ of a flower that produces the male gamete, and consists
of an anther and a filament, is called what?
11. The layer between the xylem and the phloem in most plants,
especially trees, that gives rise to new cells and is responsible
for secondary (outward) growth, is called what?
12. The outer waxy or fatty coating on the external surface of many
plants, especially the leaves, is called what?
* Planets
13. Of the """9 planets""" in our solar system, which has the longest
sidereal day? That is, it takes the most time to rotate on its
own axis, relative to the stars.
14. Which of the """9 planets""" has the highest average density?
15. Which of the """9 planets""" has the most eccentric orbit? That is,
it has the greatest proportionate variation in distance to the
Sun from one end of the orbit to the other.
--
Mark Brader, Toronto Well, somebody had to be the pedant here!
m...@vex.net -- David Keldsen
My text in this article is in the public domain.
Joshua Kreitzer
Jul 11, 2021, 1:02:32 AM7/11/21
to
m...@vex.net (Mark Brader) wrote in
news:5ZmdnV_JqfZv6Hf9...@giganews.com:
> ** Final, Round 2 - History
>
> * Enlightened Despots
>
> * Unlucky Figures in Mexican History
>
> 4. Who was the final Aztec king, captured by Cortés in 1521 and
> later killed? His name is the same as the first name of the
> """recently""" elected mayor of Mexico City.
Moctezuma
> 5. Who was the Hapsburg archduke who was sent to Mexico as Emperor
> in 1864 by Napoleon III of France? He ruled for only 3 years
> and was executed by firing squad in 1867.
Maximilian
> * Indian History
>
> 7. Who served as the final British viceroy of India, completing
> his short term in 1948?
Louis Mountbatten
> 8. Which country invaded India in October 1962 and occupied
> territory disputed since 1957?
China
> * Driving on the Left
>
> 10. Which Canadian province or future province was the last where
> people drove on the left side of the road; and, within 3 years,
> when did they change to driving on the right?
Newfoundland, 1951
> 12. Which was the last country in continental Europe where people
> drove on the left, *and*, within 5 years, when did they stop
> doing it? (If you want to show off, for fun but for no extra
> points, give the exact date.)
Sweden, 1967
> * World War II German Missiles
>
> ** Final, Round 3 - Science
>
> 5. What is the name of this phenomenon? When two objects naturally
> vibrate at the same frequency, the sound produced by one object
> causes the other to vibrate.
resonance
> * Botany
>
> 10. The organ of a flower that produces the male gamete, and consists
> of an anther and a filament, is called what?
stamen
> * Planets
>
> 13. Of the """9 planets""" in our solar system, which has the longest
> sidereal day? That is, it takes the most time to rotate on its
> own axis, relative to the stars.
Neptune
> 14. Which of the """9 planets""" has the highest average density?
Mars; Venus
> 15. Which of the """9 planets""" has the most eccentric orbit? That
> is,
> it has the greatest proportionate variation in distance to the
> Sun from one end of the orbit to the other.
Pluto
--
Joshua Kreitzer
grom...@hotmail.com
news:5ZmdnV_JqfZv6Hf9...@giganews.com:
> ** Final, Round 2 - History
>
> * Enlightened Despots
>
> 3. This Russian czar who ruled 1855-81 ended the Crimean War,
> abolished serfdom, released political prisoners, abolished
> whipping as a legal penalty, reformed education, and instituted
> local self-government -- before he was assassinated. Give his
> name and number.
Alexander II
> abolished serfdom, released political prisoners, abolished
> whipping as a legal penalty, reformed education, and instituted
> local self-government -- before he was assassinated. Give his
> name and number.
> * Unlucky Figures in Mexican History
>
> 4. Who was the final Aztec king, captured by Cortés in 1521 and
> later killed? His name is the same as the first name of the
> """recently""" elected mayor of Mexico City.
> 5. Who was the Hapsburg archduke who was sent to Mexico as Emperor
> in 1864 by Napoleon III of France? He ruled for only 3 years
> and was executed by firing squad in 1867.
> * Indian History
>
> 7. Who served as the final British viceroy of India, completing
> his short term in 1948?
> 8. Which country invaded India in October 1962 and occupied
> territory disputed since 1957?
> * Driving on the Left
>
> 10. Which Canadian province or future province was the last where
> people drove on the left side of the road; and, within 3 years,
> when did they change to driving on the right?
> 12. Which was the last country in continental Europe where people
> drove on the left, *and*, within 5 years, when did they stop
> doing it? (If you want to show off, for fun but for no extra
> points, give the exact date.)
> * World War II German Missiles
>
> 14. What city was the target for the greatest number of V-2 rockets?
London
> ** Final, Round 3 - Science
>
> * Sound
>
> 4. One string is vibrating at a fixed rate. A second string is
> vibrating at exactly 4 times that rate. In musical units,
> what is the difference in pitch between the two sounds?
2 octaves
>
> 4. One string is vibrating at a fixed rate. A second string is
> vibrating at exactly 4 times that rate. In musical units,
> what is the difference in pitch between the two sounds?
> 5. What is the name of this phenomenon? When two objects naturally
> vibrate at the same frequency, the sound produced by one object
> causes the other to vibrate.
> * Botany
>
> 10. The organ of a flower that produces the male gamete, and consists
> of an anther and a filament, is called what?
> * Planets
>
> 13. Of the """9 planets""" in our solar system, which has the longest
> sidereal day? That is, it takes the most time to rotate on its
> own axis, relative to the stars.
> 14. Which of the """9 planets""" has the highest average density?
> 15. Which of the """9 planets""" has the most eccentric orbit? That
> is,
> it has the greatest proportionate variation in distance to the
> Sun from one end of the orbit to the other.
--
Joshua Kreitzer
grom...@hotmail.com
Erland Sommarskog
Jul 11, 2021, 3:40:35 AM7/11/21
to
Mark Brader (m...@vex.net) writes:
> * Enlightened Despots
> 3. This Russian czar who ruled 1855-81 ended the Crimean War,
> abolished serfdom, released political prisoners, abolished
> whipping as a legal penalty, reformed education, and instituted
> local self-government -- before he was assassinated. Give his
> name and number.
Alexander III
> 8. Which country invaded India in October 1962 and occupied
> territory disputed since 1957?
China
> 9. Who was Indira Gandhi's younger son and intended successor,
> who died in a plane crash in 1980?
Rahul Gandhi
> 12. Which was the last country in continental Europe where people
> drove on the left, *and*, within 5 years, when did they stop
> doing it? (If you want to show off, for fun but for no extra
> points, give the exact date.)
Sweden. The date was 1967-09-03. I was there.
> 2. Please see: http://www.eskimo.com/~scs/msb/oof/3/2.jpg
> This language was originally designed as a publication language
> only and looked different then; but once actually implemented,
> it was found highly suitable for some kinds of mathematical work.
