<img src="https://extemp.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/cropped-Extemp-Central-Horiztonal.png"> Extemp Central

On June 9, 2025

Note: These are our last questions for the 2025-2026 season. New questions will be posted in early August.

What should be done with immigration in this era of Trump?
Should the Federal Reserve have more power over the U.S. economy?
If you were a Republican candidate running for the Senate in 2026, how would you navigate the “MAGA Powers” explosion between Trump and Musk?
Is ranked choice voting accomplishing its objectives?
Would Obergefell v. Hodges survive judicial scrutiny under the current Supreme Court?
To what extent should the National Guard be used to quell instances of domestic unrest in the United States?
Is there a growing divide between the activities and expectations of K-12 education and higher education?
Will the recent House settlement survive future legal challenge?
Is the U.S. economy headed toward an uncomfortable summer?
To what degree should preventing terrorism still factor into U.S. national security strategy?

HotTopics: United States Extemp Questions for the Week of June 2-8, 2025

On June 2, 2025

Is the U.S. military prepared to fight the wars of the 21st century?
Has President Trump made unwise use of his pardon power?
Is the Big Beautiful Bill a setback in the drive for universal healthcare?
Are fears of an “AI job apocalypse” overstated?
Has the Trump administration’s anti-DEI push been a blow to the humanities?
What should an American alliance in Asia to counter China look like?
Will restrictions on international student applications worsen the fiscal situation for American universities?
Did Elon Musk accomplish his aims while working with the Trump administration?
Will NOAA budget cuts make the U.S. unprepared for hurricane season?
Who will win the Democratic primary for New York City mayor?

HotTopics: International Extemp Questions for the Week of June 2-8, 2025

On June 2, 2025

Is the political dominance of Alassane Ouattara making threatening Côte d’Ivoire’s future?
How would a Chinese invasion of Taiwan affect the defense spending of surrounding Asian nations?
Are international sanctions on Russia harsh enough?
How can Canada better allow people access to a family doctor?
Does the British Labour Party’s shift on migrant policy signal a broader shift by left-wing parties in Europe on the issue?
How vulnerable is South Korea’s democracy?
Is Nigeria’s government becoming less inclusive?
How can Zimbabwe best dig itself out of its debt crisis?
Are Western countries losing the global culture war?
Should Venezuela’s political opposition continue boycotting elections?

Extemper’s Bible Speech Review Service!

On May 28, 2025

In Site News

Looking for some extra assistance before the NSDA National Tournament? Our friends at the Extemper’s Bible have launched a speech review service to provide high quality critiques to competitors from across the country!

As per the Extemper’s Bible staff, “the service is pretty simple: competitors submit a link to the speech on a form, include parts they would like feedback on, and then receive the personalized reviews within two weeks.”

Check out their flyer below and/or click on the link above to find out more about it.

HotTopics: International Extemp Questions for the Week of May 26-June 1, 2025

On May 26, 2025

Who is best positioned to win the Polish presidential runoff?
Will his White House argument with Donald Trump boost Cyril Ramaphosa’s domestic standing?
Is the UK-EU trade agreement a win for both sides?
Will Israel’s actions in Gaza do lasting damage to its relationship with the United States?
Was China the biggest winner of the recent tensions between India and Pakistan?
Should secularism remain a core tenet of French national identity?
Will an expansion of nuclear power be needed to fuel AI development?
Should export-led growth remain Vietnam’s economic strategy?
Will whomever wins the AI race “control the world”?
How effective is ASEAN at confronting challenges in Southeast Asia?

HotTopics: United States Extemp Questions for the Week of May 26-June 1, 2025

On May 26, 2025

How should U.S. policymakers respond to the downgrading of America’s debt?
Is the Trump administration helping or lessening the chances of a peace deal in Ukraine?
Have questions about President Biden’s mental fitness after the 2024 election done lasting damage to the mainstream media’s credibility?
Is there too much pessimism in American culture?
How important is South Africa in U.S. foreign policy toward the African continent?
Should the Democratic Party make adjustments to its 2028 presidential calendar?
How much should the U.S. invest in missile defense technology?
Will the Big Beautiful Bill create an ugly America?
Should there be more federal investigations of Tesla’s marketing of self-driving features?
If the federal government exited student loans would it make higher education cheaper?

2024-2025 Extemp Central National Points Race: New Standings Reflect All the TOC Tournaments!

On May 22, 2025

In National Points Race

New standings for the 2024-2025 Extemp Central National Points Race are have been posted! These reflects the results of the various Tournament of Champions (TOC) events in April and May: the University of Kentucky TOC, Extemp TOC, and the National Individual Events TOC. Check them out by clicking here or the “Natl Points Race” tab above.

There is a new National Points Race leader as Extemp TOC champion Daphne Kalir-Starr of the College Preparatory School (CA) now has a slim 2 point lead over former points leader Robert Zhang of Elkins High School (TX). Zhang was inactive during the TOC swing, contributing to his fall from the top spot.

No rest exists for the weary in the post-season as this weekend’s National Catholic Forensic League (NCFL) Grand National Tournament takes place in Chicago. It is the second to last stop in this year’s National Points Race, awarding 150 points to the national champion and points to all elimination round participants.

