Monday Meditation: Practice Extemp Questions
February 5, 2007 – 6:00 am by: Nick BubbToday’s Monday Meditation comes to us from Appleton East coach Mike Traas. Many people often wonder how extemporaneous speakers do their job - that is - come up with a response to a sometimes difficult question and practice it, in thirty minutes. The answer that a lot of coaches give is simple: practice.
To facilitate that practice, Wisconsin Forensic Daily loves to post practice extemp questions. In what has developed as a tradition, Mr. Traas has made his extemp question from the Appleton East tournament from two Saturday’s ago available for consumption here on WFD (and prior to WFD’s existence, on cross-x.com). However, according to Mr. Traas, “Please temper these with the fact that they are not necessarily up to my standard that I like to make for them.”
Questions are below the break.
There is a disclaimer to be made before you read and use these extemp questions. Mr. Traas shares these questions on a good faith effort to help extempers across the state (and I guess nation too) to have real questions to use for practice speeches. This questions SHOULD NOT be used by any other tournament director and should not be replicated. Copying these is tantamount to plagiarism. They are for practice purposes only.
Round 1 - 110th congress
1. Will the minimum Wage Bill reach fruitation?
2. How will the new Democratic majorities affect immigration policy?
3. Will the Foley scandal hurt popularity of the Congresssional Page program?
4. What significance does Speaker of the House Pelosi hold?
5. Will the Senates resolution opposing the President’s “New way forward” in Iraq, be successful?
6. Is Harold Ford the right fit for the chair of the Democratic Leadership Council?
7. How will the Democratic led congress respond to President Bush’s Health Insurance initiative?
8. Is Al Sharpton a help or a hindrance to his fellow Democrats in Washington?
9. Will the Senate pass the minimum wage bill?
10. Can the Democrats find a health care compromise with President Bush to press forward with?
11. Can the Republicans politically afford to support President Bush’s new position in Iraq?
12. If President Bush starts to make regular use of his veto stamp, will Senate minority Republicans support or oppose him?
13. If President Bush starts to make regular use of his veto stamp, will House minority Republicans support or oppose him?
14. Is the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act a hot enough political button to tear apart the Republican party?
15. Does the resurfacing of Health Care legislation set Hilary Clinton up for political success or will there be too much “attached baggage” from her failed attempts in the 1990’s?
Round 2 - The Iraq War
16. Was the quick execution of Saddam Hussein’s death sentence a good idea?
17. Will Iraq be able to move on after the death of Saddam Hussein?
18. Has Maliki become too complacent about fighting the insurgency?
19. Will King Abdullah II’s loyalty to the US doom him to the fate of the last Shah of Iran?
20. Will Congress hold Bush to being a two year foreign policy lame duck?
21. Are 21,000 additional troupes enough to get the job done?
22. Can prime minister Maliki and Sunni leader Janabi develop any common ground on the issue of security?
23. Can US and Iraqi forces together take back the streets of Baghdad?
24. Is it possible for Bush and the Military to “get the job done” in Iraq?
25. What do the public differences between President Bush and Congress on the issue of the war in Iraq mean to humanitarian aid workers who are in Iraq right now?
26. Is congress pulling the reins in on Gung-ho Bush an outright victory for all the insurgence groups in the Middle East?