APL
> 3. In the days when the two dominant programming languages on this
> continent were COBOL and FORTRAN, this language was promoted by
> IBM as a common replacement for both:
PL/I
> * Sound
>
> 4. One string is vibrating at a fixed rate. A second string is
> vibrating at exactly 4 times that rate. In musical units,
> what is the difference in pitch between the two sounds?
Two octaves
> 5. What is the name of this phenomenon? When two objects naturally
> vibrate at the same frequency, the sound produced by one object
> causes the other to vibrate.
Resonance
> 6. When two tones are played whose pitch is very close together but
> not the same, they alternately cancel and reinforce each other,
> causing a pulsating effect where the frequency of the pulsations
> equals the difference in the frequencies of the tones. What is
> this specific physical effect called?
Interference
> 13. Of the """9 planets""" in our solar system, which has the longest
> sidereal day? That is, it takes the most time to rotate on its
> own axis, relative to the stars.
Venus
> 14. Which of the """9 planets""" has the highest average density?
Earth
> 15. Which of the """9 planets""" has the most eccentric orbit? That is,
> it has the greatest proportionate variation in distance to the
> Sun from one end of the orbit to the other.
Neptune
> * Enlightened Despots
>
> 2. This Prussian king who ruled 1740-86 was friends with Voltaire
> and Bach; reformed his kingdom's laws, army, and institutions;
> and started several destructive wars. Give his name and number,
> or name and nickname.
Frederick the Great
> 2. This Prussian king who ruled 1740-86 was friends with Voltaire
> and Bach; reformed his kingdom's laws, army, and institutions;
> and started several destructive wars. Give his name and number,
> or name and nickname.
> 3. This Russian czar who ruled 1855-81 ended the Crimean War,
> abolished serfdom, released political prisoners, abolished
> whipping as a legal penalty, reformed education, and instituted
> local self-government -- before he was assassinated. Give his
> name and number.
> 8. Which country invaded India in October 1962 and occupied
> territory disputed since 1957?
> 9. Who was Indira Gandhi's younger son and intended successor,
> who died in a plane crash in 1980?
> 12. Which was the last country in continental Europe where people
> drove on the left, *and*, within 5 years, when did they stop
> doing it? (If you want to show off, for fun but for no extra
> points, give the exact date.)
> 2. Please see: http://www.eskimo.com/~scs/msb/oof/3/2.jpg
> This language was originally designed as a publication language
> only and looked different then; but once actually implemented,
> it was found highly suitable for some kinds of mathematical work.
> 3. In the days when the two dominant programming languages on this
> continent were COBOL and FORTRAN, this language was promoted by
> IBM as a common replacement for both:
> * Sound
>
> 4. One string is vibrating at a fixed rate. A second string is
> vibrating at exactly 4 times that rate. In musical units,
> what is the difference in pitch between the two sounds?
> 5. What is the name of this phenomenon? When two objects naturally
> vibrate at the same frequency, the sound produced by one object
> causes the other to vibrate.
> 6. When two tones are played whose pitch is very close together but
> not the same, they alternately cancel and reinforce each other,
> causing a pulsating effect where the frequency of the pulsations
> equals the difference in the frequencies of the tones. What is
> this specific physical effect called?
> 13. Of the """9 planets""" in our solar system, which has the longest
> sidereal day? That is, it takes the most time to rotate on its
> own axis, relative to the stars.
> 14. Which of the """9 planets""" has the highest average density?
> 15. Which of the """9 planets""" has the most eccentric orbit? That is,
> it has the greatest proportionate variation in distance to the
> Sun from one end of the orbit to the other.
Dan Blum
Jul 11, 2021, 10:54:48 AM7/11/21
to
> 1. This week two major American bank mergers were announced.
> Name any one of the four banks involved in these two deals.
Washington Mutual
> Name any one of the four banks involved in these two deals.
> ** Final, Round 2 - History
> * Enlightened Despots
> 1. This Holy Roman Emperor who ruled 1765-90 abolished serfdom
> and monasteries, emancipated the Jews, and tried to centralize
> the empire's government -- which led to revolts in Hungary and
> the Netherlands. Give his name and number.
> 2. This Prussian king who ruled 1740-86 was friends with Voltaire
> and Bach; reformed his kingdom's laws, army, and institutions;
> and started several destructive wars. Give his name and number,
> or name and nickname.
> 3. This Russian czar who ruled 1855-81 ended the Crimean War,
> abolished serfdom, released political prisoners, abolished
> whipping as a legal penalty, reformed education, and instituted
> local self-government -- before he was assassinated. Give his
> name and number.
> * Unlucky Figures in Mexican History
> later killed? His name is the same as the first name of the
> """recently""" elected mayor of Mexico City.
Montezuma
> """recently""" elected mayor of Mexico City.
> 5. Who was the Hapsburg archduke who was sent to Mexico as Emperor
> in 1864 by Napoleon III of France? He ruled for only 3 years
> and was executed by firing squad in 1867.
> * Indian History
> 7. Who served as the final British viceroy of India, completing
> his short term in 1948?
> 8. Which country invaded India in October 1962 and occupied
> territory disputed since 1957?
> * Driving on the Left
> 10. Which Canadian province or future province was the last where
> people drove on the left side of the road; and, within 3 years,
> when did they change to driving on the right?
> 11. Decode the rot13 only after you are finished with #10.
> Gur nafjre gb #10 jnf Arjsbhaqynaq, gur arjrfg cebivapr.
> Ohg hagvy n srj lrnef nsgre Jbeyq Jne V, sbhe bs gur avar
> cebivaprf gura rkvfgvat unq genssvp qevivat ba gur yrsg, naq
> svir ba gur evtug. Anzr *nal gjb* bs gur sbhe cebivaprf jurer
> gurl qebir ba gur yrsg.
> 12. Which was the last country in continental Europe where people
> drove on the left, *and*, within 5 years, when did they stop
> doing it? (If you want to show off, for fun but for no extra
> points, give the exact date.)
> * World War II German Missiles
> 13. What does the V in the V-weapons stand for? Answer in English
> or German.
> 14. What city was the target for the greatest number of V-2 rockets?
> ** Final, Round 3 - Science
> * Programming Languages
> 1. Please see: http://www.eskimo.com/~scs/msb/oof/3/1.jpg
> This first one was used on this continent mostly as a publication
> language (that is, it was used to express algorithms in technical
> papers), as seen here; but in Europe it was widely used for
> actual programming.
Algol
> This first one was used on this continent mostly as a publication
> language (that is, it was used to express algorithms in technical
> papers), as seen here; but in Europe it was widely used for
> actual programming.
> 2. Please see: http://www.eskimo.com/~scs/msb/oof/3/2.jpg
> This language was originally designed as a publication language
> only and looked different then; but once actually implemented,
> it was found highly suitable for some kinds of mathematical work.
