JOE HANSON: Major funding for "High School Quiz Show" is provided by Safety Insurance.

It's the quarterfinals, with Natick High School... (cheers and applause) ...taking on Sharon High School.

(cheers and applause) That's next on "High School Quiz Show."

(cheers and applause) ♪ ♪ (cheers and applause) Hi, everybody, and welcome to "High School Quiz Show."

I'm Joe Hanson, your host.

The matches have been intense in the quarterfinals so far, and today looks to be no different.

And we start, as always, with the toss-up round.

All answers are worth ten points.

There are no point deductions for wrong answers.

And players, you may confer.

All right, teams, if you're ready, good luck.

Here we go.

On June 15, 1775, who was unanimously chosen by the Continental Congress to serve as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army?

Julius.

- Washington.

HANSON: George Washington is right.

In response to the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, what Connecticut abolitionist wrote the landmark anti-slavery novel "Uncle Tom's Cabin"?

Lauren.

- Harriet Beecher Stowe.

HANSON: Yes.

Which planet in the solar system is referred to as both the morning star and the evening star?

Josh.

- Venus.

HANSON: Venus is right.

Also the name of an iconic Arnold Schwarzenegger character, what line separates the illuminated and dark sides of the moon?

Josh.

- Terminator line.

HANSON: The terminator is right.

For our next question, take a look at your monitors.

The space race gained momentum 65 years ago when what Soviet cosmonaut, seen here, became the first person to travel into space in April 1961?

Alex.

- Gagarin.

HANSON: Yes, Yuri Gagarin is right.

After reports of children hurting themselves trying to fly from their beds, what author of "Peter Pan" added fairy dust as a necessary factor for flying?

Lauren.

- Barrie.

HANSON: J.M.

Barrie is right.

What capital city of Turkey has been inhabited since at least the Stone Age?

Alex.

- Ankara.

HANSON: Yes.

Known for his namesake grill and for competing in the Rumble in the Jungle against Muhammad Ali, what heavyweight boxing champ and Olympic gold medalist passed away in 2025 at age 76?

Josh.

- George Foreman.

HANSON: Yes.

What French word for duck is used in English to refer to a baseless rumor or an unfounded report?

Josh.

- Canard.

HANSON: Yes.

Our next question comes from a special guest.

Take a look at your monitors.

- Come on in!

Hey, everyone, I'm Jeff Probst, the host of "Survivor," celebrating our 50th season this year.

All right, you want to know what you're playing for?

Well, just like on "Survivor," you're going to have to outwit, outplay, and outlast every other team in order to claim the title of "High School Quiz Show" champion and all the glory that comes with it.

All right, let's get to your challenge.

Here's your question.

"Survivor" is based on a Swedish reality competition series called "Expedition Robinson."

That title is based on "Robinson Crusoe," the classic 1719 adventure novel written by what English writer who was also a merchant and a spy?

HANSON: Josh.

- Defoe.

HANSON: That's right.

Daniel Defoe is that author.

What grandson of Genghis Khan established the Yuan dynasty in China, the first non-Chinese dynasty to rule the country?

Andrew.

- Kublai Khan.

HANSON: That's correct.

Building on the work of James Clerk Maxwell, in 1887, what scientist confirmed the existence of the electromagnetic field: Marie Curie, Heinrich Hertz, or John Dalton?

Declan.

- John Dalton.

HANSON: No-- Sharon, you have an opportunity here.

Alex.

- Hertz.

HANSON: Heinrich Hertz is right.

Donald Trump's 2025 inaugural address called for expanding the territory of the United States.

Who was the last president to speak boldly about territorial expansion in his inaugural address in 1853?

Declan.

- Polk.

HANSON: No-- Sharon, you have a chance here.

Josh.

- Tyler.

HANSON: No, that president is Franklin Pierce.

A popular vacation resort, what is the only Hindu-majority island in Indonesia?

Julius.

- Java.

HANSON: No-- Natick, you have a chance.

Lauren.

- Bali.

HANSON: Bali is right.

What gothic novel by French author Victor Hugo tells the story of a disfigured bell ringer named Quasimodo?

Josh.

- "The Hunchback of Notre Dame."

HANSON: Correct.

All right, we're off to a great start.

Let's take a moment to thank the folks who make "High School Quiz Show" possible.

Major funding for "High School Quiz Show" is provided by Safety Insurance.

- Welcome to another edition of New England Survivalists, the game we all get to play.

You can ask an independent agent about Safety Insurance and learn more at the resource center at SafetyInsurance.com.

♪ ♪ HANSON: Additional funding is provided by the Museum of Science.

