Month: December 2011

2012 Montgomery Bell Academy Extemp Round Robin Field is Finalized

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On December 18, 2011

In MBA Coverage

Here is your finalized 2012 MBA Extemp Round Robin field, the first to include twenty participants:

Emily Bell – Ladue Horton Watkins High School (Saint Louis, Missouri)
Abhishek Bhargava – Jackson High School (Massillon, Ohio)
Joseph Calder – Cary Academy (Cary, North Carolina)
Henry Chapman – Millburn High School (Millburn, New Jersey)
John Cherian – Bellarmine College Preparatory School (San Jose, California)
Ben Constine – Yorktown High School (Arlington, Virginia)
Chase Harrison – Millburn High School (Millburn, New Jersey)
Teagan Lende – Ronald Davies High School (Fargo, North Dakota)
Nathan Leys – Theodore Roosevelt High School (Des Moines, Iowa)
Bill McDonald – Brophy College Preparatory School (Phoenix, Arizona)
Lily Nellans – Theodore Roosevelt High School (Des Moines, Iowa)
Alessandro Pauri – Flower Mound High School (Flower Mound, Texas)
Matt Rauen – Pennsbury High School (Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania)
Karthik Sastry – Montgomery Bell Academy (Nashville, Tennessee)
Jason Singh – Green Valley High School (Henderson, Nevada)
Vijay Singh – Bellarmine College Preparatory School (San Jose, California)
Zachary Stone – Plano West Senior High School (Plano, Texas)
Isabelle Taft – Grady High School (Atlanta, Georgia)
Alex Wasdahl – Jackson High School (Massillon, Ohio)
Kelly Wu – Leland High School (San Jose, California)

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HotTopics: United States Extemp Questions for the Week of December 13th-19th, 2011

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On December 14, 2011

In U.S. Extemp, Weekly Questions

1.  How should the U.S. respond if North Korea imploded?
2.  Why did the U.S. teen birthrate hit a record low in 2010?
3.  Have Americans tuned out Sarah Palin?
4.  Was the Federal Reserve’s decision to “check” on the economy a good one?
5.  Does the election of Roy Blunt as vice chairman of the GOP conference signify that the Tea Party has waning political clout in Washington D.C.?
6.  Would a drawn out GOP primary improve President Obama’s chances of winning re-election?
7.  How will history view the Iraq war?
8.  Should all states adopt bans on the use of cellphones while driving?
9.  Will the GOP and President Obama agree to a payroll tax cut extension?
10.  Why is Ron Paul surging in Iowa?

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Extemp Central News Quiz Answers for the Week of December 12th-18th, 2011

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On December 14, 2011

In Quiz

Here are your answers to his week’s Extemp Central news quiz, the last of 2011.  Good luck!

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Breaking News: MBA to Enlarge the Field to Twenty for this Year’s Round Robin

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On December 13, 2011

In MBA Coverage

In news that has just been announced by MBA Extemp Round Robin Tournament Director Adam Johnson, this year’s MBA Extemp Round Robin field will host twenty instead of the usual sixteen competitors because this is the thirtieth anniversary of the MBA Round Robin tournament (although extemp was introduced starting in 1999), thereby creating the largest assembly of extempers in tournament history.  The plan for the tournament is that each of the competitors will hit each other once in the first six rounds.  After this point, the tournament will break into two divisions, one featuring the top eight extempers and the other featuring the bottom twelve.  The tournament will recognize the top eight extempers at awards, although five will still make the Exhibition Round on Sunday, and there will be a consolation champion for the extemper that wins from the round robin in the bottom twelve.

When Extemp Central hears of the remaining four participants, we will announce them here.

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HotTopics: International Extemp Questions for the Week of December 13th-19th, 2011

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On December 13, 2011

In International Extemp, Weekly Questions

1.  How much influence will Iran have in postwar Iraq?
2.  Are complaints about the outcome of the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s presidential election justified? 
3.  Can Toru Hasimoto shake up Japanese politics?
4.  Will the European debt crisis lead to a “United States of Europe”?
5.  How can West Africa avoid a food crisis next year?
6.  What steps does the new Libyan government need to take to reestablish security and order?
7.  Are the results of the climate summit in South Africa being blown out of proportion?
8.  Will Great Britain come to regret its veto of the new European financial treaty?
9.  Can Mikhail Prokhorov beat Putin for the Russian presidency?
10.  Has Syria gone rogue?

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Extemp Central News Quiz for the Week of December 12th-18th, 2011 (Short Answer Version)

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On December 12, 2011

In Quiz

Here is your short answer Extemp Central news quiz for this week. Good luck!

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Extemp Central News Quiz for the Week of December 12th-18th, 2011 (Multiple Choice Version)

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On December 12, 2011

In Quiz

Here is your multiple choice Extemp Central news quiz for this week.  Pick well and good luck!

