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Happy practicing!
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Let’s Talk Equity
Equity is an issue that’s often brushed over in the speech and debate community. In this article, Manushri Malkapurapu dives into some of the barriers that prevent true equity in extemp, before also suggesting some solutions.
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Violence Against Women in India
The violence women face in India is only getting worse by the day. In this article, Annika Anand explains the precarious situation, and unpacks the complicated history of violence against women in the country.
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From local to national circuits, humor has quickly become a staple in Extemporaneous Speaking. In this article, Siri Ural breaks down humorous content in speeches, with a few added sources for inspiration.
Jack Snyder, an American political scientist and the Robert and Renée Belfer Professor of International Relations at Columbia University, offers a bold perspective on systems based on human rights and demonstrates the stability of human rights depends on central power. Human Rights for Pragmatists is an expertly crafted and innovative book with different views and […]
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Good luck at Emory Harvard and Berkeley this weekend! (As you can tell, I wrote this a while ago). As you start rounds, I want you to keep something in mind. Each day you compete, you get up early in the morning and put on a formal outfit to deliver speeches to an audience you’ve […]
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NATO’s Expanding (!) Problem
Expanding NATO to include Finland and Sweden has been on the minds of global leaders for years, and the conversation has resumed with the Russo-Ukrainian War. In this Topic Analysis, Vikram Menon defines NATO and the idea of expansion in the context of modern global conflicts.
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The results of the prep survey are finally here!
The Syrian Civil War continues to ravage the Middle East. Although many look for ways to fix underlying issues, it looks to be increasingly difficult as the years go by. In this article, Pranav Kalakuntla adds some preliminary background to the complex conflict, with some added reading suggestions too!
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What is the “Pink Tide” ?
Summary: The “Pink Tide” is happening for the second time, but this time different issues are being looked at. In this article, Annika Anand gives a brief introduction on the “Pink Tide” and explains what the future holds for the movement.
The debt ceiling, a primary cause of debate for partisan politics, was reached over the past week. In this topic analysis, Akshita Krishnan talks about what this means for the economy and American politics.
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After a challenging tournament, an alumni and former captain penned this letter to his high school team. It addresses the most formidable challenge we face as speakers and as people: failure. Hello team! It’s 4:45 in the morning (quarter to five for my fellow Brits) here in London, but there are more important things to […]
In his 2014 memoir Just Mercy, Bryan Stevenson documents his career dealing with the criminal justice system and its history of unjustly targeting and incarcerating Black Americans.
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Following chaotic Speaker of the House elections, the future of the Republican party remains highly uncertain. In this topic analysis, Siri Ural investigates causes and consequences of divisions in the right wing.
The Montgomery Bell Academy Extemp Round Robin, a prestigious Tier 1 ranked tournament, recently concluded (1/7-1/8). Major changes were seen in the top 15 of our National Points Race, though McKinley Paltzik (Phoenix Country Day, AZ) maintained her position in first by winning the tournament and earning 1500 points. In second, Phoena Lin (Plano West, […]
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Happy practicing!
Published in 2017, Howard W. French provides excellent historical context to understand some of the motivations behind China’s modern-day behavior.
Happy practicing and happy holidays!
In the final part to a series on using Interp to build Extemp, Akshita Krishnan discusses body language.
In the third installment in a series of using Interp to build Extemp skills, Akshita Krishnan is back to talk about humor in terms of both of these events.
Akshita Krishnan is back to discuss the technicalities of using interp to improve your extemping. In the second part to this series, she talks specifically about the emotional aspect of a speech, and how interp helps to develop passion.
Letting your personality shine in a speech is often what sets you apart from other speakers in a round, allowing you to establish your abilities as a speaker to the judge. In this multi-part series, Akshita Krishnan discusses using Interp as a way to build your speaking style.
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At this year’s Glenbrooks tournament, held from 11/18 – 11/21, we had many competitors gain big points at this tier 3 tournament! Championing this tournament is this year’s current leader in points McKinley Paltzik (Phoenix Country Day, AZ), earning herself 900 points, earning straight 1s in finals. In second, also from Arizona, is Sruti Peddi […]
The Montgomery Bell Academy (MBA) Round Robin is a 16 person, invite-only tournament, widely recognized as the most prestigious round robin in the nation. The tournament will take place in Nashville, Tennessee from January 7th to January 8th. Check out the invite list below and congratulations to all of those invited!