- Curiosity runs wild at the Museum of Science, Boston.

Feel the power of indoor lightning, see robots dance and navigate obstacles, and meet Cliff, a 65-million-year-old Triceratops.

Unleash your curiosity.

Tickets available at mos.org/fun.

(cheers and applause) HANSON: Okay, welcome back.

The score is Natick with 30 points.

Sharon has 110 points.

Let's get back to the game.

Who made a rare and celebrated return to the Grammy stage in 2024, performing her 1988 hit song "Fast Car" with country star Luke Combs, whose cover brought the song back to the charts?

Owen.

- Chapman.

HANSON: Tracy Chapman is right.

Henry Tudor became Henry VII and the founder of the House of Tudor after defeating what Yorkist king at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485?

Declan - John.

HANSON: No-- Sharon, you have a chance here.

Josh.

- Edward.

HANSON: No, it is Richard III.

Published in 2025, "The First Gentleman" is a bestselling political thriller by James Patterson and what former U.S.

president?

Julius.

- Clinton.

HANSON: Bill Clinton is right.

"40 acres and a mule" refers to a key part of Special Field Orders, Number 15, a wartime promise made by what Union general to newly freed enslaved people?

Declan.

- Sherman.

HANSON: William T. Sherman is right.

The Soviet flag flew over the Kremlin in Moscow for the last time on Christmas Day of what year?

Andrew.

- 1991.

HANSON: Correct.

Titled after a children's game played with string, what 1963 novel by Kurt Vonnegut satirizes the arms race and global destruction?

Alex.

- "Cat's Cradle."

HANSON: Correct.

What large estate in Buckinghamshire is the country residence of the British prime minister: Chequers, Chatsworth House, or Highclere Castle?

Andrew.

- Chequers.

HANSON: That is correct.

In 1809, the same year that Darwin was born, what French biologist proposed a now-discredited theory of evolution called the inheritance of acquired traits, or soft inheritance?

Anthony.

- "Lamerck."

HANSON: Yes, Jean-Baptiste Lamarck.

What landlocked country in Central Europe is abbreviated CH, after the country's Latin name, Confoederatio Helvetica?

Josh.

- Switzerland.

HANSON: Yes.

In 2025, residents of the Texas home of Elon Musk's SpaceX voted to formally organize as a city with what galactic name?

Andrew.

- Starbase.

HANSON: Correct.

What English romantic poet wrote "Ozymandias," a famous poem about the fleeting nature of power?

Anthony.

- Percy Shelley.

HANSON: Yes, that's right.

One of the most famous Muslim heroes, what Kurdish sultan captured the city of Jerusalem in 1187 in a battle against Christian Crusaders?

Andrew - Saladin.

HANSON: Yes.

After it was vandalized, a repaired statue of what storybook bear in his familiar blue duffel coat and red bucket hat was unveiled in Newbury, England, in 2025?

Julius - Paddington.

HANSON: That's correct.

(bell rings) That's the end of the round.

The score is Natick with 70 points.

Sharon has 190 points.

Let's hear it for both teams.

(cheers and applause) Last week, Buckingham Browne and Nichols beat Belmont to move on to the semifinals.

In today's third quarterfinal match, Natick and Sharon are both hoping to advance to the semifinals.

Now, the head-to-head round is next.

But first, we're going to take a minute to get to know our players a little bit more.

Natick, we'll start with you.

Declan, I hear that you have known Owen for a long time.

- Yeah, that's right.

We went to preschool in Roxbury together.

We both ended up moving to Natick.

I think he was a bit earlier than me, but known him for a while, yeah.

HANSON: Does that help with the team bonding?

You know, just have that, that old connection together?

- Yeah, I think it's nice.

I mean, we ended up in different parts of Natick, so I hadn't... Before high school, I hadn't really seen him for a while.

But it was kind of, you know, nice to reconnect and have that old experience.

HANSON: It's a small world after all.

Owen, I hear you were born with an interesting physical trait.

- That's right, I was born with six fingers on each hand.

HANSON: That has a really cool name.

Do you know what the name is?

- I do-- polydactyly.

HANSON: That's a great word.

- It is.

HANSON: Now, do you ever think that maybe you were just a sign of human evolution moving forward?

- No, they were pretty useless.

HANSON: Okay.

- Yeah, they cut them off for a reason.

HANSON: Okay.

- Yeah.

Lauren, you've memorized all of "Hamilton"?

- I have indeed, yes.

HANSON: Can you rap it?

- If Lin-Manuel Miranda needed, I could do a one-woman show, yes.

