LL Study Guide – LL107 Match Day 20

This match day moves quickly across domains: from cutting-edge nanomaterials (Vantablack) and the shifting brand names of HBO’s streaming services, to YA vampire fiction, the global art market, culinary spices, and a classic English word-oddity. Vantablack, developed by Surrey NanoSystems as a forest of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes that absorbs about 99.965% of visible light, sits at one scientific extreme. At the other end are humanistic and cultural topics: Stephenie Meyer’s four-book Twilight Saga (Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn), a 280‑year‑old auction house, and a 19th‑century opera aria.

A fun throughline here is naming and branding. Vantablack’s name is itself an acronymic portmanteau (Vertically Aligned NanoTube Array + black), while HBO cycled its consumer streaming brands from HBO Go and HBO Now to HBO Max, then Max, and—after industry backlash—back to HBO Max in 2025. Twilight’s sequels each carry evocative celestial or temporal titles (New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn), reinforcing the series identity across books and films. Even allspice is a branding story: it’s a single spice whose flavor reminded 17th‑century English traders of cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove combined, hence the “all” in its name. Finally, the language question turns on the curious spelling of dreamt, long touted (with some caveats) as the only common English word ending in -mt.

If some of these felt tough in real time, that’s normal: several hinge on very specific facts (like HBO’s exact rebranding sequence or the alternate titles in a YA series). Reviewing them now is about seeing the patterns—how science, media, literature, and even spelling trivia surface again and again in films, streaming menus, cookbooks, and songs you might already know—so the next time a related clue appears, it will feel much more familiar.

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Study Notes

Question 1: Vantablack and Ultra-Black Materials

Q1. SCIENCE - What is the acronymic-portmanteau name for the coating developed by Surrey NanoSystems in 2014 that created what was dubbed the “world’s darkest color”? This substance is composed of vertically aligned nanotube arrays that absorb up to 99.965% of visible light.

Vantablack is an ultra‑black coating made of a “forest” of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes developed by Surrey NanoSystems; it absorbs about 99.965% of visible light, making three‑dimensional objects appear almost like flat voids. The name is an acronymic portmanteau from Vertically Aligned NanoTube Array + black.

Connections

• Space technology: Vantablack was originally developed for space and infrared instrumentation; versions like Vantablack S‑VIS have flown on satellites (e.g., the Kent Ridge 1 microsatellite) to coat star‑tracker baffles, dramatically reducing stray light and improving pointing accuracy.
• Telescope and sensor design: Surrey NanoSystems markets Vantablack for space optics, calibration blackbodies, and cryogenic baffles in satellite and terrestrial imaging systems, where its extremely low reflectance simplifies instrument design.
• BMW VBX6 concept car: BMW built a one‑off Vantablack‑coated X6 (the VBX6), using a sprayable Vantablack VBx2 to make the SUV’s shape nearly disappear except for lit elements like headlights and grille.
• Olympic architecture: At the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, architect Asif Khan’s Hyundai Pavilion used a Vantablack-based coating to create what was billed as the “darkest building on earth,” visually resembling a portal into deep space.
• Controversial art exclusivity: Artist Anish Kapoor secured exclusive artistic rights to use one Vantablack paint formulation, provoking backlash from other artists and prompting rival pigments like Stuart Semple’s “pinkest pink” in protest.

Sources

• Vantablack – Wikipedia – Basic description of Vantablack, its carbon‑nanotube structure, development by Surrey NanoSystems, and its extremely high light absorption (~99.965%).
• Our Story – VANTABLACK (Surrey NanoSystems) – Company overview; confirms creation of Vantablack as a vertically aligned nanotube coating and its 99.965% light absorption figure.
• World’s blackest coating material makes its debut in space – Scientist Live – Details use of Vantablack S‑VIS on the Kent Ridge 1 satellite’s star tracker and notes ~99.8% light absorption in that variant.
• Space | VANTABLACK – Infrared Applications – Application notes on Vantablack in satellite systems, cryogenic baffles, and IR imaging.
• Space | VANTABLACK – Space Optics – Discusses space qualification and long‑term in‑orbit use on baffles and calibration systems.
• The Vantablack BMW X6 – BMW USA – Describes the BMW VBX6 concept, the use of Vantablack VBx2, and the visual effect on the car’s appearance.
• “Thanks to the Magic of Vantablack, the Olympics Will Feature the World’s Blackest Building” – Artnet News – Covers Asif Khan’s Hyundai Pavilion at Pyeongchang, coated in Vantablack to produce a “black hole” effect.
• Anish Kapoor – Wikipedia – Summarizes Kapoor’s exclusive license to use a Vantablack paint for art and the resulting controversy.
• “You could disappear into it”: Anish Kapoor on his exclusive rights to the “blackest black” – The Guardian – Interview feature elaborating on Kapoor’s collaboration on Vantablack and artistic motivations.

