Thinking Cap Quiz is a computerized national quiz bowl competition in the United States. It was started by Harvey Kimble and Shirley Kimble, who coached teams and organized statewide contests. After several years of participating in the Knowledge Master Open (KMO) at the high school level, they decided to construct their own electronic quiz bowl patterned after the KMO format.
The competition has four main divisions, corresponding to United States educational system 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grades. Participation in the 5th/6th Branches is available in all 48 continental US states, but 7th/8th Division is open only to the 16 states who have expressed the most interest. A school has the power to choose the size and members of a team and can also divide prospective students into several teams.
The school is mailed several disks of practice questions to prep for the competition and one for the official quiz. The quiz has a variety of questions on a diverse range of topics: Math, Literature, Grammar, Writing, Sports, Science, History, Current Events, etc. After a telephone interview with the headmaster or teacher to confirm that the taking of the quiz was ethical and fair, the school reports the results to the state coördinator. After a few days or weeks, the state announces the final winners. The 16 teams with the highest scores nationally are eligible to take a final national quiz. These finalists are referred to as the "Sweet Sixteen". They then take a more difficult, challenging quiz to determine their ranking in the nation.
Famous quotes containing the words thinking, cap and/or bowl:
“Compromise. Such an adjustment of conflicting interests as gives each adversary the satisfaction of thinking he has got what he ought not to have, and is deprived of nothing except what was justly his due.”
—Ambrose Bierce (1842–1914)
“... everyone developing
A language of his own to write his book in,
And one to cap the climax by combining
All language in a one-man tongue-confusion.”
—Robert Frost (1874–1963)
“It all ended with the circuslike whump of a monstrous box on the ear with which I knocked down the traitress who rolled up in a ball where she had collapsed, her eyes glistening at me through her spread fingers—all in all quite flattered, I think. Automatically, I searched for something to throw at her, saw the china sugar bowl I had given her for Easter, took the thing under my arm and went out, slamming the door.”
—Vladimir Nabokov (1899–1977)