Month: May 2014 Page 2 of 3

HotTopics: International Extemp Questions for the Week of May 19th-25th, 2014

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On May 19, 2014

In International Extemp, Weekly Questions

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HOTtopics1. Is the EU’s ruling against Google counterproductive?
2. Will the Syrian civil war be resolved by blood instead of words?
3. If Japan remilitarized, how would it affect its relationship with other nations in East Asia?
4. Will the Arctic become the next “great game” of the world’s major powers?
5. Should developing countries implement more regulations against big tobacco?
6. Is the EU responsible for recent political victories by the far-right?
7. Should FIFA move the 2022 from Qatar?
8. Is the political leadership in Israel and the Palestinian territories really interested in making peace with each other?
9. Why did Swiss voters reject the world’s highest minimum wage?
10. Will the landslide election of BJP produce greater economic growth?

R&D: South Africa’s National Elections

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On May 16, 2014

In R&D

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l_2Today’s R&D is brought to you by Prepd, the only software built specifically for extemp. Prepd makes it easy to research, practice, and compete!  Visit www.prepd.in to learn more. Like Prepd on Facebook for special info and contests.

This R&D provides resources on South Africa’s recent national elections.  Although economic problems, crime, and corruption scandals were believed to have weakened the ruling African National Congress (ANC) before elections were held, it managed to win another landslide victory.  Still, its 62.2% share of the vote was the lowest that the party had garnered since apartheid ended in 1994.  The opposition Democratic Alliance (DA), a party that attracts the support of South Africa’s white minority, won 22.2% of the vote, which is the largest vote total in party history.  The ANC’s victory will likely lead to Jacob Zuma being re-elected as the country’s president.

 

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R&D from Prepd: Title IX

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On May 15, 2014

In R&D

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l_2Today’s R&D is brought to you by Prepd, the only software built specifically for extemp. Prepd makes it easy to research, practice, and compete!  Visit www.prepd.in to learn more. Like Prepd on Facebook for special info and contests.

This R&D provides information on Title IX.  Passed as part of the Education Amendment of 1972, Title IX is widely recognized as raising the funding for women’s athletics, it also mandates that school’s treat men and women equally in education programs.  As a result, it covers sexual harassment and sexual violence because those crimes are deemed to impair the education of both men and women.  Title IX is becoming a public issue again in light of the push to unionize Northwestern University’s football team (which could negatively impact the funding for women’s athletics) and federal investigations into fifty-five colleges and universities for not properly handling sexual abuse complaints.

 

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Extemp Central News Quiz for the Week of May 12th-18th, 2014

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On May 14, 2014

In Quiz

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quiz-01Here is this week’s Extemp Central news quiz.  Good luck!

To access a list of all our old quizzes, click here.

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2014 Michigan Interscholastic Forensic Association State Speech Tournament: Greydanus and Michevich Win State Their School’s First State Extemp Titles in the Twenty-First Century

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On May 13, 2014

In State Results

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Two weeks ago, the Michigan Interscholastic Forensic Association held its 2014 state speech tournament. The state divides teams into two classes: Class A and Class BCD. The tournament is cumulatively tabbed. In Class A, Matt Greydanus of Grand Rapids Christian School won the state title by four ranks over teammate Johan Lee. Kendall Hitch of Seaholm High School finished third. Greydanus is the first Grand Rapids Christian School extemper to win a state title in the twenty-first century.

In Class BCD, Jason Michevich of Mason County Central High School defeated Justin Dolkowski of Divine Child High School by one rank to capture his first state championship. Alex Reeves of Greenhills High School placed third. Like Greydanus, Michevich is the first extemper from his school to win a state championship since 2000.

All underclassmen in the final rounds of their respective class earned automatic qualificatons to the 2015 Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC) at Northwestern University. One extemper, Greydanus, met this qualification and will be added to the 2015 TOC qual board. Extemp Central could not gather all of the information on whether other finalists were non-seniors, so if you happen to have this information, please let us know and we will modify our qual list.

