This program brought to you in part by the Erika Lewis Endowment Fund.

-Tonight it's Del Sol... [cheers and applause] ...taking on Mojave!

[cheers and applause] This is the Varsity Quiz Blue League Championship.

[crashing sound] ♪♪♪ [cheers and applause] (Nathan Tannenbaum) Hello and welcome to the 55th season of Varsity Quiz where the best and the brightest high school students match wits in this challenging academic competition.

Hey, did you know there are now two separate Varsity Quiz leagues in each season's competition?

So tonight, the road to the Blue League Championship ends as Del Sol takes on Mojave.

Now, we started with 10 schools in the Blue League in two separate divisions, and here we are at the championship match.

Let's meet tonight's players.

Starting for the Del Sol Academy, they defeated the Northeast Career Technical Academy in their semifinal match to get to where we are now.

Their starters: It's Absalon.

Hi, Absalon.

-Hello.

-There's Dietrich.

Hey, Dietrich.

-Hello.

-There's Zack.

-Hi.

-And there's Ollie.

-Hello.

-And the coaches for Del Sol, Ramiro Martinez and Mailyn Bashay.

That's the Del Sol Academy!

[cheers and applause] All right.

Now for Mojave High School who defeated the Southeast Career Technical Academy in their semifinal match.

Our starters are: Jayden.

Hey, Jayden.

-Hello.

-There's Alan.

-Hi.

-There's Jenna.

-Hi.

-And there's Ethan.

-Hey, Nate.

-And the coaches for Mojave, Sarah Moore and Jason Bates.

Ladies and gentlemen, Mojave High School!

[cheers and applause] -There are 25 questions in this first round with each correct answer worth 5 points.

Now, if a student rings in with an incorrect answer before any question has been read in its entirety, there will be a 5 point deduction for that team.

Students are you ready?

Let's play Varsity Quiz.

Sinclair's novel The Jungle led to food safety reforms because it exposed unsanitary conditions in which specific food industry?

That's Mojave, Alan: the meatpacking industry -Yes.

Points on the board for Mojave.

Here's Question 2: What is the medical term for the collarbone?

That's Del Sol, Ollie: the clavicle -Yes.

Points on the board for Del Sol.

Let's keep rolling.

What area of science explores the behavior of sound waves and their interactions with matter?

Del Sol, Absalon: acoustics -Yes.

Points for Del Sol.

We move on.

What theory in physics unifies the electromagnetic force, weak nuclear force, and strong nuclear force?

Del Sol, Absalon: string theory -Incorrect.

[bell chimes, time expires] We were going for the GUT, Grand Unified Theory.

Next question.

A stress on a musical note or chord shares a name with a stress on a syllable or a letter in spoken English.

What word is that?

That's Del Sol, Absalon: accent -Yes.

A recent decision by which state's Supreme Court barred Donald Trump from appearing on that state's Republican primary ballot?

Del Sol, Dietrich: Colorado -Correct.

Which Asian country was struck by a massive earthquake and tsunami in 2011, leading to the-- that's Mojave, Ethan: Japan -Yes.

K-O-H is the formula for which compound?

Del Sol, Absalon: potassium hydroxide -Yes.

Kevin O'Leary and Tom Brady have been criticized for promoting which cryptocurrency exchange that was founded by Sam Bankman-Fried and collapsed in November 2022?

Del Sol, Dietrich: Dogecoin -Incorrect.

Mojave, Jayden: Ethereum -No.

We were going for FTX.

No points there.

This next question: Name either of the two astronauts on the Apollo 11-- and that's Mojave, Alan: Buzz Aldrin -Yes.

Or Michael Collins.

Points for Mojave here.

Next question.

Which American author known for his dark humor wrote Cat's Cradle and Slaughterhouse-Five?

Mojave, Jenna: Kurt Vonnegut -Correct.

Next question.

Which river forms the border between Pennsylvania and New Jersey?

[bell chimes, time expires] [buzzer sound] -Did they get it in time?

That was after the buzzer.

The answer, Delaware.

Next question.

Which 1972 book by Richard Adams seems like a tale about rabbits, but it's really about the struggle between freedom and tyranny?

