Free Web NovelChapter 53: Chapter 52: Two Questions Worth 40 Points
The break time was over.
The host again stood on stage, microphone in hand, announcing loudly, "Next, we have the risk question!"
The competition entered its third phase.
"In this part of the competition, each team needs to send out a representative to answer the question. There are ten-point and twenty-point questions to choose from, but a higher point value doesn’t always guarantee superiority. Correct answers will add the corresponding points to the team’s score, but incorrect answers will deduct the same amount of points!"
"Each team can choose according to their current score situation."
No sooner did the host finish explaining the rules than discussion broke out among the audience.
The teams were well prepared for this. They already knew about the championship rules, that risk and speed quizzes were essential parts of the competition.
Last year’s risk question had a score of ten points, with each team having to answer three questions. This year the number of questions had been reduced to two, letting teams freely choose the point value of the questions, which also increased flexibility and fun in the game.
Upon hearing the rules for the risk question, the audience realized that the competition had entered a critical stage for scoring.
If a team answered the risk question incorrectly, points would be deducted. If both questions were answered incorrectly, as many as forty points could be deducted. Conversely, up to forty points could also be scored, meaning the score could fluctuate by as much as eighty points.
Jiangzhou Experimental Middle School had the highest score, which was only 190 points, only 50 points more than Zhengyang No.13 Middle School. Theoretically, even Zhengyang No.13 Middle School, which was last, had a chance to catch up with Jiangzhou Experimental Middle School, the current leader.
In the audience,
Zhao Hongjuan quickly gathered her thoughts and began to speak, "This stage is so important. With a potential change of forty points, that’s an eighty-point swing in total. The choice of who should go up is also problematic. I think our Xiaoqing is best suited; she scored points in the first round of compulsory questions. If Xiaoqing goes up, she can surely earn points for the team!"
While speaking, she was a little nervous inside. What if her daughter really went on stage for the team and got the questions wrong?
An incorrect answer would mean a deduction in points!
She asked Teacher Sun in front, a bit uncertain, "Am I right, Teacher Sun?"
Others also turned their eyes to Teacher Sun.
Teacher Sun shook his head and said, "The one who should go on stage should be Zhao Yi."
"Zhao Yi?"
Everyone turned their eyes to the stage.
As Zhengyang No.13 Middle School sent out a representative to answer, Zhao Yi stood up very directly and walked to the side of the host. His movements were leisurely, his pace steady, and there was even a smile at the corner of his mouth, showing no signs of tension at all.
This was quite extraordinary for a normal high school student.
The gaze of the four judges towards Zhao Yi had a hint of appreciation. Regardless of his academic knowledge, his calm and casual demeanor after stepping onto the stage was not something that a normal high school student could match.
"Zhao Yi."
The smiling host asked, "Would you like to choose a ten-point question, or a twenty-point one?" After he finished speaking, he handed the microphone to Zhao Yi.
Zhao Yi took over the microphone and smiled at the audience, "Our team has the lowest score now, so we certainly have to fight hard and choose the high-point question. It would be best if there was a question worth a hundred points."
"Hahaha..."
Laughter erupted from the audience.
Even the host could not hold back his laughter, he shook his head and said, "I am really sorry then, the highest score is only twenty points."
"Enough talking. Now, let’s see the question!"
The big screen switched over to randomly display a computer question.
"International domain names of computer networks are generally divided by industry. For example, ’com’ represents commercial organizations, ’edu’ stands for?"
"A. Military department."
"B. Network center."
"C. Educational institutions."
"D. Non-military government departments."
Zhao Yi looked at the question and asked in surprise, "Isn’t this a giveaway?"
The host also laughed.
In the championship publicity, it stated that Zhao Yi was a computer prodigy. He was certainly more familiar with computers and the internet. Encountering a computer-related question, it was indeed easy for him.
"So, what’s your answer?"
"C, Educational institutions!" Zhao Yi immediately gave the answer.
"Correct answer, Zhengyang No.13 Middle School earns twenty points!"
The audience burst into applause.
Even though the question was very simple for Zhao Yi, in reality it was not. Computers had just begun to spread across households domestically, and their high prices along with the perception that many people "didn’t need them" affected the prevalence of computer knowledge.
Although high schools required computer-related courses, most students started using computers by playing games. Even if they had studied basic computer skills, they might not be able to answer questions about domain name suffixes.
Zhao Yi had earned twenty points for Zhengyang No.13 Middle School, and Lin Xiaoqing, Sun Liang and others clapped excitedly.
Next, it was time for the other teams to answer questions.