HANSON: Wow, that's impressive.

What's your favorite line from the musical?

"Immigrants-- we get the job done."

HANSON: Wow, that's a good one.

Anthony, I hear you have got a pretty killer streak going in Duolingo.

- Oh, yeah, 1,250 days and counting.

HANSON: What language are you working on?

- Currently, I'm doing a mix of French and Mandarin.

HANSON: So you can switch back and forth, no problem?

- (speaking Mandarin) ...English, or... (speaking French) ...English, back again.

HANSON: Well, thank you for the compliment.

(laughter) Also on the Natick team, we have alternate Harrison and coach Ivor Ford.

(cheers and applause) Now over to Sharon.

Julius.

Are you an opera fan?

- Yes.

HANSON: What draws you to opera?

- So I fell in love with opera because of Luciano Pavarotti's voice.

It's, I find it so, um, captivating.

HANSON: Do you do any opera singing?

Is that something you want to get into?

- So I'm in my school's choir and I also play piano.

I can sing the opera, but not really well.

HANSON: Well, you could do a one-man show for an opera someday.

- Sure.

(laughter) HANSON: Josh, so, fancy yourself a bit of an urban planner.

- I hope so.

HANSON: So a couple of years ago, you had a, a really interesting plan that you presented.

- So me and a fellowship group at the Boston Architectural College about two summers ago, we put together a plan to redevelop Upham's Corner in Dorchester and presented it to the city.

HANSON: What was that like to have young people come in and be presenting them with this idea?

- It was pretty good, because we had a lot of very interesting ideas, some more orthodox, some not.

HANSON: You want to share any of those ideas with us today?

- Yeah, the unorthodox one, I remember there was a branch of the city library there, and our, some members of our group that were more on the architectural side, they wanted to put a very large sculpture of an octopus kind of reaching out of the windows.

HANSON: That sounds amazing.

Why did, they didn't say yes to that?

- I have no idea why.

(laughter) HANSON: Alex.

So you're good at pronouncing foreign words.

- Yeah, that's correct.

HANSON: You know what they mean, or does that not really matter?

- Uh, not at all, I just kind of know what they sound like.

HANSON: Are you ever afraid you might say something that you're not supposed to just because it might be fun to pronounce?

- Oh, yeah, definitely, but, um, I can still say them, so I guess that's what counts.

HANSON: Well, if you speak with enough authority when you say those words, people just might assume you know the language.

And hopefully they don't ask you a question back.

(laughter) - That's true.

HANSON: Andrew.

Big fan of spicy food, I hear.

- Not anymore.

HANSON: Not anymore?

(laughter) Did you have an interesting experience?

A bad experience?

- I recently had a two-million-Scoville chicken tender.

HANSON: Now, the Scoville scale measures spiciness of, of different chili peppers.

What happened?

You can replay it right now if you want.

- Oh, believe me, I would never do that again.

HANSON: How do you get that spiciness out of your mouth?

- I mean, everyone knows about ice cream and milk.

But one thing that I had learned very, very intimately after that experience is how important Pepto Bismol is.

(laughter) HANSON: Rounding out the Sharon team are the Sharon Eagle mascot, alternates Avalee and Esme, and coach Zach Snow.

Let's hear it for both teams.

(cheers and applause) It's time for the head-to-head round.

In this round, correct answers add ten points to the team total and wrong answers result in a ten-point deduction.

The clock is set at 90 seconds.

Do you want to have a friendly handshake?

- Good luck.

- Good luck.

HANSON: All right.

Here we go.

On the periodic table of elements, what is the chemical symbol for iron?

- Fe.

HANSON: Yes.

In Major League Baseball, games are scheduled for how many innings?

- Nine.

HANSON: Yes.

According to Merriam-Webster, the acronym FOMO stands for what?

- Fear of Missing Out.

HANSON: Yes.

What city on the Pearl River is the capital and most populous city of Mississippi?

- Jackson.

HANSON: Yes.

Which character in the sitcom "Friends" gets divorced three times, from Carol, Emily, and Rachel?

(buzzer sounds) Ross.

In Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet," what is Romeo's last name?

(buzzer sounds) Montague.

The Anschluss was the German annexation... - Austria.

HANSON: Yes.

The main institutions of the European Union are headquartered in what Belgian city?

- Brussels.

HANSON: Yes.

The bright star Regulus is part of what constellation that resembles a lion?

(buzzer sounds) Leo.

What Nathaniel Hawthorne novel describes Puritans as "the most intolerant brood that ever lived"?

(buzzer sounds) "The Scarlet Letter."