[bell chimes, time expires] -If you haven't read it, you need to.

Watership Down.

Look it up.

Next question.

In the 12th century, Albertus Magnus discovered that nitric acid can separate which other metal from gold to create AgNO3?

That's Del Sol, Absalon: silver -Correct.

Next question.

Running along the floor of the ocean between continental plates is the world's longest mountain range.

A large portion of this mountain range is what major ridge that validated the theory of continental drift?

Del Sol, Absalon: the Mid-Atlantic Ridge -That is correct.

Next question.

Trace fossils are a record left by the activity of a living creature instead of body fossils of the animal itself.

One of the best examples is what fossilized record of animal movements left in the sediment?

Del Sol, Absalon: footprints -Yes.

Riyadh is the capital of what country?

Del Sol, Dietrich: Saudi Arabia -Correct.

Although Oscar Wilde did do a story with a similar title, "The Portrait of Mr.

W.H.," his famous piece about a man whose portrait ages for his sins-- That's Del Sol, Ollie: The Portrait of Dorian Gray -That is incorrect.

I'll finish the question for Mojave.

...his famous piece about a man whose portrait ages for his sins does not contain that word.

What is the true title?

Mojave, Jenna: "The Picture of Dorian Gray" -That is the correct answer.

Next question.

According to the group NBA Math (they put together statistics for all players from 1951 on), the basketball GOAT statistically is what winner of four championships?

His first was with the Cavaliers.

Mojave, Ethan: LeBron James -Yes.

Questions for Quiz Bowl tournaments are stored in an app that contains all the information in an organized way so it can be retrieved.

What is that kind of organized information called?

Del Sol, Absalon: database -Yes.

This group traces its roots to the International Committee for the Relief of the Wounded, established in 1863 by the Swiss humanitarian Henri Dunant-- Del Sol, Absalon: the Red Cross -Yes.

What branch of science studies the properties and behavior of matter and energy at the atomic and subatomic levels?

Del Sol, Absalon: particle physics -Incorrect.

Mojave, Jenna: physics -No.

We were looking for quantum physics.

Next question is a calculation question, students.

If a ball is thrown at an angle of 45 degrees at 90 miles per hour, how far will it go?

Repeating.

A ball thrown at an angle of 45 degrees at 90 miles per hour, how far will it go?

[bell chimes, time expires] -No answer.

We were looking for 225 feet.

No points.

Next question.

The highest waterfall in North America is found in what falls in a namesake National Park in California?

Mojave, Jenna: Yosemite -Correct.

Next question.

What event signaled the end of apartheid in South Africa?

Del Sol, Diedrich: Nelson Mandela's release -Yes.

And that is the last question in the first round.

But don't go anywhere, because we want to learn a little bit more about our players.

Congratulations to both teams.

[cheers and applause] So we're gonna start with Del Sol, and we'll say hello again to Absalon.

Good to see you again, man.

So I would like to ask you about your school's Varsity Chess Team.

How's that been going?

-We just played this Tuesday.

We won against Arbor View and Palo Verde, and, yeah, we're going forward in the-- -How many folks on your team?

-Six.

-Okay.

Well good luck with that, and good luck on Varsity Quiz.

Thanks, Absalon.

-Thank you.

-Here is 12th grader Dietrich.

Dietrich, good to see you again.

I understand that your name comes from some historic figure.

How does that figure?

-Just so Theadric the Great, one of like the rulers of Rome after it fell, his name in High German just translates to my name, Dietrich.

And the name means leader, people's leader.

-Wow!

But no pressure on you, right?

Good luck with Varsity Quiz.

Thanks, Dietrich.

Here's 12th grader Zack.

Hey, Zack.

-Hi.

-Good to see you again.

It says on your plans for the future, you wrote two different things down.

Do you remember what you wrote down?

You wrote down jazz or military.

-Yes.

I want to be in the military jazz band.

So it's the same thing.

-Oh, okay.

Well, good luck with that, because we found out last time you play a bunch of instruments.

Good luck with that.

Good luck on Varsity Quiz.

Thanks, Zack.

Here is 12th grader Ollie.

Hi, Ollie.