2025 NIETOC: Williams Becomes First Kansas Extemper to Win a National Points Race Tournament; Gorty Wins Final Round

On May 22, 2025

In National Circuit Results

This year’s National Individual Events Tournament of Champions (NIETOC), counting for the first time as a National Points Race event, took place at Liberty North High School in Kansas City, Missouri. The tournament rotates host sites each year. More than 100 extempers from around the country attended, providing one of the bigger fields in the country this year.

Anwen Williams of Lawrence Free State High School (KS) won the tournament, defeating #21 Pranav Gorty of Plano East Senior High School (TX) by three ranks. The tournament was tabbed cumulatively and Gorty won the final round. However, Gorty did not win the final round by enough ranks to win the championship. Williams’ victory was assisted by drawing three first place ranks in the final round, more than any other competitor. She is the first Kansas extemper to win a National Points Race tournament.

A few ranks behind Gorty was the third place finisher Rehan Buvvaji of Plano West Senior High School (TX).

#3 Daphne Kalir-Starr made the final round, joining Gorty as extempers to reach the last round of all the TOC post-season tournaments. Kalir-Starr placed fourth, the same finish that she had at the UK TOC in late April.

The geographically diverse final round, which included extempers from five states, was rounded out by Alyson Johnson of Willmar High School (MN) and Fiona Macdonald of Denver East High School (CO), who were fifth and sixth, respectively.

#1 Robert Zhang of Elkins High School (TX) was the defending champion but did not attend to defend his title.

Several other ranked extempers were in the field and cleared to elimination rounds. #19 Aparna Iyer of Ridge High School (NJ) reached quarter-finals and #12 Andrew Zheng of the Harker School (CA) was an octa-finalist finisher.

The NIETOC was a fourth tier event, so all extempers who reached semi-finals will earn points. For winning the tournament Williams will receive 70 points.

Here are the results of the 2025 National Individual Events Tournament of Champions (Click here for tab sheet):

Extemp Central News Quiz for the Week of May 19-25, 2025

On May 21, 2025

In Quiz

Note: This is the last news quiz of the 2024-2025 season. New quizzes will begin the first full week of September.

Here this week’s news quiz! Good luck!

2025 Extemp TOC: Kalir-Starr Continues Second Semester Run and Wins Championship

On May 20, 2025

In Extemp TOC, National Circuit Results

While many students around the country were gearing up for Advanced Placement (AP) exams and graduation, Northwestern University hosted the twenty-second edition of the Tournament of Champions (TOC) in Extemporaneous Speaking from May 2-4. 36 extempers made the trip to Evanston for the year’s second post-season tournament.

#3 Daphne Kalir-Starr of the College Preparatory School (CA) won her first National Points Race event of the season, defeating Boyana Nikolova of Irondale High School (MN) by three ranks in the final round. Since the TOC is a fourth tier event, Kalir-Starr will receive 70 points for the win and this finish gets her into the mix of potential National Points Race winners.

The seven judge final round panel was split in awarding their first place ranks among the top three competitors. #5 Rowan Seipp of A&M Consolidated High School (TX) won three of those first place ranks, more than any other competitor, but still finished six ranks back of Kalir-Starr for the title, having to settle for third place.

Six ranks back of Seipp was Sophia Amundgaard of Stillwater High School (MN), reaching her first National Points Race final round of the season.

Plano East Senior High School (TX) teammates #21 Pranav Gorty and Arya Gurumukhi were fifth and sixth, respectively.

There were a few ranked competitors who reached the semi-final round as well and will also receive National Points Race points. These include #9 Sahana Srikanth of Mason High School (OH), #23 Kajal Parmar of Cary Academy (NC), and #25 Ishika Kothari of Plano East.

Here are the results of the 2025 Tournament of Champions in Extemporaneous Speaking:

HotTopics: United States Extemp Questions for the Week of May 19-25, 2025

On May 19, 2025

Is a transaction-like foreign policy bad for the United States or a needed pivot?
Should Senator John Fetterman change parties?
What is the current state of the U.S. jobs market?
Would a U.S. migrant deportation accord with Rwanda violate the U.S. Constitution?
Should President Trump refuse Qatar’s 747 gift?
Would it be a mistake for the DNC to remove David Hogg as a vice chair?
Does the GOP tax bill undermine fiscal conservatives?
Will Governor Gavin Newsom’s pivot right pay off?
Does the U.S. deserve a higher credit rating?
Will price increases from tariffs be short-term or long lasting?

HotTopics: International Extemp Questions for the Week of May 19-25, 2025

On May 19, 2025

Is Pan-Africanism growing?
Should Turkey issue an amnesty for all PKK prisoners?
Will the Starmer plan to reduce migration to the UK succeed?
Can Sussan Ley guide Australia’s Liberals back to power?
Will Israel’s war in Gaza only end with more American pressure?
Does the EU have the power to suffocate Russia’s economy?
What precedents did India and Pakistan recently create for the next conflict between them?
Will Russia’s war in Ukraine have an impact on voter behavior in the Polish presidential election?
Is the revocation of legal status for the TPLF a serious threat to the Ethiopia-Tigray peace deal?
Why is it becoming difficult for Portugal to establish a stable government?

Extemp Central News Quiz for the Week of May 12-18, 2025

On May 14, 2025

In Quiz

Here this week’s news quiz! Good luck!

HotTopics: International Extemp Questions for the Week of May 12-18, 2025

On May 12, 2025