27. How does Iran’s nuclear program affect the potential failure of the US military in Iraq?
28. Is the current Iraqi leadership ready to have complete control?
29. How can Iraq avoid a civil war if the US military initiates a full pullout?
30. If President Bush agrees to a troupe withdrawal from Iraq, how will that effect the situation in Afghanista
Round 3 - The President & politics
31. Could Arnold Schwarzenegger have the key to return the GOP to the majority?
32. Can McCain become President despite the failure of the GOP in the midterm elections?
33. The GOP midterm election meltdown: Anger over Iraq or a culture of corruption?
34. How will the Supreme Court deal with the issue of racial balancing of K-12 schools?
35. Will Robert Gates be any help President Bush’s sagging polling numbers?
36. Is President Bush appropriately handling the North Korean nuclear situation?
37. Now that the Secure Fence Act is law will the fence really be built?
38. Was the hoopla of the US population exceeding 300 million much ado about nothing?
39. Do Rodham-Clinton and Obama spell victory for the Democrates in 2008?
40. Will Congress hold Bush to being a two year foreign policy lame duck?
41. Is Duncan Hunter a viable candidate for the Republican nomination?
42. Can Hilary be our first female president?
43. What is the best plan for Republican candidates to maintain the White House?
44. How can President Bush win the war in Iraq?
45. Is President Bush appropriately handling the Iranian nuclear situation?
46. Is John McConnell the right person for the position of Director of National Intelligence?
Power Round - Other international issues
47. Can Cuba avoid a governmental collapse with Fidel Castro’s impending death?
48. Does the election of Daniel Ortega imply a new resurgence in left leaning governments in Central America?
49. With the end of the Islamist stranglehold on Somalia, can the transitional government stave off the clan rivalries?
50. Will economic sanctions have any effect on North Korea’s nuclear testing?
51. What does Rafael Correa mean to Ecuador?
52. Will nuclear tests by North Korea encourage other countries to test nuclear weapons?
53. Can a relaxed arms embargo against Haiti improve security in the country?
54. Will a nuclear North Korea encourage Japan to build an offensive army?
55. Will the proposed Panama canal expansion improve the quality of life in Panama?
56. How will history treat Kofi Annan’s tenure as UN Secretary General?
57. How will Ban-Ki-moon fair as the new UN Secretary General?
58. Can Ban-Ki-moon bring much needed UN attention to his home country’s northern boarder?
59. Has Pope Benedict XVI’s role in the verbal combat with the Muslim world made him a political albatross or Excalibur?
60. Will disputes over the election of Ali Abdullah Saleh in Yemen encourage election reforms?
61. Is Hugo Chavez’s push for oil independence going to save his political future?
62. Is Hugo Chavez a genius or signing a deal with the devil as he negotiates with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
6 Responses to “Monday Meditation: Practice Extemp Questions”
With the same disclaimers on plagiarism enumerated above, I offer questions used at the 2007 Alverno College Invitational. Some questions, by their nature, tend to be more timeless and general, though, so replication may be inevitable. These were mostly written by Sarah Hinkfuss, Rufus King 2006 alum and Harvard first-year. Rounds 1 (#1-18) and 3 (#37-54) are domestic; round 2 (#19-36) is mostly international; the final round (55-66) is a mix of more difficult questions. Some broader questions that would be ineffective to answer in a seven-minute speech are thrown in as part of the educational process of the efficacy of topic selection (by the contestant).
If sent, will 20,000 additional American troops in Iraq stem the current sectarian fighting?
How can the United States revitalize its image abroad?
Identify the region of the world most in need of U.S. foreign aid.
Do political comedians, such as Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, affect public political opinion?
What is the best mobile-communications device on the market?
Can Congressional Democrats follow through on their plan to govern from the center of social issues?
What effect will David Beckham’s recent signing with the Los Angeles Galaxy have on support for soccer in the U.S.?
To what extent, if any, should wireless communication devices be banned in schools?
Which cause has the adoption of African children by American celebrities helped more: the anti-AIDS campaign in Africa or the celebrity’s career?
Should the United States maintain its current level of farm subsidies?
Is the United States appropriately responding to the nuclear threat posed by Iran?
Has can the United States better support the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty?
How can the United States reduce its demand for oil?
Will the bill to increase the minimum wage be passed by the Senate?
Who will win the 2008 Republican Presidential nomination?
Why is Hillary Clinton so stigmatizing?
Is now the time for a true, viable third party in United States politics?
Will Al Gore run for President?
What can the United States do to legitimize the nation-building process in Iraq?
Did Saddam Hussein receive a fair trial?
How has increased access to the Internet affected the jihad?
Has China been easing its censorship of the press?
What must be done to meet the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals?
Propose one reform to the United Nations Security Council to make the UN a more effective international peacekeeping organization.
Will both sides uphold the recent ceasefire agreed upon by Sudan’s President al-Bashir and the rebel groups?
How should American telecom companies react to Hugo Chavez’s recent indication that he plans to nationalize this industry?
Who will take over power in Cuba after Castro dies?
Should rising Japanese nationalism be feared?
What steps can the Indonesian government take to more effectively contain the H5N1 bird flu virus?