Question 2: HBO’s Streaming Brand Timeline

Q2. TELEVISION - In this branding timeline, what single name is redacted?[REDACTED] Go (2010-2020) -> [REDACTED] Now (2015-2020) -> [REDACTED] Max (2020-2023) -> Max (2023-2025)-> [REDACTED] Max (2025-present).

The missing name is HBO, whose logo anchored a sequence of brands: HBO Go (2010–2020), HBO Now (2015–2020), HBO Max (launched 2020), a 2023 rebrand to Max, and then a 2025 reversal back to HBO Max.

Connections

• HBO Go (TV Everywhere era): HBO Go launched in February 2010 as an authenticated on‑demand service tied to a cable HBO subscription; its U.S. apps were discontinued in 2020 as viewers were pushed toward HBO Max.
• HBO Now (cord‑cutters): HBO Now launched in April 2015 as a standalone OTT service for people without cable, then was folded into HBO Max when that broader streaming platform launched in May 2020.
• HBO Max → Max (2023): Warner Bros. Discovery combined HBO Max and Discovery+ content under the new name Max in May 2023, a move widely covered as an attempt to broaden the service’s appeal to families.
• Max → HBO Max again (2025): In 2025, WBD announced it would restore the HBO Max name, citing the strength and prestige of the HBO brand; the rebrand rolled out in July 2025 and was reported by outlets like CNBC, The Verge, AP, and MacRumors.
• Prestige Sunday nights: HBO’s brand power is closely tied to its original series: its Sunday block has hosted shows like The Sopranos, Sex and the City, The Wire, Game of Thrones, Succession, The White Lotus, House of the Dragon, and The Last of Us.
• Streaming‑wars context: Tech and media coverage often contrasts HBO Max with rivals like Netflix and Disney+ as a “quality over quantity” service—something TechRadar and others emphasize when ranking top streaming platforms.

Sources

• HBO Go – Wikipedia – Launch and shutdown dates for HBO Go; explains it as an authenticated streaming service for cable subscribers from 2010 to 2020 in the U.S.
• HBO Now – Wikipedia – Details HBO Now’s April 2015 launch as a standalone service and its replacement by HBO Max in 2020.
• HBO Max – Wikipedia – Provides launch date (May 27, 2020), the 2023 rebrand to Max, and the 2025 decision to revert to HBO Max, along with subscriber figures and rollout timeline.
• “New ‘Max’ Streaming Service Launches, Replacing HBO Max” – MacRumors – Contemporary coverage of the May 23, 2023 Max launch replacing HBO Max.
• “WARNER BROS. DISCOVERY UNVEILS MAX STREAMING SERVICE” – WBD Investor Relations – Official announcement outlining Max’s positioning and pricing.
• “HBO Max is coming back” – CNBC – Reports that Max will revert to the HBO Max name starting summer 2025, including quotes from CEO David Zaslav.
• “They’re just giving up and calling it HBO Max again” – The Verge – Explains why the Max brand underperformed and why WBD chose to revive HBO Max.
• “Max streaming service is reviving the HBO name” – AP News – AP coverage of the 2025 HBO Max rebrand and its strategic rationale.
• HBO Sundays – Wikipedia – Lists major HBO Sunday‑night originals and notes the block’s reputation for prestige programming.
• HBO – Wikipedia – Background on HBO as the first premium cable network and its role in pay‑TV history.
• “The best streaming services – TechRadar” – Compares Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+, and other platforms, characterizing HBO Max’s strengths in quality originals and film library.

