Here is this week’s Extemp Central news quiz. Good luck!
Two weekends ago, sixty-nine competitors descended on the University of Florida for the thirty-ninth annual Florida Blue Key. Only one was ranked in the National Points Race, which opened the door for new extempers to enter this year’s rankings.
In a final round that featured competitors from five states, Jack Ververis of Trinity Preparatory School (FL) eked out a one-rank win over Raghav Ramki of Plano East Senior High School (TX).
Five ranks behind was Brandon Cheng of Flintridge Preparatory School (CA), who finished third, and seven ranks behind Ververis was fourth place finisher Siddharth Sudhakar of Nova High School (FL).
Connor Hise of Denver East High School (CO) and Taylor Burris of the Potomac School (VA) tied for fifth place but Hise won a tiebreaker on reciprocals.
UK National Season Opener winner #6 Charlotte Reitman of the University School (FL) reached the semi-final round, just short of adding points to her National Points Race total.
Since Blue Key was a fifth tier tournament, the Ververis will receive forty points for his win. All finalists will recieve points and, since none were ranked, it will not lead to a sizeable shakeup in the rankings.
For Tournament of Champions (TOC) bids, Blue Key traditionally awards an Extemp TOC bid for all quarter-finalists, while the University of Kentucky TOC is awarding bids this season for all semi-finalists and finalists.
Here were the results of the 2022 Florida Blue Key (Click here for tab sheet):
1. How many more rate hikes can Americans expect from the Federal Reserve?
2. Should the U.S. end the Cuban embargo?
3. Has the U.S. education system become too bureaucratic?
4. Should the U.S. seat a delegate of the Cherokee Nation in the House of Representatives?
5. What is currently the best investment in the U.S. stock market?
6. How can Democrats regain their political credibility on crime?
7. What impact is “quiet quitting” having on the U.S. economy?
8. Will the results of the 2022 midterms bolster or weaken Eric Adams’ political prospects?
9. Who should lead House Democrats in the next Congress?
10. How can the U.S. lay the groundwork for diplomatic talks to resolve the Russo-Ukrainian War?
1. Will the coming global recession be worse than 2008?
2. Do North Korea, Russia, and Iran constitute the new “Axis of Evil?”?
3. What do the results of the Israeli election mean for the prospects of future peace negotiations with the Palestinians?
4. Was German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s trip to China a success?
5. Who won the Tigray War?
6. With regards to the climate change problem, has global diplomacy failed?
7. Should Lula da Silva make safeguarding the Amazon his top policy priority?
8. What is the biggest “megathreat” that the world is facing?
9. Is Kenya making a mistake by joining the Democratic Republic of Congo’s fight against M23 rebels?
10. What does the ascendance of Jordan Bardella mean for France’s National Rally?
Here is this week’s Extemp Central news quiz. Good luck!
1. What should Rishi Sunak’s governing priorities be?
2. Will Belarus join Russia’s invasion of Ukraine?
3. Is Uganda’s Ebola outbreak under control?
4. Are climate protesters hurting their cause by targeting famous works of art?
5. Will Macron get his pension overhaul through?
6. If Iran’s Islamic Republic were to collapse, how would it affect the geopolitical situation in the Middle East?
7. Should Israel reform its electoral system?
8. Could violence in Eastern Congo push the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda into war?
9. Will moves by European countries to become more energy independent hurt Turkey’s economic prospects?
10. Should nations prohibit China from setting up “overseas police stations” in their borders?
1. Will the Texas gubernatorial election be Beto O’Rourke’s last stand?
2. How will Elon Musk’s reorganization of Twitter affect the company’s operations?
3. Why is New York’s gubernatorial race tightening?
4. Did the Parkland shooter deserve the death penalty?
5. Does the U.S. have a cost of living crisis?
6. One week to go: Does the U.S. get divided government, a divided Congress, or the status quo?
7. After the attack on Nancy Pelosi’s husband what changes should be made to ensure greater security for members of Congress?
8. Should the U.S. end sanctions against Zimbabwe?
9. Are HBCUs on the rise?
10. Should the Jones Act be reformed?
Here is this week’s Extemp Central news quiz. Good luck!