Are armed militias a threat to the Kenyan government?
Can Afghanistan’s President Hamid Karzai control the Taliban resistance in the south of the country?
Can President Uribe of Colombia continue to support the U.S. War on Drugs and maintain legitimacy with his people?
Has the Euro become the world’s pre-eminent currency?
To what extent, if any, should local control of education supercede national standards and guidelines?
How can the Knesset support the revitalization of the kibbutz movement in Israel?
How far will Putin go to satisfy Russia’s expanding energy needs?
Should Congressional Republicans support President Bush’s recent request to Congress to fund a surge in American Armed Forces in Iraq?
Does Internet blog/YouTube culture contradict individual claims to privacy in the United States?
How can the United States support moderate governments in Latin America?
As U.S. Secretary of State Condeleeza Rice prepares to host a three-way summit with the Israeli Prime Minister and the Palestinian President, what sort of attainable peace process should she envision?
What can the music industry do to prevent online pirating?
What is patriotism?
Are affirmative action-based programs in education unconstitutional?
What is more important to the Bush Administration in the Middle East—stability or democracy?
Should President Bush maintain his current embryonic stem cell research policy?
What are Barack Obama’s three greatest strengths?
Was the 2006 holiday season the success the retail industry expected?
What can American car companies do to regain the domestic market from international competitors?
Is the cost of attending college in the United States too high?
What ethics reforms should Congress force upon itself?
Does the Department of Homeland Security properly protect America’s transportation systems?
Should bilingual education be offered in all public schools across the country?
Can Arnold Schwarzenegger achieve his goal of providing universal health coverage to all Californians?
Should NASA be privatized?
How can the United States aid the development of Haiti’s economy?
Should the Federal Reserve adjust interest rates at its next meeting?
How can American investors become more involved in the National Stock Exchange, India’s largest stock exchange?
What can Susan Schwab, America’s Trade Chief, do to move the Doha Trade Negotiations forward?
What should the new Director of National Intelligence, John McConnell, do to improve the intelligence sharing between the FBI and the CIA?
Does British Petroleum (BP) maintain proper safety standards at its U.S. refineries?
Is Mary devine?
Did Ethiopia respond appropriately to the Islamic fighters in Somalia?
How should the British encourage integration among its native and immigrant populations?
Has Prime Minister Tony Blair successfully improved the National Health Service?
What should be done to curb human trafficking?
Should Bangledash postpone its national election scheduled for January 22nd?
By Adam Jacobi on Feb 5, 2007
I tried to use HTML ordered list formatting (to put numbers in; I guess this site doesn’t allow that… my apologies.
By Adam Jacobi on Feb 5, 2007
Here are the questions with numbers:
1. If sent, will 20,000 additional American troops in Iraq stem the current sectarian fighting?
2. How can the United States revitalize its image abroad?
3. Identify the region of the world most in need of U.S. foreign aid.
4. Do political comedians, such as Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, affect public political opinion?
5. What is the best mobile-communications device on the market?
6. Can Congressional Democrats follow through on their plan to govern from the center of social issues?
7. What effect will David Beckham’s recent signing with the Los Angeles Galaxy have on support for soccer in the U.S.?
8. To what extent, if any, should wireless communication devices be banned in schools?
9. Which cause has the adoption of African children by American celebrities helped more: the anti-AIDS campaign in Africa or the celebrity’s career?
10. Should the United States maintain its current level of farm subsidies?
11. Is the United States appropriately responding to the nuclear threat posed by Iran?
12. Has can the United States better support the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty?
13. How can the United States reduce its demand for oil?
14. Will the bill to increase the minimum wage be passed by the Senate?
15. Who will win the 2008 Republican Presidential nomination?
16. Why is Hillary Clinton so stigmatizing?
17. Is now the time for a true, viable third party in United States politics?
18. Will Al Gore run for President?
19. What can the United States do to legitimize the nation-building process in Iraq?
20. Did Saddam Hussein receive a fair trial?
21. How has increased access to the Internet affected the jihad?
22. Has China been easing its censorship of the press?
23. What must be done to meet the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals?
24. Propose one reform to the United Nations Security Council to make the UN a more effective international peacekeeping organization.