Question 3: The Twilight Saga Sequels

Q3. LITERATURE - The 2005 novel Twilight is the first novel in the four-novel vampire romance series written by American author Stephenie Meyer, and gives the series its name. Give the name of any one of the other three books in this series, released one per year beginning in 2006?

Stephenie Meyer’s four‑book Twilight Saga consists of Twilight (2005), New Moon (2006), Eclipse (2007), and Breaking Dawn (2008); any of the latter three would have been a correct answer.

Connections

• Book‑to‑film adaptations: Each of the sequels became a major film: The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009), Eclipse (2010), and the two‑part Breaking Dawn films (2011, 2012), starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Taylor Lautner.
• Pop‑culture phenomenon: The saga helped power a global box‑office haul over $3.3 billion and created cultural touchstones like “Team Edward vs. Team Jacob,” still referenced in media pieces and anniversary retrospectives.
• Extended universe: Meyer later revisited the story with The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner (2010), gender‑swapped retelling Life and Death (2015), and Midnight Sun (2020), which retells the first book from Edward’s perspective.
• Ongoing relevance: As of 2025 the films are streaming together on services like Hulu and being re‑released theatrically for Twilight’s 20th anniversary, keeping the franchise visible to new audiences.
• Genre influence: Critics often cite the Twilight series in discussions of YA paranormal romance, vampire fiction, and the early‑2000s wave of YA properties adapted into film franchises (Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, etc.).

Sources

• Twilight (novel) – Wikipedia – Lists the sequels New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn with their 2006–2008 publication dates and notes later companion books.
• New Moon (novel) – Wikipedia – Confirms New Moon (2006) as the second book, its genre, and plot focus.
• Eclipse (Meyer novel) – Wikipedia – Identifies Eclipse (2007) as the third novel and gives publication details.
• Breaking Dawn – Wikipedia – Details Breaking Dawn (2008) as the fourth novel and summarizes its publication, sales, and two‑part film adaptation.
• Twilight Saga – Britannica – Overview of the four main novels and their film adaptations, plus note that Breaking Dawn sold about 1.3 million copies on its first day.
• Where Is “Twilight” Streaming? – People – Current streaming information and recap of the five films and their cultural impact.
• “Twilight” movies returning to local theaters in October – Times Union – Reports on 2025 theatrical re‑release for the saga’s 20th anniversary and notes the franchise’s $3.3B+ box‑office total.
• Twilight Saga | Books, Movies, New Moon, Breaking Dawn, Eclipse, & Facts – Britannica – Additional confirmation of titles, dates, and the series’ role in YA vampire romance.
• “Twilight gets animated with new ‘Midnight Sun’ TV series on Netflix” – Entertainment Weekly – Discusses the animated adaptation of Midnight Sun and the franchise’s continuing screen life.

Question 4: Sotheby’s and the Art Auction Market

Q4. ART - What auction house, founded in London as a book auctioneer in 1744, became the first major international firm of its kind to be American-owned when purchased by shopping mall magnate A. Alfred Taubman in 1983?

The auction house is Sotheby’s, founded in London in 1744 by bookseller Samuel Baker and later purchased in 1983 by American mall developer A. Alfred Taubman, making it the first major international auction firm to be American‑owned.

Connections

• From books to blue‑chip art: Sotheby’s began as a book auctioneer but expanded over the 19th and 20th centuries into high‑value art, jewelry, and collectibles, eventually rivaling Christie’s as one of the two dominant global auction houses.
• Taubman’s retail savvy: Taubman, known for pioneering upscale indoor shopping malls through Taubman Centers, bought a struggling Sotheby’s in 1983 and revamped its New York headquarters and marketing, later taking the company public again.
• Record‑setting sales: Sotheby’s has handled some of the world’s most famous auctions, such as the 2012 sale of Edvard Munch’s The Scream for about $119.9 million, then a record auction price for a work of art.
• Celebrity collections: Recent years have seen headline‑grabbing single‑owner sales like the Emily Fisher Landau collection (including a Picasso that fetched $139M) and Freddie Mercury’s personal effects, reinforcing Sotheby’s profile in popular media.
• Pop‑culture tie‑ins: Sotheby’s frequently auctions film and music memorabilia—everything from posters for The Thomas Crown Affair to James Bond props and posters—connecting the house to well‑known movies and franchises.

