>> Join us tonight as Munson High School goes up against Hampshire Regional High School, the historic 65th season of Western New England's award winning high school quiz show continues tonight as schools match wits.

>> The members of the Massachusetts Teachers Association are working together to ensure that all students have the resources they need to succeed.

The MTA, a diverse union of education workers committed to the public schools and colleges our communities deserve.

>> Westfield State University has allowed me to grow and pursue my passion to become a urologist.

I think the quality of education is invaluable.

>> Good evening and welcome to As Schools Match Wits coming to you from the campus of Westfield State University.

I'm your host, Beth Ward.

Once again high schools from throughout our region are going head to head in qualifying matches to see who can score enough points to finish in the top eight and compete in the season's championship tournament.

In tonight's match up, we have Munson High School going up against Hampshire Regional High School.

Let's meet the teams, starting with Hampshire regional coach by Jeff Casey.

>> Hi, my name is Xavier Greenberg and I'm a junior at Hampshire Regional High School.

>> Hi.

My name is Ben Zajac and I'm a junior from Hampshire Regional High School.

>> Hi.

My name is Augustus Niswonger.

I'm a senior at Hampshire Regional High School.

>> Hi.

My name is Percy Bennett and I'm a sophomore from Hampshire Regional High School.

I'd also like to recognize our alternate Griffin Darling, who is a sophomore at Hampshire Regional High School.

>> And for Munson High School, coached by Michael Tremblay.

>> Hi.

My name is Lavella Watts, and I'm a junior at Munson High School.

>> Hi.

My name is Samuel Hudak.

I am a junior at Munson High School.

>> Hi.

My name is Olivia Clemens, and I'm a junior at Munson High School.

>> As we do each match, we start off with the challenge round.

Both teams will have a chance to buzz in and answer questions for ten points each.

Good luck to both teams.

Here we go with the first question of the evening.

Sanibel Island, Jupiter Island, and Loggerhead Key are all islands off the coast of what US state?

Hampshire?

>> Florida?

>> In what system of the human body is the pancreas a part of?

Munson.

>> Digestive?

>> Yes, that is correct.

Ohio is one of only two US states that are spelled using only four letters.

Spell the other four letter states name Hampshire I.

>> Oh.

>> Yes, that's correct.

One of Newton's laws of motion states the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it, and inversely proportional to its mass.

Is it Newton's first, second, or third law?

>> Hampshire second?

>> Yes.

That's correct.

The capture of Fort Ticonderoga took place during what?

18th century War.

>> Hampshire Revolutionary War.

>> Please be more specific.

>> American Revolutionary war.

>> Yes.

That's right.

Let's move on with the next question.

The Red Badge of Courage by author Stephen Crane takes place during what conflict?

American Civil War is the answer there.

If two angles of a triangle are 45 degrees and 62 degrees, what is the measure of the third angle?

>> Munson 63.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

All right.

Hampshire regional.

Can you answer the question?

1373 degrees is the right answer.

You were close.

Helsinki is to Finland.

As what city is to Sweden?

Hampshire.

>> Stockholm.

>> In NCAA indoor volleyball, the dimensions of the court run 18m long from end line to end line.

And how many meters from sideline to sideline?

Munson?

>> 30ft.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

Right.

Hampshire regional.

That gives you the chance to answer.

>> Ten.

>> Close nine metres is the right answer.

On which planet will you find?

Olympus Mons, the largest volcano.

Hampshire.

>> Mars?

>> Yes, that is correct.

When texting the letters f, w, I, w are an abbreviation.

For what?

For what it's worth, is the right answer.

Let's move on with the next one and try this.

If you owned an Appaloosa, you would need to put gasoline in it, feed it hay, or give it birdseed.

Hampshire.

>> Yes, it's a horse.

What is the value of one half to the negative fourth power?

>> Hampshire 16.

>> Yes.

That's right.

Which of the following European countries does not border Austria, Germany, Hungary or France?

Munson.

>> France.

>> Listen to this literary line.

When he was nearly 13, my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow.