> 3. In the days when the two dominant programming languages on this
> continent were COBOL and FORTRAN, this language was promoted by
> IBM as a common replacement for both:
> EXAMPLE : PROCEDURE OPTIONS (MAIN);
> /* Computes the mean and the number of values greater
> than the mean */
> GET LIST (N);
> IF N > 0 THEN BEGIN;
> DECLARE MEAN, A(N) DECIMAL FLOAT,
> SUM DEC FLOAT INITIAL(0), NUMBER FIXED INITIAL(0);
> GET LIST (A);
> DO I = 1 TO N;
> SUM = SUM + A(I);
> END;
> MEAN = SUM/N;
> DO I = 1 TO N;
> IF A(I) > MEAN THEN
> NUMBER = NUMBER + 1;
> END;
> PUT LIST ('MEAN=', MEAN,
> 'NUMBER GREATER THAN MEAN=', NUMBER);
> END EXAMPLE;
> * Sound
> 4. One string is vibrating at a fixed rate. A second string is
> vibrating at exactly 4 times that rate. In musical units,
> what is the difference in pitch between the two sounds?
> 5. What is the name of this phenomenon? When two objects naturally
> vibrate at the same frequency, the sound produced by one object
> causes the other to vibrate.
> * Concrete
> 7. Concrete is known for its strength and in particular its
> resistance to crushing. But what failing of concrete causes it
> to often be strengthened with steel bars?
> 8. Concrete manufacture was known to the ancient Romans, but had
> to be rediscovered in the 19th century. The British bricklayer
> who reinvented cement, one of concrete's principal ingredients,
> named his invention after a particular island because of the
> quality of stone quarried there. The name persists to this day.
> What is the island?
> * Botany
> 10. The organ of a flower that produces the male gamete, and consists
> of an anther and a filament, is called what?
> * Planets
> 13. Of the """9 planets""" in our solar system, which has the longest
> sidereal day? That is, it takes the most time to rotate on its
> own axis, relative to the stars.
> 14. Which of the """9 planets""" has the highest average density?
> 15. Which of the """9 planets""" has the most eccentric orbit? That is,
> it has the greatest proportionate variation in distance to the
> Sun from one end of the orbit to the other.
--
_______________________________________________________________________
Dan Blum to...@panix.com
"I wouldn't have believed it myself if I hadn't just made it up."
swp
Jul 11, 2021, 7:55:34 PM7/11/21
to
On Sunday, July 11, 2021 at 12:39:20 AM UTC-4, Mark Brader wrote:
> > These questions were written to be asked in Toronto on 1998-04-20, and
> > should be interpreted accordingly. All questions were written by
> > members of the Usual Suspects, but have been reformatted and may have
> > been retyped and/or edited by me. I will reveal the correct answers in
> > about 3 days.
> >
> > For further information, including an explanation of the """ notation
> > that may appear in these rounds, see my 2020-06-23 companion posting on
> > "Reposted Questions from the Canadian Inquisition (RQFTCI*)".
>
>
> This game included both an audio round and a video round as well as
> current events. That leaves 7 rounds that I can post, and your top
> 5 scores will be counted. Each round consists of 15 questions in
> 5 triples. I will post them in 3 sets: 2 rounds this time (plus the
> usual current-events-of-1998 excerpt), 3 next time, and then 2.
>
>
> ** Final, Round 1 - Current Events (excerpt)
>
> Answer these 1998 questions if you like for fun, but for no points.
>
> 1. This week two major American bank mergers were announced.
> Name any one of the four banks involved in these two deals.
bankamerica corp (now 'bank of america')
> > These questions were written to be asked in Toronto on 1998-04-20, and
> > should be interpreted accordingly. All questions were written by
> > members of the Usual Suspects, but have been reformatted and may have
> > been retyped and/or edited by me. I will reveal the correct answers in
> > about 3 days.
> >
> > For further information, including an explanation of the """ notation
> > that may appear in these rounds, see my 2020-06-23 companion posting on
> > "Reposted Questions from the Canadian Inquisition (RQFTCI*)".
>
>
> This game included both an audio round and a video round as well as
> current events. That leaves 7 rounds that I can post, and your top
> 5 scores will be counted. Each round consists of 15 questions in
> 5 triples. I will post them in 3 sets: 2 rounds this time (plus the
> usual current-events-of-1998 excerpt), 3 next time, and then 2.
>
>
> ** Final, Round 1 - Current Events (excerpt)
>
> Answer these 1998 questions if you like for fun, but for no points.
>
> 1. This week two major American bank mergers were announced.
> Name any one of the four banks involved in these two deals.
> 2. It was a good week for lawyer Clayton Ruby. First, he
> represented Friends of the Lubicon, who have been leading
> a consumer boycott, in a successful bid to prevent this
> Japanese paper firm from blocking it. What firm?
> 3. Ruby made it to the news again this week when he handed
> videotapes showing what controversial activity to the RCMP?
>
> I wrote two triples in each of the following rounds.
>
> ** Final, Round 2 - History
>
> * Enlightened Despots
>
> 1. This Holy Roman Emperor who ruled 1765-90 abolished serfdom
> and monasteries, emancipated the Jews, and tried to centralize
> the empire's government -- which led to revolts in Hungary and
> the Netherlands. Give his name and number.
> 2. This Prussian king who ruled 1740-86 was friends with Voltaire
> and Bach; reformed his kingdom's laws, army, and institutions;
> and started several destructive wars. Give his name and number,
> or name and nickname.
> 3. This Russian czar who ruled 1855-81 ended the Crimean War,
> abolished serfdom, released political prisoners, abolished
> whipping as a legal penalty, reformed education, and instituted
> local self-government -- before he was assassinated. Give his
> name and number.
>
> * Unlucky Figures in Mexican History
>
> 4. Who was the final Aztec king, captured by Cortés in 1521 and
> later killed? His name is the same as the first name of the
> """recently""" elected mayor of Mexico City.
> 5. Who was the Hapsburg archduke who was sent to Mexico as Emperor
> in 1864 by Napoleon III of France? He ruled for only 3 years
> and was executed by firing squad in 1867.
> 6. This parish priest was one of the instigators of the Mexican
> War of Independence. After some early successes, he was captured
> and executed in 1811, and his head was displayed publicly in a
> cage for several years. 10 years after his unfortunate demise,
> the revolution he had started finally prevailed with Mexican
> independence.
>
> * Indian History
>
> 7. Who served as the final British viceroy of India, completing
> his short term in 1948?
> 8. Which country invaded India in October 1962 and occupied
> territory disputed since 1957?
> 9. Who was Indira Gandhi's younger son and intended successor,
> who died in a plane crash in 1980?
>
> * Driving on the Left
>
> 10. Which Canadian province or future province was the last where
> people drove on the left side of the road; and, within 3 years,
> when did they change to driving on the right?
> 11. Decode the rot13 only after you are finished with #10.