Here are the results of the 2014 Michigan Interscholastic Forensic Association State Speech Tournament (Click here for tab sheets):

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The Death Penalty Debate

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On May 13, 2014

In Topic Brief, U.S. Extemp

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Traditionally, the use of capital punishment, also known as the death penalty, has been one of many polarizing social issues in the United States.  Proponents of the death penalty argue that it deters crime and provides victims’ families closure, while opponents say it constitutes “cruel and unusual punishment” and thereby violates the Eighth Amendment.  Currently, thirty-two American states still have the death penalty, but public support for the death penalty is falling and the rate of executions is slowing.  Oklahoma’s recently “botched” execution of Clayton D. Lockett by lethal injection has the potential to reignite the American death penalty debate and extempers should be prepared to discuss the constitutionality and future of the American death penalty at upcoming tournaments.

This topic brief will provide some important background information on the death penalty in the United States, highlight the arguments used by supporters and opponents of capital punishment, and summarize the current debate over the constitutionality of lethal injection, the preferred method of execution by all states that have the death penalty.

Readers are also encouraged to use the links below and in the related R&D to bolster their files about this topic.

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R&D: The Death Penalty Debate

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On May 13, 2014

In R&D

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Here is today’s premium R&D to accompany today’s premium topic brief on the death penalty debate.

 

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Northwest TOC

2014 Extemp TOC: Nellans Wins Third TOC Title & Breaks Major Championship Record

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On May 12, 2014

In Extemp TOC, National Circuit Results

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tocHistory was made Sunday at the 2014 Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC). Lily Nellans of Des Moines Roosevelt High School (IA) won her third consecutive TOC championship and her seventh major championship. Nellans victory over Chase Harrison of Millburn High School (NJ) gives her more major championships than any extemper in history. She has also won the second leg of the Grand Slam for the third straight year. In 2012, Nellans came just shy of becoming the second extemper in history to win a season Grand Slam when she finished third in International Extemp at the NFL (now NSDA) National Tournament. If she were to win the NSDA National Tournament this year, she would complete a career Grand Slam, something only one other extemper – Kevin Troy of Eagan High School – has ever done.

The tournament featured sixty extempers and the final round contained the top five finishers from this year’s Montgomery Bell Academy Extemp Round Robin. The finalists also shared two national championships, six NSDA final round appearances, and eleven 2014 TOC qualifying championships between them. Two of the finalists, Nellans and third place finisher Miles Saffran of Trinity Preparatory School (FL), will compete in International Extemp at the 2014 NSDA National Tournament, while the other four (Harrison, Josh Wartel of Lake Braddock Secondary School (VA), Arel Rende of Booker T. Washington High School (OK), and Sydney Walter of Salado High School (TX)) will compete in United States Extemp. It is very likely that elements of this TOC final round will be played out again in a month’s time in Overland Park, Kansas.

The TOC also gives out a service and coaching award each year.  This year’s service award went to Harry Strong of Des Moines Roosevelt.  The coaching award went to Meredith Deaton of Booker T. Washington.

Lake Braddock Secondary School was the tournament’s sweepstakes award winner, besting Booker T. Washington by ten and a half points.

According to TOC qualifying rules, all extempers reaching elimination rounds at the tournament automatically qualify for the 2015 TOC. Fourteen extempers met this criteria and earn tickets back to Evanston next season. These extempers are indicated in italics below. Extemp Central will have the 2015 TOC qualification board posted just prior to the NCFL Grand National Tournament.

Here are the results of the 2014 Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (Click here for tab sheet):

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HotTopics: International Extemp Questions for the Week of May 12th-18th, 2014

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On May 12, 2014

In International Extemp, Weekly Questions

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HOTtopics1. What accounts for the dysfunction in Thailand’s political system?
2. Will the result of the South African elections allow the ANC to pursue more business-friendly policies?
3. Why is polio becoming a growing international health concern?
4. Should Ecuador expand oil drilling in Yasuni National Park?
5. Did the IOC err in giving Brazil the 2016 Summer Olympics?
6. Can the UN help Vietnam in its territorial spat with China?
7. Will the EU’s foreign policy goal of ending capital punishment strain its relations with the United States?
8. In announcing plans to sell captured schoolgirls into slavery, did Abubakar Shekau harm Boko Haram’s cause?
9. Will the latest ceasefire in the South Sudanese civil war lead to a lasting political solution to the conflict?
10. Would partition benefit Ukraine?