It's the opening line of To Kill a mockingbird.

By what?

Author Hampshire.

>> Harper Lee.

>> Yes.

That's correct.

Name the board game in which two players secretly place five ships on a grid and then take turns calling out Hampshire battleship.

Yes.

Didn't have to finish that one.

Nice job.

Listen to this sentence.

An EEG is a test that measures the electrical impulses of the brain.

In that sentence, what are the letters EEG, an abbreviation for?

Time is up.

I'm sorry.

Not in time.

Electroencephalogram is the right answer.

Robert Bunsen and Peter Desaga invented the Bunsen burner as a convenient source of heat for experiments in science laboratories.

Was this device invented in the 1700s, 1800s or 1900s?

>> Hampshire 1800s.

>> Name the capital city of the State of Maine.

Munson.

Augusta.

Yes.

That's right.

In a standard deck of 52 cards.

What is the probability as a reduced fraction that a randomly drawn card is an ace?

>> Munson one thirteenths.

>> Yes.

That's correct.

Listen to this sentence.

That film has been criticized for its gratuitous violence, spelled the word gratuitous.

>> Hampshire g r a t u I t o u s.

>> Yes.

Nice job.

In which of the following years did Amelia Earhart become the first woman to fly across the Atlantic as a passenger in an airplane?

Was it 1918, 1928 or 1938?

>> Munson 1938.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

Right.

Hampshire regional, can you answer the question?

>> 19 2828?

>> Yes, that is the right answer.

And that marks the end of our challenge round.

Let's take a minute now to meet the team from Hampshire Regional High School.

>> Hi, I'm Mackenzie Gaudet from Westfield State University.

We asked the team from Hampshire Regional if you could invent any brand new technology, what would it be?

>> I would invent a teleporter that only teleports me home from wherever I am.

>> I would invent a camera that you can see what something looked like at any point in the past.

Because I'm interested in history.

>> I would invent a surface that's frictionless, so I'd spend a lot less money on gas.

>> I would invent an infinite motion machine, because I think it could have a lot of industrial uses, and it would prove my physics teacher wrong.

>> Let's move on to the first lightning round of the match.

Each team will have a chance to buzz in and answer questions for five points each.

Buzz in answer correctly.

You win five points.

Answer incorrectly.

However, your team loses five points.

Well, there's no room for blunders in this round.

All of the answers are words that contain the letters u, N, d somewhere in it, as in the word blunders.

You have 90s starting right now.

It usually follows lightning.

>> Hampshire Thunder.

>> Yes, that's right.

Indicator of a border or limit.

Boundary is the right answer.

A needlessly wordy or repetitive.

Repetitive expression.

Redundant is the right answer.

A reserve of money for the future Hampshire Fund.

Fund is right.

Transmitted vibrations.

You hear Hampshire.

>> Sound.

>> Sound is right where you clean dirty clothes.

>> Hampshire laundry.

>> Yes.

That's correct.

To get possession of a basketball off the backboard.

Munson.

>> Rebound.

>> Yes.

That's right.

The large circular room under the US Capitol Dome.

>> Hampshire rotunda.

>> Rotunda is correct.

The opposite of lost.

Munson.

Found bound.

Yes.

An injury involving the laceration of the skin.

Hampshire wound.

Wound is right.

Shadow searcher on February 2nd.

Munson.

>> Groundhog.

>> It comes after 98th and 99th.

Hampshire 100 100 is correct.

A cement structure.

You build a house on a foundation.

Foundation is correct.

Treeless plains of Earth's northern Arctic regions.

Hampshire.

Tundra.

Tundra is right.

Ice cream with chocolate sauce and whipped cream.

Munson.

>> Sunday.

>> Yes.

That's right.

The recorded audio portion of a film or video answer to that is soundtrack.

However, that bell marks the end of our first Lightning round.

Let's continue now with the capitalization round.

That's where teams get the chance to pick a category and a point value.

They'll need to answer a qualifying question first before they can continue on to try to get some points.

Now, if they fail to answer that qualifying question correctly, their opponents will have the opportunity to capitalize and get those points.