None of the other contestants were as composed as Zhao Yi when standing on stage; they all betrayed signs of nervousness, however slight.
Unlike earlier, now they had to be on stage and interact with the host while answering the questions. The pressure from the risk questions was also substantial; an incorrect answer meant losing points.
Jiangzhou Experimental Middle School went for a conservative approach and picked an easy question worth ten points. Their correct answer earned them those ten points.
Eager to level the score, Yongyang Middle School chose a question worth twenty points, but they couldn’t solve it and got docked twenty points as a result.
Zhengyang No.1 High School also chose a question worth twenty points, and they added twenty points to their score by answering correctly.
It was Zhao Yi’s turn in the second round, once again stepping on stage.
He gained higher expectations from the audience, thanks to the benchmark set by the previous participants. His natural demeanor on stage, combined with his witty remarks, won him a lot of favor.
"I’ll pick a twenty-point question again!"
Zhao Yi stated.
The host reminded him with a smile, "If you get this wrong, your previous score will be deducted. Are you sure?"
"Absolutely!"
"Alright, let’s check out the big screen!"
The big screen displayed the question: [Where was the world’s first national-level ’21st Century Agenda’ born?]
[A. United States.]
[B. Brazil.]
[C. China.]
[D. Japan.]
This question sparked a debate.
Not many people have heard of the ’21st Century Agenda’, let alone knowing which country it originated from.
Zhao Yi answered within two seconds, "Brazil, B."
The host looked somewhat surprised, "Are you sure?"
"Absolutely sure!"
"Well then.....The answer is correct!"
The host announced the result by waving his hand, twenty more points were added to Zhengyang No.13 Middle School’s score. Their total score rocketed to 180, surpassing Yongyang Middle School and rising to third place.
Lin Xiaoqing, Sun Liang, and others cheered enthusiastically as they welcomed Zhao Yi back to his seat like a triumphant hero.
The teachers and parents in the spectator seats also started clapping energetically.
They were now in the third place! ƒгeewёbnovel.com
They were worried about their score just a while ago, trailing thirty points behind the third-place team was quite disheartening. Yet, once the risk question stage began, Zhao Yi stepped up and answered two questions correctly in a row, swiftly catching up with the score.
Zhao Hongjuan couldn’t help her excitement and turned to tell Liu Jing and Zhao Zhenxi, "Your son, Zhao Yi, he’s really something!"
"This kid is steady and smart, and also quite eloquent. Just look at his performance! He got all questions right!"
He Dabao chimed in, "Right, he’s much better than our Ronghua. Since the grades may not matter that much, maybe he’ll turn out to be a achiever in the future."
Zhao Zhenxi felt a wave of resentment but remained silent due to his temperament.
Liu Jing couldn’t hold back anymore!
She felt that she had been quite patient, but He Dabao’s words were very unpalatable, always priding his child’s grades and correlating grades with ’achievement in life’?
Liu Jing wore a smiling face as though she didn’t mind and concurred with what He Dabao had said, "Exactly! I’m worried too! My little Yi, he always prioritizes play over study, playing with computers, games... High school is so crucial, at this point, studies should be their number one priority!"
The people nearby nodded in agreement.
"Xiao Yi is stubborn, always at his keyboard playing games. No matter what we say, he wouldn’t listen. At this age, our words don’t carry much weight. Just out of luck, his computer skills made people believe he’s some computer genius and won more than a million in a contest! Interesting, don’t you think?"
"He’s excellent in all other aspects, far better than any other kid, but only lacks motivation in the most important area—studies!"
"Mr. He, our Xiao Yi is no match for your Ronghua who is so diligent. He will definitely go to a good university in the future. With a good job, earning a big salary of ten to twenty thousand a month won’t be a big deal!"
Liu Jing let out a sigh pretending as if she was genuinely disgruntled about her child’s lack of dedication towards study.
Zhao Zhenxi couldn’t help but chuckle internally.
The other parents stifled their laughter. They had been quite displeased with He Dabao for a while now and felt rather relieved by Liu Jing’s sarcastic rebuttal.
He Dabao always brags about his child’s grades, and now he’s brought it upon Zhao Yi. A kid who, even in high school, appears on television and gets a million-dollar prize. Do they really think grades can overshadow these achievements?
They don’t really think it through!
He Dabao’s face reddened up to his ears pretending as if he didn’t understand what she meant, but inside he felt as if a large stone was stuck in his chest. He looked towards his son on the bench, his eyes were full of resentment and disappointment.
Why does this child only know to study?
There’s so much more out there that’s equally important!