> But until a few years after World War I, four of the nine
> provinces then existing had traffic driving on the left, and
> five on the right. Name *any two* of the four provinces where
> they drove on the left.
new brunswick, nova scotia
> 12. Which was the last country in continental Europe where people
> drove on the left, *and*, within 5 years, when did they stop
> doing it? (If you want to show off, for fun but for no extra
> points, give the exact date.)
>
> * World War II German Missiles
>
> 13. What does the V in the V-weapons stand for? Answer in English
> or German.
> 14. What city was the target for the greatest number of V-2 rockets?
> 15. The V-2 was developed at a research center usually known by
> the name of a nearby village. What name?
>
> ** Final, Round 3 - Science
>
> * Programming Languages
>
> In each case, name the computer programming language seen on the handout.
> All of the languages in this triple either were invented or saw their
> greatest usage in the 1960s.
>
> 1. Please see: http://www.eskimo.com/~scs/msb/oof/3/1.jpg
> This first one was used on this continent mostly as a publication
> language (that is, it was used to express algorithms in technical
> papers), as seen here; but in Europe it was widely used for
> actual programming.
> 2. Please see: http://www.eskimo.com/~scs/msb/oof/3/2.jpg
> This language was originally designed as a publication language
> only and looked different then; but once actually implemented,
> it was found highly suitable for some kinds of mathematical work.
> 3. In the days when the two dominant programming languages on this
> continent were COBOL and FORTRAN, this language was promoted by
> IBM as a common replacement for both:
>
> EXAMPLE : PROCEDURE OPTIONS (MAIN);
> /* Computes the mean and the number of values greater
> than the mean */
> GET LIST (N);
> IF N > 0 THEN BEGIN;
> DECLARE MEAN, A(N) DECIMAL FLOAT,
> SUM DEC FLOAT INITIAL(0), NUMBER FIXED INITIAL(0);
> GET LIST (A);
> DO I = 1 TO N;
> SUM = SUM + A(I);
> END;
> MEAN = SUM/N;
> DO I = 1 TO N;
> IF A(I) > MEAN THEN
> NUMBER = NUMBER + 1;
> END;
> PUT LIST ('MEAN=', MEAN,
> 'NUMBER GREATER THAN MEAN=', NUMBER);
> END EXAMPLE;
>
> * Sound
>
> 4. One string is vibrating at a fixed rate. A second string is
> vibrating at exactly 4 times that rate. In musical units,
> what is the difference in pitch between the two sounds?
> 5. What is the name of this phenomenon? When two objects naturally
> vibrate at the same frequency, the sound produced by one object
> causes the other to vibrate.
> 6. When two tones are played whose pitch is very close together but
> not the same, they alternately cancel and reinforce each other,
> causing a pulsating effect where the frequency of the pulsations
> equals the difference in the frequencies of the tones. What is
> this specific physical effect called?
>
> * Concrete
>
> 7. Concrete is known for its strength and in particular its
> resistance to crushing. But what failing of concrete causes it
> to often be strengthened with steel bars?
> 8. Concrete manufacture was known to the ancient Romans, but had
> to be rediscovered in the 19th century. The British bricklayer
> who reinvented cement, one of concrete's principal ingredients,
> named his invention after a particular island because of the
> quality of stone quarried there. The name persists to this day.
> What is the island?
> 9. As wet concrete dries, the cement hardens or "cures".
> What *chemical process* causes this effect?
>
> * Botany
>
> 10. The organ of a flower that produces the male gamete, and consists
> of an anther and a filament, is called what?
> 11. The layer between the xylem and the phloem in most plants,
> especially trees, that gives rise to new cells and is responsible
> for secondary (outward) growth, is called what?
> 12. The outer waxy or fatty coating on the external surface of many
> plants, especially the leaves, is called what?
>
> * Planets
>
> 13. Of the """9 planets""" in our solar system, which has the longest
> sidereal day? That is, it takes the most time to rotate on its
> own axis, relative to the stars.
> 14. Which of the """9 planets""" has the highest average density?
> 15. Which of the """9 planets""" has the most eccentric orbit? That is,
> it has the greatest proportionate variation in distance to the
> Sun from one end of the orbit to the other.
> --
> Mark Brader, Toronto Well, somebody had to be the pedant here!
> m...@vex.net -- David Keldsen
>
> My text in this article is in the public domain.
Dan Tilque
Jul 12, 2021, 7:14:19 AM7/12/21
to
On 7/10/21 9:39 PM, Mark Brader wrote:
>
> ** Final, Round 1 - Current Events (excerpt)
>
> Answer these 1998 questions if you like for fun, but for no points.
>
> 1. This week two major American bank mergers were announced.
> Name any one of the four banks involved in these two deals.
>
> 2. It was a good week for lawyer Clayton Ruby. First, he
> represented Friends of the Lubicon, who have been leading
> a consumer boycott, in a successful bid to prevent this
> Japanese paper firm from blocking it. What firm?
>
> 3. Ruby made it to the news again this week when he handed
> videotapes showing what controversial activity to the RCMP?
>
>
> I wrote two triples in each of the following rounds.
>
> ** Final, Round 2 - History
>
> * Enlightened Despots
>
> 1. This Holy Roman Emperor who ruled 1765-90 abolished serfdom
> and monasteries, emancipated the Jews, and tried to centralize
> the empire's government -- which led to revolts in Hungary and
> the Netherlands. Give his name and number.
>
> 2. This Prussian king who ruled 1740-86 was friends with Voltaire
> and Bach; reformed his kingdom's laws, army, and institutions;
> and started several destructive wars. Give his name and number,
> or name and nickname.
Frederick the Great
>
> ** Final, Round 1 - Current Events (excerpt)
>
> Answer these 1998 questions if you like for fun, but for no points.
>
> 1. This week two major American bank mergers were announced.
> Name any one of the four banks involved in these two deals.
>
> 2. It was a good week for lawyer Clayton Ruby. First, he
> represented Friends of the Lubicon, who have been leading
> a consumer boycott, in a successful bid to prevent this
> Japanese paper firm from blocking it. What firm?
>
> 3. Ruby made it to the news again this week when he handed
> videotapes showing what controversial activity to the RCMP?
>
>
> I wrote two triples in each of the following rounds.
>
> ** Final, Round 2 - History
>
> * Enlightened Despots
>
> 1. This Holy Roman Emperor who ruled 1765-90 abolished serfdom
> and monasteries, emancipated the Jews, and tried to centralize
> the empire's government -- which led to revolts in Hungary and
> the Netherlands. Give his name and number.
>
> 2. This Prussian king who ruled 1740-86 was friends with Voltaire
> and Bach; reformed his kingdom's laws, army, and institutions;
> and started several destructive wars. Give his name and number,
> or name and nickname.
>
> 3. This Russian czar who ruled 1855-81 ended the Crimean War,
> abolished serfdom, released political prisoners, abolished
> whipping as a legal penalty, reformed education, and instituted
> local self-government -- before he was assassinated. Give his
> name and number.