We at The Extemper’s Bible have created a quick survey that we want you to fill out about the way you prep your speeches: tinyurl.com/yckjmd5h.
As we enter an intense competitive period of the national circuit season, Siri Ural discusses the importance of utilizing context to create pathos arguments.
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Happy practicing!
Happy practicing!
Happy practicing!
Happy practicing!
Happy practicing!
The Extemper’s Bible will again host a Nationals Points Race for the third year in a row. This point system will determine the country’s most consistent competitor across a series of nationally-recognized events. Following the model of the Extemp Central National Points Race, we will be using different tiers to determine the comparative difficulty of […]
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Happy practicing!
Happy practicing!
Happy practicing!
Happy practicing!
Happy practicing!
Guess what? We have a book now. It’s name? Well, the title of our website. By Krish Shah with Govind Pattathil and Vikram Sundaram as contributors.
Want to write for or work at The Extemper’s Bible? Here’s your chance to join!
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Happy practicing!
Read here for updates on how Weekly Questions will be developed. Happy practicing!
Ananth Veluvali and Peter Alisky, two extempers who help run the Extemper’s Bible, are offering a high-quality, low-cost extemp camp in August virtually. Extempers of all experience levels are invited to learn from national champions in activities ranging from content lectures, delivery drills, substructure, strategy, practice speeches, and much more. Find more information at paramountprep.org. […]
As the 2021-22 season draws to a close, the Extemper’s Bible would like to solicit feedback on its Weekly Questions scheme to ensure that it continues being a valuable resource to all extempers. If you have a free moment, please fill out the form below. You can send any additional thoughts you may have to […]
The 2021-22 season has come to a close, and the Extemper’s Bible is ready to crown a champion! Congratulations to Daniel Kind of the Lake Highland Preparatory School, Florida for being the nation’s top Points Race performer this year with 10,750 points! Kind is the first-ever NPR competitor to break the five digit mark, and […]
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Apologies for the delay. Happy practicing!
Are you a podhead? Look no further! In this article, Ananth Veluvali asks some extempers from around the circuit for their favorite news-related podcasts. Apologies in advance for the gratuitous use of emojis 🙂
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Happy practicing!
Happy practicing!
Happy practicing!
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Wiki – Ketanji Brown Jackson Confirmed
Following calls for Justice Stephen Breyer to step down, Biden has successfully nominated his first Supreme Court justice: Ketanji Brown Jackson.
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Wiki – The Sri Lankan Crisis
For once, it isn’t Sri Lanka’s cricket team that’s causing the country distress. So what exactly is going on?
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Kevin asks some of his favorite extempers what they’ve done to practice for TOCs. Definitely not a last minute Spring Break grind session…
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A near-total ban on abortion is expected to go into law in Oklahoma, setting precedents and alarming pro-choice advocates.
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Wiki – Pakistan’s Democratic Backsliding
Pakistan has entered a state of political turmoil and likely democratic backsliding. Read this wiki article to learn why!
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Happy practicing!
Happy practicing!
Hand gestures are an important, albeit underutilized tool in extemp. In this article, Ananth Veluvali discusses how you can work on creating effective hand gestures.
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Welcome to the fourth update for the 2021-22 National Points Race! In this edition, we discuss changes made to the Points Race in regards to replacing the Stanford Invitational, and cover the results from Sunvitational, the Cavalier Invitational, the James Logan MLK Invitational, Barkley Forum, Harvard, Palm Classic, and the Cal Invitational. January and February […]
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Wiki #3: Biden’s 2022 State of the Union
In looking at perhaps the most important domestic speech for any USX-er out there, Anirudh Prasanna recaps the most memorable moments in the third installment of our Wiki series. President Biden delivered his first State of the Union speech on Tuesday, March 1st, in which he found the nation to be “stronger today than we […]
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Wiki #2: Russia and Ukraine
Russia and Ukraine have definitely made the news cycle in the last month. So, what’s going on? And why is everyone angry?