All right, Munson, as the rules state, the team that is behind also gets the first opportunity to pick a category and a point value.

What's it going to be?

>> Can we do arts and entertainment for 30, please.

>> Arts entertainment for 30 to qualify.

Take a look at your screens.

Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby and published by the newly named Marvel Comics, this comic book series debuted in 1961.

Name this superhero team.

>> The Fantastic Four.

>> Yes!

That's right.

Let's continue in this category.

More about the Fantastic Four.

For ten points each, take a look at your screen.

First doctor Reed Richards leads the Fantastic Four, and although his powers are primarily stretching abilities, his presence on the team is defined by his scientific acumen.

Name this superhero Mr.

Fantastic.

Try this one.

Doctor Sue storm received her powers after being exposed to a cosmic storm like the rest of the Fantastic Four.

She has the power to bend light waves that allow her to make herself and other objects disappear from view.

Name this superhero.

>> The Invisible Woman.

>> Yes.

That's right.

Finally, try this one.

Ben Grimm is known for his trademark rocky appearance.

He has superhuman strength, a sense of humor, and the battle cry it's Clobberin time!

Name this superhero the thing.

Very nice job.

You know your superheroes.

All right, Hampshire, please pick a category and point value.

>> Social studies for 30, please.

>> Social studies for 30.

Here's a qualifying question.

You have picked the Westfield State University entrance exam question.

Answer the qualifier in all the category questions correctly.

Your team wins an additional ten points.

All right good luck.

Here we go with the question.

Take a look at your screens for this.

What Middle Eastern countries flag is shown here.

>> Turkey.

>> Turkey.

Yes that's right.

Let's continue on with this theme and test your Middle Eastern flag fluency.

We'll show you a flag.

You name the country for ten points each.

Take a look at your screen once again.

Here's the first one.

>> Iran.

>> Yes that's right.

Try this one.

>> Israel.

>> Israel is correct.

And finally, how about this one?

>> Lebanon.

>> Yes.

Very nice.

You got all of the answers correct.

That means your team wins an additional ten points for winning the Westfield State University entrance exam.

Question.

Congratulations to you.

Job well done.

All right, Munson, once again, please pick a category and a point value.

>> Can we do general knowledge for 30, please?

>> General knowledge for 30 to qualify.

Which of the following scientists would be most interested in loops, whorls, arches and composites?

A chemist, a forensic scientist, a computer scientist or an astronomer?

>> A forensic scientist?

>> Yes.

Their fingerprint patterns.

Nice job.

Let's move on.

True or false?

In general science for ten points each.

A spirometer is used to measure wind speed.

True or false?

False.

False.

It measures lung function on the Richter scale.

A magnitude six earthquake is 100 times more intense than a magnitude four earthquake.

True or false?

>> False.

>> Right answer is actually true.

Let's try this one.

lactic acid accumulates in the muscles of the human body after a person drinks a glass of milk.

True or false?

>> False.

>> It accumulates after intense exercise.

Nice job.

>> World events for 30, please.

>> World events for 30.

Here's your qualifying question.

In what 20th century year did all of the following events occur?

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand by a Serbian nationalist.

The opening of the Panama Canal and the debut of Babe Ruth as the member of the Boston Red Sox.

>> 1914.

>> Yes.

1914.

Let's move on.

Keep the year 1914 in mind.

I'll name an event from General History.

You tell me whether it occurred before or after the year 1914.

For ten points each, take a look at your screen.

First, the 26th president of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt, died in his sleep at the age of 60.

Before that was actually after 1919.

Let's try this one.

The 300th anniversary of the establishment of Jamestown, Virginia.

>> Before.

>> Before 1907.

And finally, let's try this one.

President Woodrow Wilson signs a bill incorporating the Boy Scouts of America.

>> After.

>> After 1916.

Nice job.

Okay, Munson, once again, please pick a category and a point value.

>> Can we do literature for 30, please?

>> Literature for 30.

Here's your qualifying question.

We have a video qualifier for this one.

Please take a look at your screen.