>
>
> * Unlucky Figures in Mexican History
>
> 4. Who was the final Aztec king, captured by Cortés in 1521 and
> later killed? His name is the same as the first name of the
> """recently""" elected mayor of Mexico City.
>
> 5. Who was the Hapsburg archduke who was sent to Mexico as Emperor
> in 1864 by Napoleon III of France? He ruled for only 3 years
> and was executed by firing squad in 1867.
>
> 6. This parish priest was one of the instigators of the Mexican
> War of Independence. After some early successes, he was captured
> and executed in 1811, and his head was displayed publicly in a
> cage for several years. 10 years after his unfortunate demise,
> the revolution he had started finally prevailed with Mexican
> independence.
>
>
> * Indian History
>
> 7. Who served as the final British viceroy of India, completing
> his short term in 1948?
>
> 8. Which country invaded India in October 1962 and occupied
> territory disputed since 1957?
>
> 9. Who was Indira Gandhi's younger son and intended successor,
> who died in a plane crash in 1980?
>
>
> * Driving on the Left
>
> 10. Which Canadian province or future province was the last where
> people drove on the left side of the road; and, within 3 years,
> when did they change to driving on the right?
>
> 11. Decode the rot13 only after you are finished with #10.
> Gur nafjre gb #10 jnf Arjsbhaqynaq, gur arjrfg cebivapr.
> Ohg hagvy n srj lrnef nsgre Jbeyq Jne V, sbhe bs gur avar
> cebivaprf gura rkvfgvat unq genssvp qevivat ba gur yrsg, naq
> svir ba gur evtug. Anzr *nal gjb* bs gur sbhe cebivaprf jurer
> gurl qebir ba gur yrsg.
>
> 12. Which was the last country in continental Europe where people
> drove on the left, *and*, within 5 years, when did they stop
> doing it? (If you want to show off, for fun but for no extra
> points, give the exact date.)
>
>
> * World War II German Missiles
>
> 13. What does the V in the V-weapons stand for? Answer in English
> or German.
>
> 14. What city was the target for the greatest number of V-2 rockets?
>
> 15. The V-2 was developed at a research center usually known by
> the name of a nearby village. What name?
>
>
> ** Final, Round 3 - Science
>
> * Programming Languages
>
> In each case, name the computer programming language seen on the handout.
> All of the languages in this triple either were invented or saw their
> greatest usage in the 1960s.
>
> 1. Please see: http://www.eskimo.com/~scs/msb/oof/3/1.jpg
> This first one was used on this continent mostly as a publication
> language (that is, it was used to express algorithms in technical
> papers), as seen here; but in Europe it was widely used for
> actual programming.
>
> 2. Please see: http://www.eskimo.com/~scs/msb/oof/3/2.jpg
> This language was originally designed as a publication language
> only and looked different then; but once actually implemented,
> it was found highly suitable for some kinds of mathematical work.
>
> 3. In the days when the two dominant programming languages on this
> continent were COBOL and FORTRAN, this language was promoted by
> IBM as a common replacement for both:
>
> EXAMPLE : PROCEDURE OPTIONS (MAIN);
> /* Computes the mean and the number of values greater
> than the mean */
> GET LIST (N);
> IF N > 0 THEN BEGIN;
> DECLARE MEAN, A(N) DECIMAL FLOAT,
> SUM DEC FLOAT INITIAL(0), NUMBER FIXED INITIAL(0);
> GET LIST (A);
> DO I = 1 TO N;
> SUM = SUM + A(I);
> END;
> MEAN = SUM/N;
> DO I = 1 TO N;
> IF A(I) > MEAN THEN
> NUMBER = NUMBER + 1;
> END;
> PUT LIST ('MEAN=', MEAN,
> 'NUMBER GREATER THAN MEAN=', NUMBER);
> END EXAMPLE;
>
>
> * Sound
>
> 4. One string is vibrating at a fixed rate. A second string is
> vibrating at exactly 4 times that rate. In musical units,
> what is the difference in pitch between the two sounds?
>
> 5. What is the name of this phenomenon? When two objects naturally
> vibrate at the same frequency, the sound produced by one object
> causes the other to vibrate.
>
> 6. When two tones are played whose pitch is very close together but
> not the same, they alternately cancel and reinforce each other,
> causing a pulsating effect where the frequency of the pulsations
> equals the difference in the frequencies of the tones. What is
> this specific physical effect called?
>
>
> * Concrete
>
> 7. Concrete is known for its strength and in particular its
> resistance to crushing. But what failing of concrete causes it
> to often be strengthened with steel bars?
>
> 8. Concrete manufacture was known to the ancient Romans, but had
> to be rediscovered in the 19th century. The British bricklayer
> who reinvented cement, one of concrete's principal ingredients,
> named his invention after a particular island because of the
> quality of stone quarried there. The name persists to this day.
> What is the island?
>
> 9. As wet concrete dries, the cement hardens or "cures".
> What *chemical process* causes this effect?
>
>
> * Botany
>
> 10. The organ of a flower that produces the male gamete, and consists
> of an anther and a filament, is called what?
>
> 11. The layer between the xylem and the phloem in most plants,
> especially trees, that gives rise to new cells and is responsible
> for secondary (outward) growth, is called what?
>
> 12. The outer waxy or fatty coating on the external surface of many
> plants, especially the leaves, is called what?
>
>
> * Planets
>
> 13. Of the """9 planets""" in our solar system, which has the longest
> sidereal day? That is, it takes the most time to rotate on its
> own axis, relative to the stars.
>
> 14. Which of the """9 planets""" has the highest average density?
>
> 15. Which of the """9 planets""" has the most eccentric orbit? That is,
> it has the greatest proportionate variation in distance to the
> Sun from one end of the orbit to the other.
--
Dan Tilque
Mark Brader
Jul 14, 2021, 12:00:54 AM7/14/21
to
Mark Brader:
NBD Corp. Stephen got this.
> 2. It was a good week for lawyer Clayton Ruby. First, he
> represented Friends of the Lubicon, who have been leading
> a consumer boycott, in a successful bid to prevent this
> Japanese paper firm from blocking it. What firm?
Daishowa Inc. Stephen got this.
> 3. Ruby made it to the news again this week when he handed
> videotapes showing what controversial activity to the RCMP?
Seal hunting. Stephen got this.
> I wrote two triples in each of the following rounds.
In the history round, I wrote questions #10-15.
In the science round, #1-3 and #13-15 were mine.
> ** Final, Round 2 - History
> * Enlightened Despots
Names are shown here in English spelling, but did not have to be
given that way.
> 1. This Holy Roman Emperor who ruled 1765-90 abolished serfdom
> and monasteries, emancipated the Jews, and tried to centralize
> the empire's government -- which led to revolts in Hungary and
> the Netherlands. Give his name and number.