The metric prefix kilo represents... - 1,000s.

HANSON: Yes.

Which Brontë sister wrote the gothic novel "Jane Eyre"?

- Emily.

HANSON: No, Charlotte.

Which U.S.

state was founded by Roger Williams?

- Rhode Island.

HANSON: Yes.

In the 1959 Disney film "Sleeping Beauty," Briar Rose is the alias of which princess, whose real name means "dawn"?

(buzzer sounds) Aurora.

Hanoi is the capital city of what... (bell rings) That is the end of the round.

We were looking for Vietnam there.

Let's take a look at the score.

Natick has 80 points.

Sharon has 250 points.

Let's give it up for both teams.

(cheers and applause) All right, it's time for the category round.

Today's categories are: Umbrella Policy, Cross Examination, True Confessions, Name That Show Tune, Three Times a Lady, and Tokyo Drift.

All categories have five questions with increasing point value.

Teams will choose two categories each and have the option to toss one question per category to the other team that the other team must answer.

Players, you are able to confer.

Natick, who's your spokesperson?

- Me.

HANSON: Lauren, all right.

Sharon, how about you?

Julius.

Natick, you have some room to make up.

First category to you.

- Can we do Tokyo Drift?

HANSON: Tokyo Drift.

These are questions about Japan.

For ten points.

Judo is derived from what ancient form of wrestling that's considered the national sport of Japan?

- (whispers): Sumo.

- (aloud): Sumo wrestling.

HANSON: Yes.

For 15 points.

A torii is a traditional gate that symbolically marks the transition from the mundane to the sacred.

It's most commonly found at shrines associated with what indigenous religion of Japan?

- Shintoism.

HANSON: Yes, that's correct.

For 20 points in Tokyo Drift.

Founded in Kyoto in 1889, what company has created some of the bestselling video game franchises of all time, including "Donkey Kong" and "Mario"?

- Nintendo.

HANSON: Yes.

For 25 points: what U.S.

naval officer is best known for leading two expeditions to Japan in the 1850s, which ultimately forced Japan to open its ports to trade with the West?

- Perry.

HANSON: Matthew C. Perry is right.

For 30 points: meaning "the sun's origin" or "land of the rising sun," what is the Japanese word for Japan?

(team whispering) - Um, can we pass?

HANSON: We are looking for Nippon or Nihon.

Sharon, your first category.

- (softly): Cross?

- (whispers): Yeah.

- (aloud): Cross Examination.

HANSON: Cross Examination.

These are questions about world religions.

For ten points.

What major Christian holiday celebrates the resurrection of Jesus?

- (whispers): Easter.

- Easter.

- (aloud): Easter.

HANSON: Yes.

For 15 points.

In Judaism, what coming-of-age ritual for boys is traditionally celebrated at age 13?

- Bar mitzvah.

HANSON: Correct.

For 20 points.

What religion is closely associated with the Eightfold Path, the path toward enlightenment or nirvana?

- Buddhism.

HANSON: That's right.

For 25 points in Cross Examination.

As one of the pillars of Islam, Muslims are required to pray how many times a day?

- (whispers): Five-- you sure?

- (whispers) - (aloud): Five.

HANSON: Correct.

For 30 points.

Arguably the world's oldest monotheistic faith, Zoroastrianism originated as early as 4,000 years ago in what country located between the Persian Gulf and the Caspian Sea?

- Iran.

HANSON: That's correct.

Natick, your next category.

- Uh, Name That Show Tune.

HANSON: Name That Show Tune.

These are questions about Broadway musicals.

For ten points.

The most produced high school musical for several years running, what Broadway musical opened in 2010 with Nathan Lane as Gomez and Bebe Neuwirth as Morticia?

- "The Addams Family."

HANSON: That's right.

For 15 points.

"Edelweiss" is the last song that Rodgers and Hammerstein ever wrote together.

It's from what 1959 Broadway musical?

- "The Sound of Music."

HANSON: Yes.

For 20 points.

"Haus of Holbein" and "Don't Lose Ur Head" are songs from what musical about the wives of England's King Henry VIII?

- "Six."

HANSON: Correct.

For 25 points in Name That Show Tune.

In 2013, Cyndi Lauper became the first solo woman to win the Tony Award for Best Original Score for what musical about a struggling British shoe factory?

- Toss.

HANSON: Okay, Sharon, this question goes to you.

- (whispers): "The Shoemaker"-- "The Shoemaker."

"The Shoemaker"-- not sure on that.

- (aloud): "The Shoemaker."

HANSON: No, that musical is "Kinky Boots."