>> Hi, I'm doctor Todd Rovelli.

Long time as schools match wits question writer and judge with your qualifying question.

The words brunch and motel are common examples of portmanteau words, which are formed by joining together two or more words in order to create an entirely new word.

To qualify, spell the word portmanteau.

>> I think.

>> It's this.

>> Um, t.

>> Judges.

Did they start in time?

I'm sorry.

Time is up.

All right.

Hampshire regional.

Can you capitalize?

>> P o r t a n t e a u.

>> That's a tough break for Munson, but let's continue.

Now, Hampshire in this category, spelling words from titles of various classic novels for ten points each.

First published in 1953, Ray Bradbury's dystopian novel Fahrenheit 451 presented a future American society where books were outlawed.

Spell the word Fahrenheit.

>> F a r e n e h I t.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

Good try.

F a h e n h e I. Try this one.

Published in 1960, Harper Lee's Southern Gothic novel To Kill a mockingbird focuses on an Alabama family during the Great Depression.

Spell the word mockingbird.

>> M o c k I n g. B I r.

>> Yes.

That's right.

And finally, published in 1915, Franz Kafka's novella The Metamorphosis tells the story of a salesman, Gregor Samsa, who wakes to find himself inexplicably transformed into a huge insect.

Spell the word metamorphosis.

>> M e a m o p h a I.

>> So close.

One word, one letter off.

M e t a m o r p h o s I s. Good try though.

All right.

Hampshire.

Once again.

>> Uh.

>> Social studies for 25.

>> Social studies for 25 to qualify.

In which ocean will you find the island nation of Mauritius?

>> Indian?

>> Yes.

That's right.

Let's move on in this category.

Sticking with islands in the oceans.

Tell me in which ocean?

Each of the following islands are found.

These are for five points each.

Here's the first one.

Galapagos islands.

>> Pacific.

>> Pacific is right.

Here's the next one.

The new Siberian Islands.

>> Arctic.

>> Arctic is correct.

How about Wake Island?

>> Pacific.

>> You got it.

Try the Canary Islands.

>> Atlantic.

>> Atlantic is correct.

And finally, the South Sandwich Islands.

>> Atlantic.

>> Yes.

Nice job.

Know your islands and erosions.

Okay.

Months.

And once again, it's your turn.

>> World events for 25, please.

>> World events for 25.

Your qualifying question.

Take a look at your screens.

William Henry Harrison took the oath of office on March 4th, 1841.

He was the first US president to be a member.

Of which political party was it Federalist, Democrat, Whig or Liberty?

>> What is Whig or Whig?

>> Yes, Whig is correct.

Let's stick with presidential political parties.

I'll name the president and the years he was in office, you tell me his party affiliation for ten points each.

Take a look at your screen first.

John Adams, 1797 to 1801.

>> Federalist.

>> Yes.

Federalist is correct.

Zachary Taylor, 1849 to 1850.

Democratic Whig is the right answer.

Try this one.

Finally, for five points.

Abraham Lincoln, 1861 1865.

>> Republican.

>> Yes.

That's correct.

Hampshire.

Once again, please pick a category and a point value.

>> General knowledge for 25.

>> General knowledge for 25 to qualify.

A chasm is a deep cleft in the Earth's surface.

Please spell the word chasm as it's used in that sentence.

Getting a lot of spelling words over there.

Hampshire.

>> C h a.

>> Yes, that is correct.

Let's move on.

Testing your spelling ability.

Once again, each of these five letter words is easy to pronounce, but can you spell it for five points each?

First one A kiosk is a noun defined as a small structure with one or more open sides used to vend merchandise.

Spell kiosk.

>> K I o k. SK.

>> Yes, that's right.

Here's the next one.

Fein is a verb meaning to give a false impression or appearance of something, such as to feign an illness to stay out of school.

>> Spell fein f e I g.

>> A niche is a recess in a wall where a statue or some other decoration may be placed.

Spell niche.

>> N I c h.

>> Yes.

That's right.

How about a briar?

Is a plant usually having a thorny or prickly stem?