1. Has the Democratic Party lost its midterm momentum?
2. Is a missile defense system becoming a more pressing priority for American defense?
3. How would a new foreign policy crisis affect the 2022 midterm elections?
4. Should America’s drug laws been decided on a state-by-state basis?
5. Do racial tensions in Los Angeles’ City Council portend larger problems for the Democratic Party’s rainbow coalition?
6. Are U.S. banks insulated enough from a 2008-like financial crisis?
7. Is President Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan constitutional?
8. Can Congress do anything to reduce inflation?
9. How much control over education should remain local?
10. Does the Democratic Party need better messaging on crime?
1. Has the AU succeeded in creating regional economic cooperation in Africa?
2. Should the next British prime minister call for a general election?
3. Is Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter a blow for global democracy?
4. Should the West abandon negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program as long as they keep supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine?
5. Is organized crime becoming an existential threat to South Africa?
6. Should Pakistan be worried about the Baloch insurgency?
7. Is a strong dollar bad for the world economy?
8. Will West African floods have a sizeable impact on global food prices?
9. Is Bangladesh becoming less free?
10. Will India become a green superpower?
New standings for the 2022-2023 Extemp Central National Points Race have been released! These results reflect the outcomes of the New York City Invitational. You can find them by clicking on the “National Points Race” tab at the top of the page or by clicking here.
The next National Points Race competition will be the Florida Blue Key, which will take place in two weeks. It will be a fifth tier event that will award points to all finalists and 40 points to the winner.
Here is this week’s Extemp Central news quiz. Good luck!
The Bronx High School of Science held its annual New York City Invitational last weekend, attracting a field of forty-three extempers. This year’s tournament was back in person after two years of online competition because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
#1 McKinley Paltzik of Phoenix Country Day School (AZ) won her second consecutive New York City championship in rout, winning the cumulative tournament by sixteen ranks. Paltzik also won the final round by eleven ranks, continuing her streak of winning National Points Race events when she reaches finals.
#11 Theodore Gercken of the College Preparatory School (CA) took second, winning a final round tiebreaker by three ranks over Amy Cao of Ridge High School (NJ).
Sruti Peddi of BASIS Scottsdale (AZ) was runner-up to Paltzik in the final round but finished fourth because of the cumulative tabbing of the tournament. Like Gercken, Peddi claimed fourth in a final round tiebreaker over #8 Kevin Li of Ridge High School (NJ), defeating Li by one rank.
#17 Matthew Abrahms of George Washington High School (CO) completed the final round with a sixth place finish.
All of the finalists earned a bid to this year’s University of Kentucky Tournament of Champions (TOC).
The New York City Invitational is a fifth tier tournament in the National Points Race, so Paltzik will earn forty points for winning. That will extend her National Points Race lead. All finalists will earn points and new standings will be released by the end of the week.
Here are the results of the 2022 New York City Invitational (Click here for tab sheet):
1. When it comes to using tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine, does the benefit outweigh the cost for Vladimir Putin?
2. Should the UN deploy forces to Haiti?
3. Is the global monkeypox crisis over?
4. Should there be an international convention created on the use of autonomous weapon systems?
5. Is the recent agreement between Israel and Lebanon a major diplomatic breakthrough?
6. Should Colombia decriminalize coca-leaf production?
7. Is Mexico’s military becoming too powerful?
8. What structural reforms does the EU need?
9. Is Nigeria living up to its potential?
10. Will the replacement of Kwasi Kwarteng as Chancellor of the Exchequer calm Britain’s financial markets?
1. What is the biggest threat to American national security?
2. Will former President Trump comply with the January 6 subpoena?
3. Should the U.S. federal government raise taxes to aid the fight against inflation?
4. If Russia uses tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine, how should the U.S. react?
5. Should the U.S. stop seeing Saudi Arabia as an ally?
6. Is the SEC’s climate-risk disclosure rule a bad idea?
7. Should there be presidential debates in 2024?
8. Are Democrats relying too much on abortion rights as part of their midterm strategy?
9. Should the U.S. withdraw troops from Syria?
10. Does Tulsi Gabbard’s exit from the Democratic Party matter?