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Wiki #1: Canada’s Freedom Convoys
On our first installation of The Extemper’s Wiki (a series where we break down important news in 175 words or less), Ananth Veluvali dives into Canada’s Freedom Convoys.
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Happy practicing!
Happy practicing!
The Montgomery Bell Academy (MBA) Round Robin is a 16 person, invite-only tournament, widely recognized as the most prestigious round robin in the nation. The tournament will take place in Nashville, Tennessee from March 5th to March 6th. Check out the invite list below and congratulations to all of those invited!
In this article, Mukta Dharmapurikar discusses how extempers can best utilize Impromptu Speaking to strengthen their speeches, all with the help of some memes!
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Happy practicing!
Happy practicing!
Happy practicing!
Happy New Year! In this article, founder Ananth Veluvali reflects on the success of the Extemper’s Bible in 2021, while also highlighting new leadership opportunities that have opened up. This is a MUST READ!
Happy holidays! We will not be publishing questions over the next two weeks because of the winter holidays. Thanks for reading and see you in 2022! USX How can America address its youth mental health crisis? Should Congressional members be banned from trading individual stocks? Was relying on sunset clauses a good way of cutting […]
Welcome to the third monthly update for the 2021-22 National Points Race! In this edition, we discuss changes made to the tiering of the GMU Patriot Games, and cover the results from GMU as well as Villiger, Glenbrooks, UT Longhorn, and Princeton. November and December are typically two of the busiest months when it comes […]
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We’ve dropped another podcast episode! Read more to find out what it’s about and where you can listen to it!
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Over the past year, inflation in the United States has significantly increased. What is it, why does it matter, and what can governments do to address it? Those are just a few of the questions Ananth Veluvali explores in this briefing.
After reflecting this summer, we’ve got some exciting updates about our podcast! Read more to find out.
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In this article, Ananth Veluvali provides a strategy for practicing before big tournaments.
While October only had two tier four tournaments that were in the National Points Race, we saw two familiar faces from last month at the top of both tournaments. The New York City Invitational (Bronx) was held from October 15th through the 17th. In first place was Yale champion McKinley Paltzik of Phoenix Country Day […]
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In this article, Ananth Veluvali explores how extempers can read the news efficiently and comprehensively.
Few things spice up a speech like a timely quote. In this article, we’ll go over some quotes that can be used in any extemporaneous speech and go over how to use them.
In this article, Ananth Veluvali breaks down how you, as a captain, can run practices for your extemp team. This will be Part 2 in a longer series about starting, managing, and leading your team.
USX What do recent referendums on police reforms signal about the future of the Defund the Police movement? What lessons do the Democratic Party need to take away from the New Jersey and Virginia gubernatorial elections? Is paid family leave a winning issue for Democrats? Is admitting more immigrants the best response for America’s labor […]
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Happy practicing!
Happy practicing!
USX Will Congressional Democrats be able to pass price reductions on prescription medication? Have we seen the last wave of COVID cases in the U.S.? Would breaking up Facebook be a good policy decision? How long will America’s widespread supply shortages last? Is the “Defund the Police” movement dead for good? IX How can the […]
Welcome to the first monthly update for the 2021-22 National Points Race! In this edition, we cover the results from the UK Season Opener, the Yale Invitational, and the Duke Invitational. The new extemp season has started, and some familiar faces are already showing their growth from last year at the first tournaments of the […]
We apologize for the delay in posting questions. Happy practicing!
Interested in helping us? Keep reading for more!
Happy practicing!
Happy practicing!
Happy practicing!
After a successful launch last year, the Extemper’s Bible will once again host a Nationals Points Race in order to determine the country’s most consistent competitor across a series of nationally-recognized events. Following the model of the Extemp Central National Points Race, we will be using different tiers to determine the comparative difficulty of tournaments […]
Happy practicing!
This article explains how a society’s demographic structure affects its economic and political systems and how that is relevant to extempers.
Are you caught up with the news? Find out with this weeks ten question quiz!
