- [Announcer] Funding for "High School Quiz Show: Austin" comes from Sally and James Gavin, Bank of America, Krishna Srinivasan and Raka Sandell.

- Coming up, it's LASA, the Liberal Arts and Science Academy (audience cheering and applauding) taking on Marble Falls High School.

(audience cheering and applauding) That's next in the semifinals of "High School Quiz Show: Austin."

(audience cheering and applauding) (upbeat music) (audience cheering) Hi everybody, and welcome to "High School Quiz Show: Austin."

I'm your host, Joe Hanson.

Today's match features LASA and Marble Falls in our last semi-final.

As always, we start with the toss-up round.

All answers are worth 10 points.

There are no point deductions for wrong answers and players, you may confer.

Okay teams, if you're ready, good luck, and here we go.

The main character in the novel's "Goldfinger" and "Dr.

No" is what spy whose code name is 007?

(buzzer dings) Anna.

- James Bond.

- Yes.

The MTV Video Music Awards Song of Summer for 2025 was Tate McRae's single "Just Keep Watching" from the soundtrack of what movie about auto racing?

(buzzer dings) Connor.

- "F1."

- Yes.

In 2025, Marco Rubio left his position as a US senator from Florida to take what cabinet-level position that is the president's chief advisor on foreign policy?

(buzzer dings) Carson.

- Secretary of State.

- Yes.

What noun that refers to the vapor that arises from water when it's heated to boiling is also the name of a digital content distribution channel created in 2003?

(buzzer dings) Madhav.

- Steam.

- Steam is right.

Dating back to the 1910s.

The University of Texas mascot is a longhorn steer with what name?

(buzzer dings) Carson.

- Bevo?

- That's correct.

What term, meaning "floating man," was used in feudal Japan to refer to an independent samurai who traveled the country offering his services?

(buzzer dings) Madhav.

- Shogun?

- No.

Marble Falls, you have an opportunity here.

(buzzer blaring) We are looking for Ronin.

Slander is a defamatory statement that is spoken.

What analogous term refers to a defamatory statement made in print?

(buzzer dings) Anna.

- Libel?

- Yes.

The natural process by which particles move through air from areas of high concentration to low concentration is known by what name?

(buzzer dings) Anna.

- Diffusion?

- Yes.

Eva Peron, known as Evita, was the wife of Juan Peron, president of what South American country?

(buzzer dings) Niamh.

- Argentina?

- Yes.

What Los Angeles Dodgers player appeared in the 2025 World Series as both a pitcher and designated hitter?

(buzzer dings) Cooper.

- Shohei Ohtani.

- Yes.

What four letter abbreviation is most commonly used to refer to the family of manufactured "forever chemicals" that do not occur naturally but are increasingly found in the blood of humans and animals throughout the world?

(buzzer blaring) Those chemicals are PFAS.

Misty Copeland, who retired on October 22nd, 2025, was the first Black woman to hold which of these positions: principal dancer with the American Ballet Theater, Librarian of Congress, or NASA Space Shuttle Commander?

(buzzer dings) Connor.

- A.

- It is principal dancer at the American Ballet Theater.

This is a math problem.

What positive integer is the value of X in this equation: X to the fourth power plus one equals 82?

(buzzer dings) Madhav.

- 3.

- 3 is correct.

In a picture book by Gary Soto, Maria and her cousins searched for a lost ring and wind up eating too many of what traditional Mexican Christmas food?

(buzzer dings) Anna.

- Tamales?

- Yes.

That book is "Too Many Tamales."

There's no such thing.

Of the three branches of the US federal government, executive, judicial, and legislative, which one includes the US Congress?

(buzzer dings) Anna.

- Legislative.

- Yes.

Alright, we're off to a great start in this match, but let's take a moment to thank some of the folks who make this show possible.

- [Announcer] Support for "High School Quiz Show: Austin" comes from Bank of America, investing in education and the future of Central Texas youth.

(gentle music) Information at bankofamerica.com.

(audience cheering and applauding) - Welcome back, the score is LASA with 50 points, Marble Falls with 80.

Let's get back to the game.

The official newspaper of the Communist Party in the USSR had what name that means "truth" in Russian?

