Teen maps way to geography bee finals.Byline: The Register-Guard It took 17 "sudden death" questions, but Sam Brandt of Eugene claimed the 10th and final spot Tuesday for today's championship round of the 2005 National Geographic Bee The National Geographic Bee (previously called the National Geography Bee) is an annual geography contest sponsored by the National Geographic Society. The Bee, held every year since 1989, is open to students in the fourth through eighth grade in participating American . Brandt, 13, got eight of nine answers correct in the preliminary round at the Wyndham City Center Hotel in Washington, D.C. However, nine others were flawless, leaving only one spot open for eight single-miss contestants. After five questions in the playoff, only Brandt and Krishnan Chandra of Massachusetts were left. It took 12 more questions before Chandra missed - and Brandt correctly answered - the following question: "The Balabac Strait connects the Sulu Sea with which other sea to the west? (South China Sea)." "It was a pretty dramatic tiebreaker tie·break·er n. An additional contest or period of play designed to establish a winner among tied contestants. Also called tiebreak. tie ," said Jonathan Brandt, Sam's father. "Four to five hundred people and TV cameras. Sam was incredibly poised." In all, Sam Brandt correctly answered 24 of 26 questions in a competition that lasted two hours. Brandt, an eighth-grader at Roosevelt Middle School, finished sixth in the event two years ago and tied for 15th last year. Today's championship round, the winner of which earns a $25,000 college scholarship, begins at 7 a.m. It will be telecast at 2 p.m. PDT PDT abbr. Pacific Daylight Time PDT Pacific Daylight Time PDT n abbr (US) (= Pacific Daylight Time) → hora de verano del Pacífico PDT on the National Geographic Channel
Other finalists are: Jesse Weinberg, Florida; Bonny Jain, Illinois; Benjamin Detrixhe, Kansas; Jamie Ding, Michigan; Nathan Cornelius, Minnesota; Matthew Thampy, Missouri; Tejas Raje, New Jersey; Karan Takhar, Rhode Island Rhode Island, island, United States Rhode Island, island, 15 mi (24 km) long and 5 mi (8 km) wide, S R.I., at the entrance to Narragansett Bay. It is the largest island in the state, with steep cliffs and excellent beaches. ; and Max Sugerman, Washington. - Bob Welch |
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