HotTopics: United States Extemp Questions for the Week of May 12th-18th, 2014

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On May 12, 2014

In U.S. Extemp, Weekly Questions

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HOTtopics1. Should Eric Shinseki resign?
2. Is the VMT a better way for America’s infrastructure?
3. If requested, should the U.S. dispatch Special Forces to Nigeria to rescue schoolgirls from Boko Haram?
4. Has President Obama’s “Year of Action” helped the GOP’s 2014 fortunes?
5. What steps should U.S. universities take to better handle sexual assault cases?
6. “Hashtag diplomacy”: A useful tool or a sign of American foreign policy weakness?
7. What is the biggest risk to America’s economic recovery?
8. Is the Benghazi committee a waste of time?
9. Why are Rahm Emanuel’s re-election hopes in jeopardy?
10. Should Bill Clinton publicly apologize to Hillary over Lewinskygate?

2014 Washington Interscholastic Activities Association State Speech Tournament: Sapadin Completes Historic Three-Peat in Class 4A; Clark Beats Teammate Mathers in 3A

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On May 10, 2014

In State Results

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Last month, the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association State Speech Tournament took place on the campus of the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma. The highlight of the tournament was Alex Sapadin of Snohomish High School winning his third consecutive Class 4A state championship. Sapadin’s historic victory was not easy, though, as Heather Selby of Gig Harbor High School tied him in the tournament’s final round and won a majority of the judges, but lost on reciprocals. Austin Jang of Union High School placed third.

In Class 3A, Calvin Clark of Mountain View High School won his school’s first state extemp championship of this century by two ranks over teammate Grant Mathers. Maddie Lee of Seattle Academy was the third place finisher.

Here are the results of the 2014 Washington Interscholastic Activities Association State Speech Tournament (Click here for tab sheet):

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R&D from Prepd: Interstate Tolls

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On May 9, 2014

In R&D

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l_2Today’s R&D is brought to you by Prepd, the only software built specifically for extemp. Prepd makes it easy to research, practice, and compete!  Visit www.prepd.in to learn more. Like Prepd on Facebook for special info and contests.

This R&D gives resources on President Obama’s proposed plan to allow for tolls on America’s interstate highway system. Tolls on the interstate system have not been allowed since the system was built under the Eisenhower administration in the 1950s. The justification for the idea is that gas tax revenues are down as Americans have shifted to more fuel efficient vehicles and more revenue is needed to replace America’s aging infrastructure. Opponents argue that it is another bad government tax scheme, will cause congestion during busy travel months, and that if taxes need to be raised to fund infrastructure, it is better to fund them through a gas tax increase.

 

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2014 National Catholic Forensic League (NCFL) Grand Nationals Extemp Topic Area Analysis

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On May 8, 2014

In Topic Area Analysis

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by Gabriel Ferrante

cflGabriel Ferrante was a competitor for the Iona Preparatory School in New York. He was last year’s Catholic National Champion. In addition, he was an extemp finalist at Yale, Bronx, Villiger, and a champion at the Columbia invitational. He was a competitor at the Montgomery Bell Academy Round Robin and New York Sate Champion in 2013. He is attending the University of Pennsylvania and studying Chemistry and Philosophy.  Gabriel wrote this topic area analysis for competitors attending this year’s National Catholic Forensic League (NCFL) Grand National Tournament in Chicago, Illinois.  It provides tips on navigating the tournament, answering questions in each topic area, and provides a few practice questions for each topic area that extempers can use to prepare for the tournament.

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R&D from Prepd: Australian-Indonesian Relations

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On May 8, 2014

In R&D

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l_2Today’s R&D is brought to you by Prepd, the only software built specifically for extemp. Prepd makes it easy to research, practice, and compete!  Visit www.prepd.in to learn more. Like Prepd on Facebook for special info and contests.

This R&D provides resources on Australian and Indonesian relations.  Both countries are prominent actors in Southeast Asia, yet their relations are strained by asylum seekers that use Indonesia as a base to migrate to Australia.  Australia has recently taken to sending boats of asylum seekers back to Indonesia, a move criticized by the United Nations.  Indonesia asserts that Australia’s asylum policy violates its national sovereignty.

 

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Strategy: Maximizing Prep Time

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On May 7, 2014

In Strategy

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According to the rules of extemporaneous speaking, a speaker has thirty minutes to organize their thoughts in a central “preparation” room in order to outline their speech and practice before heading to their competition room.  As all extempers can attest, thirty minutes when one is under pressure goes by in a flash and to become a proficient speaker, one must be able to maximize the thirty minutes allotted during this time.  This strategy piece will provide a few tips on how an extemporaneous speaker can maximize the thirty minutes of their prep time.

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