(buzzer dings) Connor.

- Pravda.

- Yes.

There are 5,923 bricks in the Lego creator model of what world landmark located in the Indian city of Agra?

(buzzer dings) Anna.

- Taj Mahal.

- Yes.

The Civil War Battle of Hampton Roads is most closely associated with two ironclad warships: the Confederate ship Virginia, formerly called the Merrimac, and which Union ship?

(buzzer dings) Connor.

- Monitor.

- Yes.

Which of these body chemicals is a pigment: glycogen, melanin, or progesterone?

(buzzer dings) Anna.

- Melanin.

- Yes.

Referring to something that is the source of conflict, the phrase "apple of discord" comes from the story in which three Greek goddesses fought to possess a golden apple: Athena, Aphrodite, and which queen of the gods?

(buzzer dings) - Niamh.

- Hera.

- Yes.

In an 1857 decision, the US Supreme Court ruled that what enslaved man was not entitled to freedom even though he was living in a state where slavery was illegal?

(buzzer dings) Carson.

- Dred Scott.

- Yes.

A certain test to gauge whether a computer could effectively think like a human is named for what British mathematician who proposed it in a 1950 academic paper?

(buzzer dings) Connor.

- Turing.

Yes, Alan Turing.

This is a math question.

Sam buys three pounds of red grapes at $3 per pound and two pounds of green grapes at $3.50 per pound.

If Sam mixes the grapes together, what is the cost per pound of the mixture?

(buzzer dings) Madhav.

- 16/5.

- Can you be more specific?

- 16/5 which is equal to $3.2 per pound.

- Yes.

$3.20 is correct.

Next question.

Eric the Red was the father of what Norse explorer who led an expedition from Greenland to North America around the year 1000 and landed at a site he called Vineland?

(buzzer dings) Carson.

- Erikson?

- Yes.

Leif Erikson.

Elle Woods is the main character in which 2001 comedy film that was turned into a Broadway musical in 2007?

(buzzer dings) Carson.

- "Legally Blonde."

- Yes.

In nature, what term describes symbiosis between two species, such as clownfish and sea anemones, in which both parties benefit from the relationship?

(buzzer dings) Sarena.

- Mutualism.

- Mutualism is right.

Known for historic Mayan sites such as Tikal, what Central American country shares borders with Mexico, Belize, El Salvador and Honduras?

(buzzer dings) Carson.

- Guatemala.

- Yes.

What activist who started the Kansas chapter of the Women's Christian Temperance Union was known for using a hatchet to smash up saloons?

She was arrested so many times she raised bail money by selling lapel pins in the shape of a hatchet.

(buzzer dings) Anna.

- Carrie Nation.

- Yes.

Vega is the brightest star in a constellation named for what musical instrument associated with Orpheus in Greek mythology?

(buzzer dings) Madhav.

- Lyre.

- Yes, that's correct.

Sometimes called Standard Chinese, which dialect of the Chinese language is the official language of the People's Republic of China and the most widely spoken there?

(buzzer dings) Anna.

- Mandarin.

- That is correct.

(buzzer blaring) That is the end of the round.

LASA has 120 points.

Marble Falls has 160 points.

Let's hear it for both teams.

(audience cheering and applauding) Last week, Round Rock beat McCallum to advance to the finals.

In today's match, LASA and Marble Falls both hope to advance to the championship round.

The head-to-head round is next, but first we're gonna take a minute to get to know the players a little bit better.

LASA, start with you.

Got a fun question this week.

If you were four superheroes, what would your group be called and what would your superpower be?

Niamh, why don't you tell us the name of your super group?

- So we said the Aqua Raptors because well, LASA Raptors and we all had something related to you know, water.

I said that I would breathe under water because my name actually comes from an Irish or Gaelic like myth where the Princess Niamh is like the princess of Tír na nÓg which is like a land under the sea kind of thing.

- So do you think that would give you any special advantages you could bring to the team or you just wanna like chill out and get away from it all?

- Yeah, just like, you know, kind of sit down there.

I think I'd be good.

Just kind of separate.

- You'd be really good at Marco Polo too.

(Niamh laughing) Carson, what's your special power?

