Extemp Central News Quiz

Extemp Central News Quiz for the Week of February 3-9, 2025

Here is this week’s news quiz! Good luck!

2025 James Logan MLK Invitational: Zwonitzer’s Dominant Win Makes National Points Race History; Guo and Zheng Fight to Split Decision in U.S. Extemp

The West Coast Swing of the 2024-2025 Extemp Central National Points Race began several weeks ago over Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend when James Logan High School hosted its annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Invitational.  77 extempers competed in International Extemp and 72 competed in United States Extemp, with most competitors coming from California.

National Points Race history was made in International Extemp when Sadie Zwonitzer of Cheyenne East High School (WY) beat #9 Daphne Kalir-Starr of the College Preparatory School (CA), becoming the first Wyoming extemper to ever win a National Points Race tournament.  The outcome was not close as Zwonitzer won the cumulative tournament by ten ranks and won the final round by five.

Kalir-Starr, who was the highest ranked extemper in the James Logan field of either extemp category and made her third National Points Race final round this year, finished one rank ahead of third place finisher Andrew Park of Archbishop Mitty High School (CA).

In United States Extemp, Maximilian Guo of BASIS Silicon Valley (CA) won a two-rank decision over Andrew Zheng of Acalanes High School (CA).  Zheng, who was the best overall extemper at the tournament by also finishing seventh in International Extemp, won the final round by three ranks, winning three of the five available first place ranks.

The race for third place in United States Extemp was close as Ali Malik of Monta Vista High School (CA) defeated Natalia San Lucas of Gabrielino High School (CA) by one rank.  Malik and San Lucas tied in the final round.

Several notables who finished well in other parts of the tournament included a fifth place finish in International Extemp by Joy Hu of the Harker School (CA) and a semi-finalist placing in International Extemp by #22 Brandon Cheng of Flintridge Preparatory School (CA).

Bellarmine College Preparatory (CA) turned in a strong finish as a school, placing an extemper in the International Extemp final round and four additional semi-finalists.

This year’s James Logan MLK Invitational was a fifth tier event in the National Points Race so the only extempers who will earn points are the top six finishers.  Zwonitzer and Guo will receive 40 points for winning their respective extemp categories.

Here are the results of the 2025 James Logan MLK Invitational (Click here for tab sheet):

US Extemp Hot Topics

HotTopics: United States Extemp Questions for the Week of February 3-9, 2025

  1. Does the Democratic Party need a rebrand?
  2. Are Trump’s chaotic flurry of executive orders the new normal?
  3. Will egg prices get even higher in 2025?
  4. Did U.S. markets overreact to DeepSeek?
  5. What impact will Trump’s tariff wars have on U.S. foreign policy?
  6. How safe is American aviation?
  7. What should be Ken Martin’s next steps as DNC chair?
  8. Are U.S. fears of Chinese influence in Panama overstated?
  9. Does the U.S. need a missile defense system?
  10. How would massive federal layoffs affect the private sector workforce?
Extemp Hot Topics

HotTopics: International Extemp Questions for the Week of February 3-9, 2025

  1. How would the end of PEPFAR affect global health?
  2. Will the departure of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger hurt Ecowas?
  3. Should Rwanda be sanctioned for supporting M23 rebels?
  4. Why are many African power grids in poor shape?
  5. Should Egyptian leaders fear a Syria-like uprising?
  6. Will U.S. tariffs against Canada provide a boost to the Liberals electoral fortunes?
  7. Is it too late to stop Iran from getting a nuclear weapon?
  8. How far to the right will Germany’s next government lean?
  9. Has Western Europe become too weak to be an effective world leader?
  10. Is the world in the midst of a “red tape” revolution?

Site News: No News Quiz This Week

I’ve been battling the flu at the end of last week and early this week.  As a result, I will not be able to put together the news quiz for Wednesday due to other work-related responsibilities that need attention/be caught up on.  I will make an effort to get some updated results out on the James Logan MLK Invitational and Barkley Forum before the end of the week.  Then, we will update the National Points Race before Stanford.

Remember that the Stanford tournament is online this year, so this will provide a way for all extempers across the country to earn National Points Race points and was a reason Stanford was upgraded from a fifth to fourth tier event.

Extemp Hot Topics

HotTopics: International Extemp Questions for the Week of January 27-February 2, 2025

  1. Why have democratic activists failed in Belarus?
  2. How will U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord impact the global fight against climate change?
  3. What does Syria need to do to be ready to welcome back its refugees?
  4. Is Mexico doing enough to combat fentanyl trafficking?
  5. How will an arrest order against Evo Morales impact the next Bolivian presidential election?
  6. What is most responsible for Macron’s low popularity ratings?
  7. Is South Africa’s land seizure law a mistake?
  8. How much of a threat is Lakurawa to Nigeria’s national security?
  9. Is there any significance in the ICC’s pursuit of arrest warrants for the Taliban’s leadership?
  10. How important is Lula da Silva to the Brazilian political left?
US Extemp Hot Topics