-Hello.

-Good to see you.

This says here you're in the Del Sol Theater Magnet program.

Are you a backstage person or an onstage person?

-I'm an onstage person.

-Oh, excellent.

Do you have any shows coming up?

-Yes.

We are currently working on our productions of The Outsiders and Annie, and I'll be playing Darry in The Outsiders and Grace Ferrell in Annie.

-Well, have fun with that, and good luck on Varsity Quiz.

Ladies and gentlemen, the Del Sol Academy.

[cheers and applause] -Now our players from Mojave.

We start with 10th grader, sophomore, Jayden.

Hi, Jayden.

Good to see you again.

-Hello.

-You wrote that you run or help with YouTube channels.

What does that mean?

What happens?

-So meaning I either help with projects like voice acting, script writing, or I help post videos on the channels or I run them myself.

-Are there any YouTube channels that you have that we should know about?

-Um, yes.

I have my own personal channel under the name [indistinct].

I also have another account I run called the Daily Star Rate.

I help with another showcasing channel called Cosmo.

-Oh, my gosh.

We don't have time for all that.

But good luck with all of that.

That's wonderful.

Good luck here on Varsity Quiz.

Let's see.

Here is Alan.

Hi, Alan.

-Hello.

-Good to see you again.

This says that you practice three martial arts.

What are they?

-I wrote that down?

-That's what it says right here, brother.

-I'm a wrestler.

-Okay.

-I do ITF Taekwondo, and I do Historical European martial arts.

So I'm a fencer.

-Wow!

Well, good luck with all that, and good luck here on Varsity Quiz.

And here's 12th grader Jenna.

Hi, Jenna.

-Hi.

-You wrote that you like to read.

Anything in particular?

-I like Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.

-Okay.

So sort of historical Gothic stuff.

Good luck with that.

Good luck on Varsity Quiz.

Thank you, Jenna.

And here is Ethan.

Hi, Ethan.

Good to see you again.

-Hi, Nate.

-When you write that you "love geography," what is it about geography that really, that you enjoy so much?

-I don't know.

I could just play with a globe all day and be entertained by it.

-Just look at countries and capitals and all that stuff?

-Yep.

-That's a good skill for Varsity Quiz.

Good luck with geography, and good luck with VQ.

Ladies and gentlemen, Mojave!

[cheers and applause] -Stick around.

The Bonus Round is coming right up.

So the score going into Round 2: Del Sol Academy, 55 points, to Mojave's 35.

Anything can happen.

We have one new player for Del Sol.

We say hello to Jasmine.

Hi, Jasmine.

-Hi.

The other players are the same, and Mojave is keeping their same players.

This round is timed at six minutes.

And that starts as I read this question: Give the word beginning with the letter C that fits this definition of any person running for office.

Mojave, Jayden: candidate -Correct.

Bonus questions now for Mojave only with answers that start with the letter C. First, adjustment of opposing principles, such as that of 1850; and, second, limitation of powers of our three branches of government.

You have 10 seconds.

[students deliberate] -Captain?

-For the first, caucuses; for the second, checks and balances.

-Checks and balances is correct.

The first answer is actually compromise.

You get some bonus points, but not all.

And now this question for both teams.

What epic poem was written in Old English in 1000 CE?

And that is Del Sol, Jasmine: the "Jabberwocky" -Incorrect.

Mojave, Jenna: "The Canterbury Tales" -No.

We were looking for "Beowulf."

Next question for both teams is a calculation question, students.

Find the square root of 784.

Repeating.

Find the root of 784.

[bell chimes, time expires] -No answer.

It was 28.

You'll want to take that one home.

All right.

Next question for both teams.

What is the most frequently used chemical to kill microbes in a swimming pool?

Del Sol, Dietrich: chlorine -Correct.

Bonus questions only now for Del Sol, and these are about health.

First, the term for something put in food to improve flavor or appearance is called what?

And second, what has been humans' go-to preservative for centuries?

You have 10 seconds.

[students deliberate] -Captain?

-For the first, preservatives; and the second, salt.

-Salt is correct.

The answer to the first question is additive.

So some bonus points, but not all.

And this question now for both teams.