- I said I would control the weather and like precipitation so I can make it rain or snow or... - Could you make it like not rain and not snow?

- I could.

Yeah, yeah.

- Or maybe if you have a test, you could definitely make it snow.

- If I had a test then it would snow.

If I didn't... - It's perfect.

- The weekends would always be sunny.

- Madhav, what's your special power in the Aqua Raptors?

- I would say my special power is to be able to divert water sources, water from water sources, I'd say.

- Well this might become a very important power in the future.

Rivers drying up, who knows what might happen?

- Yeah.

- Or you could just get a swimming pool in your backyard.

- Yeah.

- Tony, how about you?

- So I said that I could like basically just control any aquatic creature because I think that, like, there are just so many different, like, interesting like animals that live underwater and there are a lot more of them than like animals that live on the land.

So yeah, it would just be like a large scale, like a very powerful thing to do.

- What's the first aquatic creature you're controlling if you had the choice today?

- Probably like plankton because there are like, because the entire, like, oceanic food chain just rests on plankton and like there is just like trillions and trillions of them in the ocean.

I think it would be cool to like see them all in like one place as like a big clump of plankton.

- And somewhere a whale is thanking you right now.

Listen really hard.

You hear it?

Thank you for not saying shark to attack the other team either.

That's a very genuine.

Also with the LASA team, we have coaches, Jason Flowers and Adam Escandell.

(audience cheering and applauding) Okay, Marble Falls superhero team.

Cooper, what is the name of your super group?

- We went with the Mustang Mafia.

- All right.

- But not the actual mafia.

- Okay.

Not the actual mafia, the legal one.

A friendly one.

- The legal one.

Yes.

- What's your superpower?

- My superpower would be unlimited endurance.

- [Joe] Now how could that come in handy for you?

- Just not getting tired.

Outlasting the opponents, I think.

- That's good.

This is a long match.

You gotta keep your brain engaged for a long time in this tournament.

Caffeine can't do all the work for you.

Sarena, how about you?

- I would be able to read people's emotions so that I could interpret their true intentions for our team.

- Alright, what am I feeling right now?

(audience laughing) (everyone laughing) Perfect answer.

Anna, what is your superpower?

- I would have a photographic memory 'cause knowledge is power.

- Well, it's already working out pretty well.

There's been a lot of great answers.

Now is there anything that you really wish you could remember that you've forgotten?

- How about the "Handbook to Literature" 14th edition?

- [Joe] A common answer when people think of that.

Yeah.

(audience laughing) Connor, how about you?

What's your superpower?

- Yeah, I would like to be able to generate electromagnetic waves.

I could make light, microwave food and cause intermittent radio interference.

- One of those sounds handy.

You could make popcorn.

The other two we really need to be careful with.

We got a lot of electronic equipment in the room, so, please, be kind.

- I'll spare you.

(audience laughing) - Also on the Marble Falls team, we have alternates Ines and Maksim and coaches, Katilyn Goertz and Mahaela Hammond.

We also have with us Marble Falls principal Patrick Hinson.

Let's hear it for both teams.

Okay, it's time for the head-to-head round.

In this round, correct answers add 10 points to the team total and wrong answers results in a 10 point deduction.

The clock is set at 1 minute, 30 seconds.

How about a nice friendly handshake?

Okay, good luck.

Here we go.

What animated TV series centers on the Belcher family restaurant in the fictional town of Seymour's Bay?

(buzzer blaring) That's "Bob's Burgers."

The old nursery rhyme says, "Jack be nimble, Jack be quick," Jack jumped over what household?

(buzzer dings) - The candlestick.

- Yes.

2025 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees include Jack and Meg from what two-person band?

(buzzer blaring) The White Stripes.

In the US, Veteran's Day is observed on the 11th day of which month?

(buzzer dings) - November.

- Yes.

The Tiber River flows through which world?

(buzzer dings) - Rome.

- Yes.

In a chemistry lab flame test, mercury produces a flame of what color?

(buzzer blaring) That's red.

What sacred text of Islam is divided... (buzzer dings) - Quran?

- Yes.

In Greek mythology, what nine headed serpent was killed... (buzzer dings) - Hydra.