25. Will both sides uphold the recent ceasefire agreed upon by Sudan’s President al-Bashir and the rebel groups?
26. How should American telecom companies react to Hugo Chavez’s recent indication that he plans to nationalize this industry?
27. Who will take over power in Cuba after Castro dies?
28. Should rising Japanese nationalism be feared?
29. What steps can the Indonesian government take to more effectively contain the H5N1 bird flu virus?
30. Are armed militias a threat to the Kenyan government?
31. Can Afghanistan’s President Hamid Karzai control the Taliban resistance in the south of the country?
32. Can President Uribe of Colombia continue to support the U.S. War on Drugs and maintain legitimacy with his people?
33. Has the Euro become the world’s pre-eminent currency?
34. To what extent, if any, should local control of education supercede national standards and guidelines?
35. How can the Knesset support the revitalization of the kibbutz movement in Israel?
36. How far will Putin go to satisfy Russia’s expanding energy needs?
37. Should Congressional Republicans support President Bush’s recent request to Congress to fund a surge in American Armed Forces in Iraq?
38. Does Internet blog/YouTube culture contradict individual claims to privacy in the United States?
39. How can the United States support moderate governments in Latin America?
40. As U.S. Secretary of State Condeleeza Rice prepares to host a three-way summit with the Israeli Prime Minister and the Palestinian President, what sort of attainable peace process should she envision?
41. What can the music industry do to prevent online pirating?
42. What is patriotism?
43. Are affirmative action-based programs in education unconstitutional?
44. What is more important to the Bush Administration in the Middle East—stability or democracy?
45. Should President Bush maintain his current embryonic stem cell research policy?
46. What are Barack Obama’s three greatest strengths?
47. Was the 2006 holiday season the success the retail industry expected?
48. What can American car companies do to regain the domestic market from international competitors?
49. Is the cost of attending college in the United States too high?
50. What ethics reforms should Congress force upon itself?
51. Does the Department of Homeland Security properly protect America’s transportation systems?
52. Should bilingual education be offered in all public schools across the country?
53. Can Arnold Schwarzenegger achieve his goal of providing universal health coverage to all Californians?
54. Should NASA be privatized?
55. How can the United States aid the development of Haiti’s economy?
56. Should the Federal Reserve adjust interest rates at its next meeting?
57. How can American investors become more involved in the National Stock Exchange, India’s largest stock exchange?
58. What can Susan Schwab, America’s Trade Chief, do to move the Doha Trade Negotiations forward?
59. What should the new Director of National Intelligence, John McConnell, do to improve the intelligence sharing between the FBI and the CIA?
60. Does British Petroleum (BP) maintain proper safety standards at its U.S. refineries?
61. Is Mary devine?
62. Did Ethiopia respond appropriately to the Islamic fighters in Somalia?
63. How should the British encourage integration among its native and immigrant populations?
64. Has Prime Minister Tony Blair successfully improved the National Health Service?
65. What should be done to curb human trafficking?
66. Should Bangledash postpone its national election scheduled for January 22nd?
By Adam Jacobi on Feb 5, 2007
By Nick Bubb on Feb 5, 2007
Thanks guys! I’ve been trying to think up questions for my extemp students feverishly and I haven’t been able to get past my focus (educationally and politically) in order to give them a broader base for experience.
I do have a comment about the dire plagiarism threats. I’m not sure that copying portions of these questions for tournaments would be strictly considered plagiarism, more than just unwise. In this case, unlike a work of art, these questions could have easily been generated as analogues in a wholesale fashion. If pressed, I could probably create a list that mirrors this in over 60% of the questions without having read them.
I think we should be wary of wholesale copying, but even then, allowing students the luxury of knowing a list of 128 questions is the tournament pool is not a really damaging one. As an exercise, pick almost any number of these questions (e.g. from Mr. Traas’s list: 47, 23 and 9) and ask yourself if the use of these questions in a follow on tournament rises to the level of plagiarism.
Thanks again!
Adam Hyland,
Cedarburg Debate/Forensics
By Adam Hyland on Feb 11, 2007
The warning about plagiarism is not to frighten people, bur rather to ensure that all of our tournaments are fair.
People who spoke on these questions have an advantage over other speakers by already being exposed to this exact wording.
By Nick Bubb on Feb 12, 2007