Joseph (not Franz Joseph) II. 4 for Stephen.
In 2009 Erland queried the part about a revolt in the Netherlands.
This took place in 1788, apparently in the part of the Netherlands
that is now Belgium.
> 2. This Prussian king who ruled 1740-86 was friends with Voltaire
> and Bach; reformed his kingdom's laws, army, and institutions;
> and started several destructive wars. Give his name and number,
> or name and nickname.
Frederick II (or the Great). 4 for Erland, Dan Blum, Stephen,
and Dan Tilque.
> 3. This Russian czar who ruled 1855-81 ended the Crimean War,
> abolished serfdom, released political prisoners, abolished
> whipping as a legal penalty, reformed education, and instituted
> local self-government -- before he was assassinated. Give his
> name and number.
Alexander II. 4 for Joshua and Stephen.
> * Unlucky Figures in Mexican History
> 4. Who was the final Aztec king, captured by Cortés in 1521 and
> later killed? His name is the same as the first name of the
> """recently""" elected mayor of Mexico City.
Cuauhtémoc. 4 for Stephen.
If Wikipedia is correct, Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas's actual title was not
mayor but "head of government of the Federal District", and he held
the position only 2 years before resigning to run for higher office.
> 5. Who was the Hapsburg archduke who was sent to Mexico as Emperor
> in 1864 by Napoleon III of France? He ruled for only 3 years
> and was executed by firing squad in 1867.
(Ferdinand) Maximilian. 4 for Joshua, Dan Blum, Stephen,
and Dan Tilque.
> 6. This parish priest was one of the instigators of the Mexican
> War of Independence. After some early successes, he was captured
> and executed in 1811, and his head was displayed publicly in a
> cage for several years. 10 years after his unfortunate demise,
> the revolution he had started finally prevailed with Mexican
> independence.
Miguel Hidalgo (y Costilla). 4 for Stephen and Dan Tilque.
> * Indian History
> 7. Who served as the final British viceroy of India, completing
> his short term in 1948?
Lord Louis Mountbatten. 4 for Joshua, Dan Blum, Stephen,
and Dan Tilque.
If Wikipedia is correct, he was second cousin once removed of
Queen Elizabeth II and uncle of her late husband Prince Philip.
> 8. Which country invaded India in October 1962 and occupied
> territory disputed since 1957?
China. 4 for everyone -- Joshua, Erland, Dan Blum, Stephen,
and Dan Tilque.
> 9. Who was Indira Gandhi's younger son and intended successor,
> who died in a plane crash in 1980?
Sanjay Gandhi. 4 for Stephen.
After Sanjay died, his brother Rajiv Gandhi went into politics and
a few years later he became prime minister. Rahul Gandhi is *his*
son, also now a politician.
> * Driving on the Left
> 10. Which Canadian province or future province was the last where
> people drove on the left side of the road; and, within 3 years,
> when did they change to driving on the right?
Newfoundland (now called Newfoundland & Labrador), 1947 (accepting
1944-50). 4 for Stephen. 2 for Dan Blum.
It joined Canada in 1949.
> 11. Decode the rot13 only after you are finished with #10.
Edward Island in the east. 4 for Dan Blum, Stephen, and Dan Tilque.
> 12. Which was the last country in continental Europe where people
> drove on the left, *and*, within 5 years, when did they stop
> doing it? (If you want to show off, for fun but for no extra
> points, give the exact date.)
Sweden, 1967-09-03 (accepting 1962-72). 4 for Joshua, Erland
(who knew the exact date), Stephen, and Dan Tilque.
See:
http://miro.medium.com/max/1024/1*g1jkFKOb5KUjNYkIPblE3A.png
http://i.redd.it/le0k38t14oa61.jpg
> * World War II German Missiles
> 13. What does the V in the V-weapons stand for? Answer in English
> or German.
Reprisal, retaliation, recompense, revenge, vengeance, or
Vergeltung(swaffe). 4 for Stephen (the hard way) and Dan Tilque.
> 14. What city was the target for the greatest number of V-2 rockets?
Antwerp (or Anvers). 4 for Stephen.
This Belgian port was strategically important for supplying the
armies advancing on Germany; and since the Germans could only launch
the rockets from territory they still controlled, as they retreated
Antwerp remained within V-2 range longer than London did.
> 15. The V-2 was developed at a research center usually known by
> the name of a nearby village. What name?
Peenemünde. (Not Mittelwerk, the slave-labor factory where they
were produced.) 4 for Stephen and Dan Tilque.
> ** Final, Round 3 - Science
> * Programming Languages
> In each case, name the computer programming language seen on the handout.
> All of the languages in this triple either were invented or saw their
> greatest usage in the 1960s.
> 1. Please see: http://www.eskimo.com/~scs/msb/oof/3/1.jpg
> This first one was used on this continent mostly as a publication
> language (that is, it was used to express algorithms in technical
> papers), as seen here; but in Europe it was widely used for
> actual programming.
ALGOL. (Or specifically ALGOL 60.) 4 for Dan Blum, Stephen,
and Dan Tilque.
> 2. Please see: http://www.eskimo.com/~scs/msb/oof/3/2.jpg
> This language was originally designed as a publication language
> only and looked different then; but once actually implemented,
> it was found highly suitable for some kinds of mathematical work.
APL. 4 for Erland, Dan Blum, Stephen, and Dan Tilque.
As a publication language it looked like this:
http://aplwiki.com/images/1/1d/A_Formal_Description_of_System-360_page_258b.png
> 3. In the days when the two dominant programming languages on this
> continent were COBOL and FORTRAN, this language was promoted by
> IBM as a common replacement for both:
> EXAMPLE : PROCEDURE OPTIONS (MAIN);
> /* Computes the mean and the number of values greater
> than the mean */
> GET LIST (N);
> IF N > 0 THEN BEGIN;
> DECLARE MEAN, A(N) DECIMAL FLOAT,
> SUM DEC FLOAT INITIAL(0), NUMBER FIXED INITIAL(0);
> GET LIST (A);
> DO I = 1 TO N;
> SUM = SUM + A(I);
> END;
> MEAN = SUM/N;
> DO I = 1 TO N;
> IF A(I) > MEAN THEN
> NUMBER = NUMBER + 1;
> END;
> PUT LIST ('MEAN=', MEAN,
> 'NUMBER GREATER THAN MEAN=', NUMBER);
> END EXAMPLE;
PL/I. 4 for Erland, Dan Blum, Stephen, and Dan Tilque.
> * Sound
> 4. One string is vibrating at a fixed rate. A second string is
> vibrating at exactly 4 times that rate. In musical units,
> what is the difference in pitch between the two sounds?
2 octaves (or 12 tones or 24 semitones). 4 for Joshua, Erland,
Dan Blum, and Stephen.
> 5. What is the name of this phenomenon? When two objects naturally
> vibrate at the same frequency, the sound produced by one object
> causes the other to vibrate.