HotTopics: United States Extemp Questions for the Week of January 27-February 2, 2025

  1. What will be the domestic implications of the U.S. withdrawing from the World Health Organization (WHO)?
  2. Were Biden’s pre-emptive pardons necessary?
  3. Is the American dream dying?
  4. How will forced departures at the State Department impact U.S. foreign policy?
  5. Does DOGE violate federal transparency laws?
  6. Will Musk and Trump eventually have a falling out?
  7. Which of Trump’s cabinet members will last the shortest amount of time in his administration?
  8. Will California’s secessionist movement go anywhere?
  9. Would it be wise for New York City Mayor Eric Adams to embrace MAGA?
  10. Should the U.S. be more stingy with foreign aid?
Extemp Central News Quiz

Extemp Central News Quiz for the Week of January 20-26, 2025

Here is this week’s news quiz! Good luck!

US Extemp Hot Topics

HotTopics: United States Extemp Questions for the Week of January 20-26, 2025

  1. Was 2024 a bad year for progressive policy goals?
  2. Is Andrew Cuomo positioning himself for a run for New York City mayor?
  3. Can the U.S. budget deficit be solved only through cuts to the federal government’s workforce?
  4. Has the U.S. federal government been too involved or not enough in boosting the EV market?
  5. Are Donald Trump’s statements about expanding American territory a way to distract voters from domestic problems?
  6. What is a problem that the U.S. federal government must solve in 2025?
  7. Will Democrats regain the Virginia governorship this fall?
  8. Has Israel’s war in Gaza strengthened or weakened U.S. national security?
  9. How far with Trump’s deportation scheme go?
  10. Has the ERA become the 28th Amendment?
Extemp Hot Topics

HotTopics: International Extemp Questions for the Week of January 20-26, 2025

  1. Who will be the next global dictator to fall?
  2. What can stop Sudan’s genocide?
  3. Will political instability in Syria exacerbate tensions between Turkey and Syria’s Kurdish peoples?
  4. Should Urrutia return to Venezuela?
  5. Will the Gaza ceasefire lead to a lasting peace between Israel and Hamas?
  6. What does BRICS membership mean for Nigeria?
  7. Why has the British Conservative Party lost ground to Reform UK?
  8. Is outsourcing strengthening or weakening developed economies?
  9. Have the Houthis become the most powerful non-state actor in the Middle East?
  10. Is Cuba a state sponsor of terrorism?
Extemp Central News Quiz

Extemp Central News Quiz for the Week of January 13-19, 2025

Here is this the second news quiz of 2025! Good luck!

Extemp Hot Topics

HotTopics: International Extemp Questions for the Week of January 13-19, 2025

  1. What percentage of the vote will the AfD win in the German federal elections?
  2. Is Russian influence growing in Central Europe?
  3. Should Indonesian try to become a global EV exporter?
  4. Is AUKUS working?
  5. Can the EU do much to prevent Elon Musk’s involvement in European politics?
  6. Who should be the next leader of Canada’s Liberal Party?
  7. What should Denmark do with Greenland?
  8. How should Panama respond to U.S. President-elect Trump’s rhetoric about the Panama Canal?
  9. Is ISIS a bigger threat today than it was a decade ago?
  10. Will 2025 be the year that the Russo-Ukrainian War comes to an end?
US Extemp Hot Topics

HotTopics: United States Extemp Questions for the Week of January 13-19, 2025

  1. Are right-wing forces winning the American culture war?
  2. Is the U.S. reward for the arrest or conviction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro counterproductive?
  3. Has Senator John Fetterman become another Krysten Sinema?
  4. Will the Supreme Court rule against Tik Tok?
  5. What will be President Biden’s legacy?
  6. How will the Los Angeles fires affect national home insurance rates?
  7. What is the future of the First Amendment in an age of disinformation?
  8. Should Democrats make Governor Gavin Newsom the voice of “resistance” to a new Trump administration?
  9. Will more U.S. cities copy New York City’s congestion pricing model?
  10. What would be the implications of the U.S. retaking the Panama Canal with military force?
National Points Race

2024-2025 Extemp Central National Points Race: New Standings Reflect the Montgomery Bell Academy Extemp Round Robin!

New standings for the 2024-2025 Extemp Central National Points Race are have been posted to reflect the results of the 2025 Montgomery Bell Academy Extemp Round Robin.  Check them out by clicking here or the “Natl Points Race” tab above.

MBA provided a few small changes in the standings but Robert Zhang of Elkins High School (TX) maintains the top spot, now possessing a 98 point leader over MBA winner and fellow Texan Waleed Haider of Hendrickson High School (TX).

The next National Points Race event will be in two weeks when James Logan High School in Union City, California hosts its MLK Invitational.  It will be a fifth tier event, awarding points to the finalists of International Extemp and United States Extemp.

Extemp Central News Quiz

Extemp Central News Quiz for the Week of January 6-12, 2025

Here is this the first news quiz of 2025! Good luck!

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