For 30 points.

Billed as a farm-to-table musical, what Broadway comedy about struggling corn farmers was nominated for nine Tony Awards in 2023?

- "Corn."

HANSON: No, that musical is "Shucked."

Sharon, final category to you.

- (whispers): Umbrella.

- Umbrella, sure.

- (aloud): Umbrella Policy.

HANSON: Umbrella Policy.

These are questions about the weather.

For ten points.

The official highest registered air temperature on Earth is 134.1 degrees Fahrenheit.

It was recorded in 1913 at Furnace Creek Ranch in what desert valley in California?

- (whispers): Death Valley.

- (aloud): Death valley.

HANSON: That's right.

For 15 points.

What Spanish term is used to describe a periodic warming of the tropical Pacific Ocean that can greatly affect weather worldwide?

- (whispers): El Niño-- El Niño.

- El Niño.

- (aloud): El Niño.

HANSON: That's right.

For 20 points in Umbrella Policy.

Typically found at heights greater than 20,000 feet, what six-letter word refers to delicate, feathery clouds that are associated with fair weather?

- (whispers): Cirrus.

- (softly): Cirrus?

(aloud): Cirrus.

HANSON: That's right.

For 25 points.

In 1643, the Italian physicist Evangelista Torricelli invented what instrument that measures atmospheric pressure?

- (whispers): Barometer.

- (aloud): Barometer.

HANSON: Right.

And for 30 points.

Derived from the Greek meaning "whirlwind," what term refers to powerful tropical cyclones that seasonally impact Southeast Asia, in particular the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam?

- Typhoon.

HANSON: That is correct.

(bell rings) And that is the end of the category round.

The score is Natick with 165 points.

Sharon has 425 points.

How about a round of applause for both teams?

(cheers and applause) Okay, we're heading into the final round of play, the lightning round.

Correct answers add 20 points to the team total and there is a 20-point deduction for incorrect answers.

The clock is set.

Here we go.

Spud Day is an annual potato festival... Owen.

- Idaho.

HANSON: Yes.

What protagonist uses the word "phony" at least 35... Lauren.

(buzzer sounds) Holden Caulfield.

In over 40 years and 8,000 outfits, who has worn the same dress only once as co-host of "Wheel of Fortune"?

(buzzer sounds) Vanna White.

In the human eye, what opening in the middle of the iris... Owen.

- Cornea.

HANSON: No, the pupil.

President George W. Bush gave the nickname "Rummy" to which U.S.

secretary of defense?

Declan - "Rumsfield."

HANSON: Yes.

Organized into wards, stakes, and regions, what church is the largest denomination in Utah?

Alex.

- The Mormons.

HANSON: Yes.

Atomic number five refers to what element that has the highest melting point of... Alex.

- Aluminum.

HANSON: No, boron.

Lake Mead is the reservoir of which dam?

Alex.

- The Hoover Dam.

HANSON: Yes.

Which Roman numeral represents the number 100?

Owen.

- X. HANSON: No, C. What kind of animal is Buck in Jack London's novel "The Call of the Wild"?

Alex.

- A dog.

HANSON: Yes.

Known for her soulful voice, what British singer performed the theme song to the James Bond film "Skyfall"?

Lauren.

- Adele.

HANSON: Yes.

What is the largest city in Canada by population?

Josh.

- Toronto.

HANSON: Yes.

The gothic story "The Fall of the House of Usher" is a notable work of which author?

(buzzer sounds) Edgar Allan Poe.

In physics, the symbol C represents what standard... Alex.

- The speed of light.

HANSON: No, coulomb.

What summer federal holiday commemorates the end of... (bell rings) We were looking for Juneteenth on that last one.

The winning team this week is Sharon High School with 465 points.

Natick finishes with 165 points.

Congratulations to both teams.

That was a great game.

Sharon now moves on to the semifinals.

Join us next week for our final quarterfinal match between Charlemont and Weston right here on "High School Quiz Show."

(cheers and applause) ♪ ♪ Major funding for "High School Quiz Show" is provided by Safety Insurance.

- It happens every day-- someone falls for a phishing scam.

Cyber risk coverage from Safety Insurance is designed to help protect businesses from data breaches, ransomware, and other cyberattacks.

Safety Insurance.

We'll help you manage life's storms-- even the cyber kind.

HANSON: Additional funding is provided by UMass Amherst.

- The future doesn't need bystanders.

It needs self-starters with limitless ambition eager to look at our challenges and step up.

At UMass, be the future you want to see.

Be revolutionary.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (cheering and applauding)