Resonance or sympathetic vibration. 4 for everyone.
> 6. When two tones are played whose pitch is very close together but
> not the same, they alternately cancel and reinforce each other,
> causing a pulsating effect where the frequency of the pulsations
> equals the difference in the frequencies of the tones. What is
> this specific physical effect called?
Beating. "Interference" was not specific enough. 4 for Stephen
and Dan Tilque.
> * Concrete
> 7. Concrete is known for its strength and in particular its
> resistance to crushing. But what failing of concrete causes it
> to often be strengthened with steel bars?
Low tensile strength" (easy to crack by pulling apart or stretching,
also by twisting or shearing). 4 for Dan Blum, Stephen,
and Dan Tilque.
> 8. Concrete manufacture was known to the ancient Romans, but had
> to be rediscovered in the 19th century. The British bricklayer
> who reinvented cement, one of concrete's principal ingredients,
> named his invention after a particular island because of the
> quality of stone quarried there. The name persists to this day.
> What is the island?
Portland. 4 for Dan Blum, Stephen, and Dan Tilque.
It's off the south coast of England, near Weymouth.
> 9. As wet concrete dries, the cement hardens or "cures".
> What *chemical process* causes this effect?
Hydration. 4 for Stephen.
The "drying" water is not evaporating but is bonding to the cement,
i.e. hydrating it.
> * Botany
> 10. The organ of a flower that produces the male gamete, and consists
> of an anther and a filament, is called what?
Stamen. 4 for Joshua, Dan Blum, and Stephen.
> 11. The layer between the xylem and the phloem in most plants,
> especially trees, that gives rise to new cells and is responsible
> for secondary (outward) growth, is called what?
Cambium. 4 for Stephen.
> 12. The outer waxy or fatty coating on the external surface of many
> plants, especially the leaves, is called what?
Cuticle. 4 for Stephen.
> * Planets
> 13. Of the """9 planets""" in our solar system, which has the longest
> sidereal day? That is, it takes the most time to rotate on its
> own axis, relative to the stars.
Venus. 4 for Erland, Dan Blum, Stephen, and Dan Tilque.
> 14. Which of the """9 planets""" has the highest average density?
Earth. 4 for Erland, Stephen, and Dan Tilque. 2 for Dan Blum.
> 15. Which of the """9 planets""" has the most eccentric orbit? That is,
> it has the greatest proportionate variation in distance to the
> Sun from one end of the orbit to the other.
1998 answer: Pluto. 2021 answer: It should be Eris, but thanks to
those silly IAU "dwarf planets", I'll have to discount that and
accept Mercury. 4 for Joshua, Dan Blum, Stephen (the hard way),
and Dan Tilque.
Scores, if there are no errors:
FINAL ROUNDS-> 2 3 TOTALS
TOPICS-> His Sci
Stephen Perry 60 60 120
Dan Tilque 36 40 76
Dan Blum 22 42 64
Erland Sommarskog 12 24 36
Joshua Kreitzer 20 16 36
Well done, Stephen!
--
Mark Brader, Toronto | "The only proven use of antimatter is the production
m...@vex.net | of Nobel Prizes in physics." -- Henry Spencer
> These questions were written to be asked in Toronto on 1998-04-20,
> and should be interpreted accordingly... For further information...
> see my 2020-06-23 companion posting on "Reposted Questions from
> the Canadian Inquisition (RQFTCI*)".
> This game included both an audio round and a video round as well as
> current events. That leaves 7 rounds that I can post, and your top
> 5 scores will be counted. Each round consists of 15 questions in
> 5 triples. I will post them in 3 sets: 2 rounds this time (plus the
> usual current-events-of-1998 excerpt), 3 next time, and then 2.
> ** Final, Round 1 - Current Events (excerpt)
> Answer these 1998 questions if you like for fun, but for no points.
> 1. This week two major American bank mergers were announced.
> Name any one of the four banks involved in these two deals.
BankAmerica Corp., NationsBank Corp., Banc One Corp., First Chicago
> the Canadian Inquisition (RQFTCI*)".
> This game included both an audio round and a video round as well as
> current events. That leaves 7 rounds that I can post, and your top
> 5 scores will be counted. Each round consists of 15 questions in
> 5 triples. I will post them in 3 sets: 2 rounds this time (plus the
> usual current-events-of-1998 excerpt), 3 next time, and then 2.
> ** Final, Round 1 - Current Events (excerpt)
> Answer these 1998 questions if you like for fun, but for no points.
> 1. This week two major American bank mergers were announced.
> Name any one of the four banks involved in these two deals.
NBD Corp. Stephen got this.
> 2. It was a good week for lawyer Clayton Ruby. First, he
> represented Friends of the Lubicon, who have been leading
> a consumer boycott, in a successful bid to prevent this
> Japanese paper firm from blocking it. What firm?
> 3. Ruby made it to the news again this week when he handed
> videotapes showing what controversial activity to the RCMP?
> I wrote two triples in each of the following rounds.
In the science round, #1-3 and #13-15 were mine.
> ** Final, Round 2 - History
> * Enlightened Despots
given that way.
> 1. This Holy Roman Emperor who ruled 1765-90 abolished serfdom
> and monasteries, emancipated the Jews, and tried to centralize
> the empire's government -- which led to revolts in Hungary and
> the Netherlands. Give his name and number.
In 2009 Erland queried the part about a revolt in the Netherlands.
This took place in 1788, apparently in the part of the Netherlands
that is now Belgium.
> 2. This Prussian king who ruled 1740-86 was friends with Voltaire
> and Bach; reformed his kingdom's laws, army, and institutions;
> and started several destructive wars. Give his name and number,
> or name and nickname.
and Dan Tilque.
> 3. This Russian czar who ruled 1855-81 ended the Crimean War,
> abolished serfdom, released political prisoners, abolished
> whipping as a legal penalty, reformed education, and instituted
> local self-government -- before he was assassinated. Give his
> name and number.
> * Unlucky Figures in Mexican History
> 4. Who was the final Aztec king, captured by Cortés in 1521 and
> later killed? His name is the same as the first name of the
> """recently""" elected mayor of Mexico City.
If Wikipedia is correct, Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas's actual title was not
mayor but "head of government of the Federal District", and he held
the position only 2 years before resigning to run for higher office.
> 5. Who was the Hapsburg archduke who was sent to Mexico as Emperor
> in 1864 by Napoleon III of France? He ruled for only 3 years
> and was executed by firing squad in 1867.
and Dan Tilque.
> 6. This parish priest was one of the instigators of the Mexican
> War of Independence. After some early successes, he was captured
> and executed in 1811, and his head was displayed publicly in a
> cage for several years. 10 years after his unfortunate demise,
> the revolution he had started finally prevailed with Mexican
> independence.
> * Indian History
> 7. Who served as the final British viceroy of India, completing
> his short term in 1948?
and Dan Tilque.