What's the plural of the word "basis"?

Del Sol, Zack: (bay-sigh) -No.

Mojave, Jenna: bases (bay-sees) -Correct.

And now these bonus questions for Mojave only about language.

First, what tense is the verb in this sentence: I will have done my homework before dinner.

Second, the unconventional freestyle of modern authors such as Joyce and Faulkner is called "stream of what?"

You have 10 seconds.

[students deliberate] -Captain?

-For the first, past perfect tense; for the second, streams of consciousness.

-Consciousness is correct.

The first one is future perfect.

Some bonus points, but not all.

Now this question for both teams.

Complete the following literary pair: Mark Antony and (blank).

Mojave, Jenna: Cleopatra -Correct.

Bonus questions about literary pairs now for Mojave only.

First, Heathcliff and (blank).

And second, Ulysses and (blank).

You have 10 seconds.

[students deliberate] -Captain?

-No answers for both.

-Okay.

For the first, that is Catherine Earnshaw.

And it was Ulysses and Penelope.

So no points, no bonus points.

But now this question for both teams.

Which type of cloud is most likely to produce several consecutive days of rain?

Del Sol, Absalon: cumulonimbus -Incorrect.

Mojave, Jenna: nimbus -No.

We were just looking for stratus.

Next question for both teams.

Name the author who has been called the "father of modern fantasy literature" because of the influence his works have had on the genre.

He created several works that take place in Middle Earth.

Del Sol, Dietrich: Tolkien -Correct.

Bonus questions now for Del Sol only about "fathers."

First, this author of The Wealth of Nations is known as the "father of economics."

Second, this person is known as the "father of basketball."

You have 10 seconds.

[students deliberate] -Captain?

-For the first, Adam Smith; and the second, Michael Jordan.

-Adam Smith is correct.

The father of basketball is James Naismith.

So some bonus points.

Next question for both teams.

Which pilot who was flying from New York to California back in 1938 ended up in Dublin?

Hint: The answer will contain either the word "right" or "wrong."

-Del Sol, Zack: James Wright -Incorrect.

[buzzer sound] [bell chimes, time expires] I think he got it in time.

So that's Alan, Mojave: James Wrong.

-No.

There's a guy whose nickname was Wrong-Way Corrigan.

All right.

Next question.

Give the term for a suspension of weakened, killed, or fragmented microorganisms or toxins, such as those consisting of antibodies, lymphocytes, or mRNA, that is administered primarily to prevent disease.

Del Sol, Dietrich: vaccine -Correct.

Bonus questions about health now for Del Sol only.

First, the polio vaccine was at first injectable and then became what other kind of vaccine?

And second, the first mRNA vaccine was developed to combat what illness?

You have 10 seconds.

[students deliberate] -Captain?

-For the first, oral; and the second, cancer.

-Oral is correct.

The second one was COVID-19.

So some bonus points, but that is all the points you have.

And that is the end of our Bonus Round.

Congratulations to both teams.

Speed Round coming up.

-The score going into Round 3, Del Sol Academy has 85 points to Mojave's 60.

-So anything can happen here in this third round.

Before we continue, we have one new player for Del Sol.

We say hi to Mere.

-Hi.

-Good to see you again.

Two new players for Mojave.

There's James.

Hey, James.

And Fabian.

Hi, Fabian.

Let's get this party started.

What term indicates a return to the main melody in a piece of music or a restatement in the main ideas-- And that is Del Sol, Zack: motif -Incorrect.

And that is an interruption.

...restatement of the main ideas in a speech.

Mojave, Alan: summary -No.

We were looking for recapitulation.

Next question.

The strongest muscle is the masseter, which can close the mandible with a force of 90.7 kilograms.

What's the common name used for both the masseter and the mandible?

Del Sol, Absalon: jaw -Yep.

With 66 books and 14 short story collections, it's no wonder that which English mystery author has the most books translated into other languages?

Mojave, Jenna: Agatha Christi -Correct.

In which country did the impressionist art movement originate?

Mojave, Jenna: France -Correct.

The formula G times Mass1 times Mass2 divided by distance squared calculates the force of what?