- Yes.

From the Latin for whip, what whip-like cell appendage is used for locomotion?

(buzzer blaring) Flagellum.

Pointed arches and flying buttresses characterize what medieval architecture style?

(buzzer blaring) (buzzer dings) Did she make it?

No.

Gothic.

The SI unit of pressure equal to one... (buzzer dings) - Pascal.

- Yes.

Dry ice is the frozen form of what chemical... (buzzer dings) - Carbon?

- No carbon dioxide.

In a game of chess, which piece moves only in a diagonal direction?

(buzzer dings) - Knight.

- No.

Bishop.

What mutual defense pact was signed in Poland by eight communist nations in May 1955?

(buzzer dings) - Warsaw Pact?

- Yes.

(alarm blaring) That's the end of the round.

Let's take a look at the score.

LASA has 170 points.

Marble Falls with 160 points.

This is a close one.

Let's give it up for both teams.

(audience cheering and applauding) Alright teams, it's time for the category round.

Today's categories are: ACL Forever, Oh, The Places You'll Go, You Have A Nerve, Touch Grass, Living In A Fantasy World, and Sights To See.

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.

Okay, LASA, who's your spokesperson?

Carson.

Marble Falls, how about you?

Cooper.

Okay, Marble Falls, you have a little bit of ground to make up.

First category goes to you.

- [Cooper] Living In A Fantasy World.

- Living In A Fantasy World, these are questions about science fiction and fantasy novels.

For 10 points: What Greek god of the sea is part of the story in "The Lightning Thief" The first book in the "Percy Jackson and the Olympian" series by Rick Riordan.

- Poseidus.

- No, the answer is Poseidon.

For 15 points: In books by J.R.R.

Tolkien, the Shire is the home of Bilbo Baggins and most of the other members of what mortal race in Middle-earth?

- Hobbit.

- Hobbits is correct.

For 20 points: Ravka is one of the fictional worlds created by what author of the "Shadow and Bone" trilogy?

- Leigh Bardugo.

- That's correct.

For 25 points in Living in a Fantasy World: Five teenage humans named Jake, Marco, Cassie, Rachel, Tobias, and an alien named Ax have the ability to transform into mammals and birds as they battle an evil alien race called the Yeerks in what middle grade fantasy series by K.A.

Applegate?

- "Animorphs."

- "Animorphs" is right.

For 30 points: A classic fantasy series by Terry Pratchett centers on what circular planet that rests on the back of four elephants who stand on a giant turtle swimming through space?

- We're gonna toss.

- All right LASA, they're tossing to you.

- What?

- Discworld.

- Discworld?

- Yes.

- Discworld?

- Discworld is correct.

Okay, LASA, category to you.

- Can we do Oh, The Places You'll Go?

- Oh, The Places You'll Go, these are questions about explorers.

For 10 points: Undersea explorers are still looking off the coast of Haiti for the wreckage of the Santa Maria, the flagship of what Italian explorer who made a famous voyage to the New World in 1492?

- Columbus.

- Christopher Columbus is correct.

For 15 points: A river that separates New York City from New Jersey and a large bay in eastern Canada are named for what 17th century explorer?

- Hudson?

- Yes.

Henry Hudson.

For 20 points in Oh, The Places You'll Go: Bathymetry refers to the exploration and mapping of what type of locations on Earth?

- What?

- The sea floor.

- The sea floor?

- That is correct.

For 25 points: Fanny Bullock Workman became famous for exploring and mapping what mountain range that includes nine of the world's ten highest peaks?

- The Himalayas.

- Yes.

And for 30 points: Scottish missionary and explorer David Livingstone is widely considered to be the first European person to see what enormous waterfall on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe?

- Victoria Falls.

- Yes.

Marble Falls next category to you.

- [Cooper] Touch Grass.

- Touch Grass, these are questions related to grass.

For 10 points: What large mammal whose name comes from the Greek for river horse is primarily an herbivore that will consume as much as 150 pounds of grass each day?

- Hippopotamus.

- Yes.

For 15 points: In "Alice in Wonderland," Alice uses a flamingo as a mallet to play what lawn game that involves knocking a ball through a metal wicket?