If Wikipedia is correct, he was second cousin once removed of
Queen Elizabeth II and uncle of her late husband Prince Philip.
> 8. Which country invaded India in October 1962 and occupied
> territory disputed since 1957?
and Dan Tilque.
> 9. Who was Indira Gandhi's younger son and intended successor,
> who died in a plane crash in 1980?
After Sanjay died, his brother Rajiv Gandhi went into politics and
a few years later he became prime minister. Rahul Gandhi is *his*
son, also now a politician.
> * Driving on the Left
> 10. Which Canadian province or future province was the last where
> people drove on the left side of the road; and, within 3 years,
> when did they change to driving on the right?
1944-50). 4 for Stephen. 2 for Dan Blum.
It joined Canada in 1949.
> 11. Decode the rot13 only after you are finished with #10.
> The answer to #10 was Newfoundland, the newest province.
> But until a few years after World War I, four of the nine
> provinces then existing had traffic driving on the left, and
> five on the right. Name *any two* of the four provinces where
> they drove on the left.
British Columbia in the west; New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince
> But until a few years after World War I, four of the nine
> provinces then existing had traffic driving on the left, and
> five on the right. Name *any two* of the four provinces where
> they drove on the left.
Edward Island in the east. 4 for Dan Blum, Stephen, and Dan Tilque.
> 12. Which was the last country in continental Europe where people
> drove on the left, *and*, within 5 years, when did they stop
> doing it? (If you want to show off, for fun but for no extra
> points, give the exact date.)
(who knew the exact date), Stephen, and Dan Tilque.
See:
http://miro.medium.com/max/1024/1*g1jkFKOb5KUjNYkIPblE3A.png
http://i.redd.it/le0k38t14oa61.jpg
> * World War II German Missiles
> 13. What does the V in the V-weapons stand for? Answer in English
> or German.
Vergeltung(swaffe). 4 for Stephen (the hard way) and Dan Tilque.
> 14. What city was the target for the greatest number of V-2 rockets?
This Belgian port was strategically important for supplying the
armies advancing on Germany; and since the Germans could only launch
the rockets from territory they still controlled, as they retreated
Antwerp remained within V-2 range longer than London did.
> 15. The V-2 was developed at a research center usually known by
> the name of a nearby village. What name?
were produced.) 4 for Stephen and Dan Tilque.
> ** Final, Round 3 - Science
> * Programming Languages
> In each case, name the computer programming language seen on the handout.
> All of the languages in this triple either were invented or saw their
> greatest usage in the 1960s.
> 1. Please see: http://www.eskimo.com/~scs/msb/oof/3/1.jpg
> This first one was used on this continent mostly as a publication
> language (that is, it was used to express algorithms in technical
> papers), as seen here; but in Europe it was widely used for
> actual programming.
and Dan Tilque.
> 2. Please see: http://www.eskimo.com/~scs/msb/oof/3/2.jpg
> This language was originally designed as a publication language
> only and looked different then; but once actually implemented,
> it was found highly suitable for some kinds of mathematical work.
As a publication language it looked like this:
http://aplwiki.com/images/1/1d/A_Formal_Description_of_System-360_page_258b.png
> 3. In the days when the two dominant programming languages on this
> continent were COBOL and FORTRAN, this language was promoted by
> IBM as a common replacement for both:
> EXAMPLE : PROCEDURE OPTIONS (MAIN);
> /* Computes the mean and the number of values greater
> than the mean */
> GET LIST (N);
> IF N > 0 THEN BEGIN;
> DECLARE MEAN, A(N) DECIMAL FLOAT,
> SUM DEC FLOAT INITIAL(0), NUMBER FIXED INITIAL(0);
> GET LIST (A);
> DO I = 1 TO N;
> SUM = SUM + A(I);
> END;
> MEAN = SUM/N;
> DO I = 1 TO N;
> IF A(I) > MEAN THEN
> NUMBER = NUMBER + 1;
> END;
> PUT LIST ('MEAN=', MEAN,
> 'NUMBER GREATER THAN MEAN=', NUMBER);
> END EXAMPLE;
> * Sound
> 4. One string is vibrating at a fixed rate. A second string is
> vibrating at exactly 4 times that rate. In musical units,
> what is the difference in pitch between the two sounds?
Dan Blum, and Stephen.
> 5. What is the name of this phenomenon? When two objects naturally
> vibrate at the same frequency, the sound produced by one object
> causes the other to vibrate.
> 6. When two tones are played whose pitch is very close together but
> not the same, they alternately cancel and reinforce each other,
> causing a pulsating effect where the frequency of the pulsations
> equals the difference in the frequencies of the tones. What is
> this specific physical effect called?
and Dan Tilque.
> * Concrete
> 7. Concrete is known for its strength and in particular its
> resistance to crushing. But what failing of concrete causes it
> to often be strengthened with steel bars?
also by twisting or shearing). 4 for Dan Blum, Stephen,
and Dan Tilque.
> 8. Concrete manufacture was known to the ancient Romans, but had
> to be rediscovered in the 19th century. The British bricklayer
> who reinvented cement, one of concrete's principal ingredients,
> named his invention after a particular island because of the
> quality of stone quarried there. The name persists to this day.
> What is the island?
It's off the south coast of England, near Weymouth.
> 9. As wet concrete dries, the cement hardens or "cures".
> What *chemical process* causes this effect?
The "drying" water is not evaporating but is bonding to the cement,
i.e. hydrating it.
> * Botany
> 10. The organ of a flower that produces the male gamete, and consists
> of an anther and a filament, is called what?
> 11. The layer between the xylem and the phloem in most plants,
> especially trees, that gives rise to new cells and is responsible
> for secondary (outward) growth, is called what?
> 12. The outer waxy or fatty coating on the external surface of many
> plants, especially the leaves, is called what?
> * Planets
> 13. Of the """9 planets""" in our solar system, which has the longest
> sidereal day? That is, it takes the most time to rotate on its
> own axis, relative to the stars.
> 14. Which of the """9 planets""" has the highest average density?
> 15. Which of the """9 planets""" has the most eccentric orbit? That is,
> it has the greatest proportionate variation in distance to the
> Sun from one end of the orbit to the other.
those silly IAU "dwarf planets", I'll have to discount that and
accept Mercury. 4 for Joshua, Dan Blum, Stephen (the hard way),
and Dan Tilque.
Scores, if there are no errors:
FINAL ROUNDS-> 2 3 TOTALS
TOPICS-> His Sci
Stephen Perry 60 60 120
Dan Tilque 36 40 76
Dan Blum 22 42 64
Erland Sommarskog 12 24 36
Joshua Kreitzer 20 16 36
Well done, Stephen!
--
Mark Brader, Toronto | "The only proven use of antimatter is the production
m...@vex.net | of Nobel Prizes in physics." -- Henry Spencer
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