Spell briar.

>> B r I a r.

>> Yes.

That's correct.

And finally, try this one.

Fiery is an adjective that can mean full of or exuding emotion or spirit.

Spell.

>> F I e r y.

>> And that marks the end of our capitalization round.

Let's take a minute now to meet the team from Munson High School.

>> Hi, I'm Mackenzie Gaudet from Westfield State University.

We asked the team from Munson High.

Would you rather be stuck in a video game or a movie?

>> I'd rather be stuck in a movie because you can kind of choose your own path a little more.

And I think that for the long term, it's the better option.

>> I would rather be stuck in a movie because I think it's easier to like, blend in into a movie setting.

And also movies are like have a bigger world than video games do usually, so I'd rather be stuck in a movie.

>> I think I'd rather be stuck in a movie because it's less repetitive than a video game would be, and you get to make your own choices.

>> Time now for our final lightning round of the match.

Each team will have a chance to buzz in and answer questions for five points each.

Buzz in and answer correctly.

You win five points.

Answer incorrectly.

Your team loses five points in this round.

We'll look at common bonds.

What specific common bond do each of the following elements share?

You have 90s starting right now.

Superior.

Michigan and Ontario.

Munson.

Great lakes yes, that's right Pete Carroll, Jim Harbaugh and Mike Vrabel.

>> Munson NFL head coaches.

>> Yes, that's correct.

Brooklyn, Sydney Harbor and Tacoma Narrows.

>> Hampshire ports.

>> Bridges is the right answer there.

Humpback, baleen and right.

Munson whales.

Yes.

That's correct.

Water moccasin, green anaconda and Hampshire snakes.

Snakes is correct.

Olives.

Melon and double corks.

>> Hampshire skateboard tricks.

>> Skateboard is correct.

>> Munson NFL stadiums.

>> COBOL, Fortran and C++.

Hampshire.

>> Languages.

>> Computer programming languages is correct.

Mistral.

Sirocco and Chinook.

Hampshire.

>> Helicopters.

>> Wind types is the right answer there.

A-e-i-o-u and sometimes Y. Munson.

Vowels is right.

Brittany.

Bungalow.

Ranch and Victorian.

Munson houses.

Yes.

That's correct.

Clovehitch.

Anchor bend and Sheepshank.

Hampshire.

>> Knots.

>> Yes.

Types of knots.

Saint Thomas, Iceland and Madagascar.

Munson.

>> Islands.

>> Islands is correct.

Argentine tango, Foxtrot and quickstep.

Hampshire Dances is correct.

Galahad.

Percival and Gawain.

Hampshire.

>> Knights of the Round Table.

>> Did they get that in time?

However, that bell marks the end of our last lightning round.

It also marks the end of our match.

What a fun matchup we had tonight.

I want to say to Munson High school.

Strong work tonight, especially on that last lightning round.

However.

Hampshire regional.

Great job tonight.

Great score.

We shall see what happens as we finish out the rest of the season.

And to see the season's roster.

And for more information, be sure to log on to our web page at npr.org.

Or you can look for us on Facebook and Instagram.

I'm your host, Beth Ward.

Good night, and be sure to tune in again next time.

As schools match wits.

>> The members of the Massachusetts Teachers Association are working together to ensure that all students have the resources they need to succeed.

The MTA 180 years of commitment to the public, schools and colleges.

Our communities deserve.

>> To excel is to recognize that you want to continue to grow and transform and evolve into a better person.

Westfield State is a fit for me because it's a campus that's big enough to host a community in which I can get to know different kinds of people.

>> The impact I want to leave at Westfield State is to be a leader, to get involved.

Each person has their own excellence.

>> Hold up.

Drop this beat like.

Drop like that.

>> Do you want to see when your school's match is scheduled?

Want to know who the past ASM champions are?

Have a question you'd like to see us ask?

Then log on to the As Schools Match Wits web page at npr.org.

You can see this season's roster, a listing of past ASM champions, and even submit a question of your own, which may be used in a future episode.

It's all just a mouse click away.