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2012 Montgomery Bell Extemp Round Robin: This Year’s Field is Announced

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On December 7, 2011

In MBA Coverage

The field of the 2012 Montgomery Bell Extemp Round Robin has recently been announced by Adam Johnson. Extemp Central offers congratulations to this year’s participants for receiving an invitation and we will provide our usual live coverage of this year’s tournament in Nashville, Tennessee.

*John Cherian (Bellarmine College Prep, California)
*Vijay Singh (Bellarmine College Prep, California)
*Bill McDonald (Brophy College Prep, Arizona)
*Alessandro Pauri (Flower Mound High School, Texas)
*Isabelle Taft (Henry W. Grady High School, Georgia)
*Jason Singh (Green Valley High School, Nevada)
*Alex Wasdahl (Jackson High School, Ohio)
*Kelly Wu (Leland High School, California)
*Henry Chapman (Millburn High School, New Jersey)
*Zachary Stone (Plano West High School, Texas)
*Teagan Lende (Ronald Davies High School, North Dakota)
*Nathan Leys (Des Moines Roosevelt High School, Iowa)
*Ben Constine (Yorktown High School, Virginia)
*Abhishek Bhargava (Jackson High School, Ohio)
*Chase Harrison (Millburn High School, New Jersey)
*Lily Nellans (Des Moines Roosevelt High School, Iowa)

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HotTopics: International Extemp Questions for the Week of December 6th-12th, 2011

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On December 7, 2011

In International Extemp, Weekly Questions

1.  Why did Kenya issue an arrest warrant for Omar al-Bashir?
2.  Will the EU cave to British demands that it be exempt from a tax on financial transactions?
3.  Is playing the U.S. and China off of each other a sound foreign policy strategy for Myanmar?
4.  Could Iran win a war with the United States?
5.  Has the European financial crisis helped Belgian politics?
6.  Will recent bomb attacks on Shiite Muslim gatherings trigger sectarian violence in Afghanistan?
7.  Are austerity measures merely a short-term fix for Europe’s financially insolvent governments?
8.  Will Russia and China agree to a no fly zone over Syria?
9.  Should the international community be concerned about the outcome of the first round of the Egyptian parliamentary elections?
10.  Are we witnessing the beginnings of a “Russian Spring”?

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Extemp Central News Quiz Answers for the Week of December 5th-11th, 2011

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On December 7, 2011

In Quiz

Here are the answers to this week’s Extemp Central news quiz.

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2011 George Mason University Patriot Games: Taft Sweeps the Weekend; Wins Third Career National Circuit Title

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On December 6, 2011

In National Circuit Results

The George Mason University Patriot Games, which is the last National Points Race tournament of the first semester, was held this past weekend and when it ended, Isabelle Taft of Henry W. Grady High School in Georgia defeated National Points Race leader Nathan Leys of Des Moines Roosevelt High School in Iowa.  This is Taft’s third career national circuit victory, which goes with her Wake Forest and Barkley Forum titles earned last season.  Ben Constine of Yorktown High School in Virginia fought his way to a third place finish.  Des Moines Roosevelt continued its impressive showing on the national stage this year, by also placing Lily Nellans in the final round.  Nellans finished fifth.  The round robin that GMU holds before the general tournament followed the same result order, as Taft defeated Leys and Constine finished third.

The semi-finalist and quarter-finalist results will be typed in over the next couple of days, as all competitors who made these elimination rounds received bids to the 2012 Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC) at Northwestern University.  Since George Mason is a third tier tournament in the National Points Race, Taft will earn 100 points for her victory and all competitors who made elimination rounds will earn points for themselves and their respective schools.

On another note, GMU is the last major tournament held before bids to the Montgomery Bell Extemp Round Robin are sent out.  When we get word about the complete field for this year’s 2012 Round Robin, we will post it here on Extemp Central.

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HotTopics: United States Extemp Questions for the Week of December 6th-12th, 2011

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On December 6, 2011

In U.S. Extemp, Weekly Questions

1.  How can Democrats shore up their support among white working class voters?
2.  Will Nancy Pelosi’s latest comments on Newt Gingrich bolster his presidential bid?
3.  Does the collapse of MF Global signal the need for tighter financial regulations?
4.  What can technology firms do to end “e-mail pollution”?
5.  Is the U.S. headed for war with Iran?
6.  How much aid should the Federal Reserve provide to the IMF to assist the euro zone?
7.  Is the U.S. losing the war on meth?
8.  Will the Trump Debate be good or bad for the GOP?
9.  Does the California economy have more room for tax increases?
10.  Can Mitt Romney afford to finish third in the Iowa caucuses?

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Extemp Central News Quiz for the Week of December 5th-11th, 2011 (Short Answer Version)

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On December 5, 2011

In Quiz

Here is your Extemp Central short news quiz for this week. Good luck!

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Extemp Central News Quiz for the Week of December 5th-11th, 2011 (Multiple Choice Version)

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On December 5, 2011

In Quiz

Here is your Extemp Central multiple choice news quiz for this week.  Pick well and good luck!

Read More

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