Del Sol, Absalon: gravity -Correct.

What midwestern state capital is the setting for the book The Fault in Our Stars?

[bell chimes, time expires] [buzzer sound] -I think that's after the fact.

It's Indianapolis.

You didn't get into that one?

Next question.

Give the term for a polyhedron with eight faces.

Del Sol, Absalon: octahedron -Incorrect.

[bell chimes, time expires] -It is a hexagonal prism.

Next question.

What does the prefix "thermo" mean?

Mojave, Jenna: heat -Yes.

What process causes your glass of iced tea to get wet on the outside-- Del Sol Academy, Absalon: condensation -Correct?

What political treatise by Machiavelli examines the use of power and the art of ruling?

[bell chimes, time expires] -No answer.

It was "The Prince."

For what word does the letter P stand for in the tech term CPU?

Del Sol, Absalon: processing -Correct.

Based on fossilized stomach contents and teeth of the T Rex, paleontologists classified the animal as what type-- Del Sol, Absalon: carnivore -Correct.

Which music group was the first to play in the Las Vegas Sphere?

Mojave, James: U2 -Yeah.

Were you there?

-No.

-No, me neither.

What type of organization where countries agree to work together for a purpose is typified by NATO?

Del Sol, Absalon: treaty -Incorrect.

[buzzer sound] [bell chimes, time expires] -All right.

That is Mojave, Alan: alliance -Yes.

Next question.

What sport is known as the "gentleman's game," involving bats and wickets?

Del Sol, Absalon: cricket -Yes.

What is the largest river in Australia?

[bell chimes, time expires] -The Murray.

What was the name of the spacecraft that first landed humans on the moon?

Mojave, Alan: Apollo 16 -Incorrect.

Del Sol, Dietrich: Apollo 11 -Yes.

Here's a calculation question.

We don't repeat in this third round.

What is the volume of a rectangular prism with a length of 10 units, a width of 6 units, and a height of 4 units?

Del Sol, Absalon: 240 units cubed -Correct.

Who was the first American in space?

Del Sol, Absalon: Sorry, no.

-That's no answer.

Mojave, Jenna: Alan Shepard -Correct.

Your online presence and activity is known as your digital-- Del Sol, Mere: footprint -Yes.

What type of bond forms between water molecules due to the-- and that is Del Sol, Absalon: hydrogen bonds -Yes.

What's the name of the technology that uses artificial intelligence to analyze and understand large sets of data?

Del Sol, Absalon: machine learning -Yes.

What's the study of the Earth's past climate through ice cores and sediment layers?

Del Sol, Absalon: geography -Incorrect.

[bell chimes, time expires] -We were looking for paleoclimatology.

What famous last words of Julius Caesar in Shakespeare's play are now used to refer to the betrayal-- Mojave, Alan: "Et tu, Brute."

-Yeah.

In 2016, the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union-- Del Sol, Absalon: Brexit -Yes.

What was the diet of Ovi-raptors?

Del Sol, Absalon: nuts and berries -No.

Mojave, Alan: meat -No.

They were egg eaters.

This line is from a sonnet written to go with the last of which famous group of four concertos, an example of early program music "...this is winter, which nonetheless brings--" And that's Mojave, Alan: Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" -I think we can take that.

Yes.

"Heliocentric" has Greek origins.

What do the Greek roots in that word mean?

Del Sol, Absalon: sun center -Yes.

What's the term for the period of intense anti-communist hysteria in the United States during the-- Del Sol, Absalon: Red Scare -Yes.

A calculation question.

What's the value of log square root of 10?

Del Sol, Absalon: 1/2 -Yes.

We're out of questions.

Let's see who won.

[crashing sound] Our final score tonight, the Del Sol Academy with 155 points to Mojave's 100.

Congratulations to both teams.

An excellent match.

[applause] But extra congratulations to the Del Sol Academy.

You are the 2023-2024 Varsity Quiz Blue League champions!

Del Sol Academy!

[cheers and applause] Hey, don't go anywhere.

We want you to join us next week.

We're gonna have our lighthearted Blue League All-Star Match.

Thanks for tuning in to Varsity Quiz on Vegas PBS.

Good night.