USX Is a carbon border adjustment tax a good policy idea? What steps can the Biden administration take to prevent mass housing insecurity after the Supreme Court’s ruling against the eviction moratorium? Who will win the Democrats’ internal struggle between progressives and moderates? Should the Biden administration have authorized booster shots? Should Jerome Powell be […]
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Recruiting an Extemp Team
In this article, Ananth Veluvali breaks down how you, as a captain, can recruit people for your extemp team. This will be Part 1 in a longer series about starting, managing, and leading your team.
After a well-enjoyed summer break, the Extemper’s Bible is back! Keep reading to find out more about exciting updates to the site and what you can expect from us.
Normal, current affairs-focused questions will be back next week. We hope you enjoyed your summer! Movies 1. What lessons can be learned from movies’ simultaneous box office and streaming service launches in 2021? 2. Has Marvel Studios successfully refound themselves after Avengers: Endgame? 3. Will the Oscars truly able to shed their non-diverse reputation? 4. […]
We apologize for the slight delay! Music Has Lil Was X successfully reshaped the conversation around queerness in the hip-hop industry? Should Jack Antonoff’s rise to producer stardom be celebrated or looked down upon? Should more artists move away from record labels?Video Games How will the arrival of the Steam Deck affect the gaming industry? […]
Are you caught up with the news? Find out with this weeks ten question quiz!
Is Caeleb Dressel the new Michael Phelps? What lessons can the world of gymnastics learn from Simone Biles’ event withdrawals at the Tokyo Olympics? How should U.S. Olympics drug policy be changed after the Tokyo Olympics, if at all? What sport, if any, should the Olympics add for the 2024 Games? Will USA Basketball – […]
The Extemper’s Bible is beginning a virtual book club for extempers.
Are you caught up with the news? Find out with our weekly quiz! 10 questions, once per week
Football What can NFL front offices learn from the resolution of Aaron Rodgers’ feud with the Packers? Which rookie quarterback will exceed expectations the most? Does vaccine skepticism among NFL players pose a serious problem to the league? Are the Buffalo Bills ready to make the “next step” in the 2021-22 season? Should the NFL […]
Read this article for some exciting updates from the Extemper’s Bible! Plus, a free presentation on introductions linked below!
Are you caught up with the news? Find out with our weekly quiz! 10 questions, once per week — it’s back!
Basketball Who are the favorites to win the 2021-2022 NBA Championship? Is it time for the Portland Trail Blazers to blow it up? What’s the best move for the Philadelphia 76ers this off-season? Would the NBA benefit from adding a mid-season tournament? Will more young prospects turn to the G-League instead of attending college?Baseball Are […]
We hope everyone is having a great summer! For the next five weeks, the Extemper’s Bible will be releasing modified versions of our usual weekly questions, with eight questions each week focusing on elements of modern culture. We’re writing the questions about your hobbies, interests, and guilty pleasures that you wish you’d gotten in tournament, […]
Read this article for some exciting updates from the Extemper’s Bible! Plus, a free economics presentation linked below!
Economics is one of the more difficult subjects that extemp covers. In this article, Ananth Veluvali breaks down interest rates and modern monetary theory.
The speech and debate season is coming up in less than two months, which means it’s time for recruitment! Hopefully, this ‘sales pitch’ for joining the speech and debate team helps! This article was written by Ananth Veluvali.
While summer is the perfect time to enjoy the outdoors and the sweet feeling of freedom that comes with having no homework, it’s also a great time to improve your extemp skills. In this article, Ananth Veluvali delves into some tips and tricks for becoming a better extemper over the summer.
The 2020-2021 season has come to a close, which means the Extemper’s Bible can crown its first-ever National Points Race champion! Congratulations to Mukta Dharmapurikar of Durham Academy, North Carolina, for winning the NPR with 8775 points! She began the year strong with a win at the UK Season Opener and had a consistent string […]
Welcome to the final monthly update on the standings and tournament results for the 2020-21 National Points Race! This edition features the results from the end-of-season “national” tournaments: the University of Kentucky Tournament of Champions, the Northwestern University Extemp Tournament of Champions, the National Catholic Forensics League Grand Nationals, and the National Speech and Debate Association […]
Happy practicing! This is our final set of questions for the 2020-2021 season.
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