- Croquet.

- Yes.

For 20 points: What is the colorful name for the area on a golf course where the grass is trimmed very short so the ball may roll smoothly on its way to the hole?

- The green.

- Yes.

For 25 points: Mandolin player Bill Monroe is called the father of what style of acoustic music that originated in Appalachia and shares its name with a nickname for the state of Kentucky?

- Bluegrass.

- Yes.

For 30 points: What American poet published the first edition of his collection "Leaves of Grass" in 1855?

- Walt Whitman.

- Yes.

Okay, LASA, your category.

- [Carson] Sights To See.

- Sights To See, these are questions about landmarks and local attractions.

For 10 points: Paleolithic cave art at Altamira and paintings by El Greco at the Museo del Prado are things to see in what country?

- Spain.

- Yes.

For 15 points: The ancient city of Petra and the King Hussein Mosque in Amman are old and new sites to see in what country?

- Jordan.

- Jordan.

- Yes.

For 20 points: The historic city of Cusco and the geoglyphs at Nasca can be seen in what country?

- Peru.

- Peru?

- Yes.

For 25 points in Sights To See: The royal tombs of the Joseon Dynasty and Jeju Island in the East China Sea are places to visit in what country?

- South Korea.

- South Korea.

- Correct.

For 30 points: The Nobel Prize Museum and the Carl Linnaeus Museum at Uppsala University are science-related sites in what country?

- Sweden.

- Sweden.

- That's correct.

(alarm blaring) And that is the end of the category round.

LASA has 400 points.

Marble Falls has 310 points.

Let's hear a little love for both teams.

(audience cheering and applauding) 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.

The Louisiana Purchase was a transaction between the US and what country?

(buzzer dings) - France.

- Connor?

Yes.

Before becoming president of South Africa, what man spent 27 years... (buzzer dings) Madhav.

- Nelson Mandela?

- Yes.

What unit of measurement is the amount of energy required to raise the temperature?

(buzzer dings) Madhav.

- Specific key capacity.

- No.

Calorie.

"The Good Earth" by Pearl S. Buck is a novel set in what country?

(buzzer dings) Madhav.

- China.

- Yes.

What adjective is applied to a chemical bond between two atoms sharing electrons?

(buzzer dings) Madhav.

- Covalent.

- Yes.

What mythological king of Corinth spends eternity in the afterlife trying to push a boulder up a hill?

Anna.

Yes.

- Sisyphus.

- 1 million equals 10 to the power of what?

(buzzer dings) Madhav.

- Six.

- Yes.

From the French for "study," what name is given to a musical composition designed to improve a musicians technical skill?

Madhav.

- Étude.

- Yes.

In Texas, the period from the end of the Civil War to 1900... (buzzer dings) Madhav.

- Reconstruction?

- No.

Railroads.

What creepy mythical creature takes its name for the Spanish for "goat sucker?"

(buzzer dings) - Niamh.

- Chupacabra.

- Yes.

The world's deepest freshwater lake is what lake in Russia?

(buzzer dings) Tony.

- Baikal.

- Yes.

What seven ay holiday observed in late December takes its name from the Swahili for "first fruits"?

(buzzer dings) Anna.

- Kwanzaa.

- Yes.

The strategy of trench warfare was widely used for the first time... (buzzer dings) Madhav.

- World War I.

- Yes.

Jazz musician Dave Brubeck is known for what song whose name refers to its unusual 5/4 time signature?

(buzzer blaring) That's "Take Five."

The tympanic membrane is found in what organ of the body?

(buzzer dings) (alarm blaring) Did he make it?

Madhav?

- Ear.

- The ear is correct.

And the winning team this week is LASA with 540 points.

Marble Falls finishes with 370 points.

Congratulations to both teams for a great game.

LASA now moves on to the finals versus Round Rock.

Join us next week for the finals between Round Rock and LASA.

It all comes down to this.

So be sure to join us right here on "High School Quiz Show: Austin."

(audience cheering and applauding) (upbeat music) - [Announcer] Funding for "High School Quiz Show: Austin" comes from: Sally and James Gavin, Bank of America, Krishna Srinivasan and Raka Sandell.

(lively music)