Sources

• Sotheby’s – Wikipedia – Outlines the company’s founding by Samuel Baker in 1744, evolution from book auctions to fine art, acquisition of U.S. firm Parke‑Bernet, and its major international expansion.
• Our History – Sotheby’s – Official company history emphasizing its 1744 founding and growth into a leading global auction house.
• A. Alfred Taubman – Wikipedia – Biographical details on Taubman, his role in popularizing shopping malls, and his 1983 purchase and turnaround of Sotheby’s.
• “Alfred Taubman: Businessman who made the shopping mall central…” – The Independent – Narrative account of Taubman’s career, his acquisition and modernization of Sotheby’s, and later price‑fixing scandal.
• “Edvard Munch’s The Scream fetches world record price at auction” – Guinness World Records – Confirms the 2012 Sotheby’s sale of The Scream for $119,922,500.
• The Scream – Wikipedia – Provides additional detail on the painting’s history and the record‑setting Sotheby’s auction.
• “Near-record $7.9bn in sales marks second strong year in row for Sotheby’s” – The Guardian – Discusses Sotheby’s 2022–23 sales performance and major collections like Emily Fisher Landau and Freddie Mercury.
• “Sotheby’s losses more than double to $248m as art market slumps” – The Guardian – Shows the house’s more recent financial challenges amid an art‑market slump.
• Christie’s – Wikipedia – Context on Sotheby’s chief rival and the duopoly at the top of the global auction market.
• “Bond On Bond Street” – Sotheby’s – Example of Sotheby’s themed sales of James Bond memorabilia and its pop‑culture branding.
• Original Film Posters – The Thomas Crown Affair lots – Sotheby’s – Illustrates Sotheby’s sales of classic film posters and related collectibles.

Question 5: Allspice (Jamaica Pepper)

Q5. FOOD/DRINK - What familiar name for a spice common in Middle Eastern and Jamaican cuisine (which is also known as pimento, myrtle pepper, or Jamaica pepper, and which is not actually a blend) refers to its flavor, resembling cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg combined?

The spice is allspice, the dried unripe berry of the tree Pimenta dioica, also called Jamaica pepper, myrtle pepper, pimenta or pimento; English merchants named it “allspice” in the 1600s because its flavor reminded them of a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove, even though it is a single spice, not a blend.

Connections

• Caribbean & Jamaican jerk: Allspice is central to Caribbean cooking and particularly Jamaican jerk seasoning; classic jerk rubs often use ground allspice together with thyme, chiles, and other spices.
• Middle Eastern savory dishes: In Middle Eastern cooking, allspice is widely used (often with cinnamon) in meat mixtures like hashweh and in rice stuffings, giving a warm, aromatic profile without being sugary.
• European and holiday baking: In Europe and North America, allspice shows up in gingerbread, pumpkin pie, fruitcakes, mince pies, sausages, and even ketchup, contributing the familiar “warm spice” note.
• Misleading names: Outside Jamaica, “pimento” often refers to a red sweet pepper, but historically Spanish colonizers called the allspice berries pimiento because they resembled black peppercorns; the name stuck even though botanically they are quite different.
• Botanical origin: Allspice is native to Jamaica and parts of Central America and is unusual among major spices in being grown almost exclusively in the Western Hemisphere, a legacy of early Caribbean trade.

Sources

• Allspice – Wikipedia – Identifies allspice as the dried unripe berry of Pimenta dioica, lists alternative names (Jamaica pepper, myrtle pepper, pimenta), and explains the origin of the English name from its cinnamon‑nutmeg‑clove flavor.
• “Allspice Chemistry” – ChemistryViews – Emphasizes that allspice is a single spice (not a blend), tastes like a mix of clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, and pepper, and summarizes its culinary and historical uses.
• Allspice – Kotányi – Spice‑maker overview describing flavor (mixture of cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and pepper), historical introduction to Europe, and typical culinary uses.
• Allspice – World Food and Wine – Notes its West Indian origin, berry description, and broad use in pickles, stews, cakes, and puddings.
• “What Is Allspice? The Single Spice That Tastes Like A Blend” – Allrecipes – Recent article stressing that allspice is not a blend and summarizing its flavor as reminiscent of nutmeg, black pepper, cinnamon, and clove.
• “What Is Allspice?” – Southern Living – Explains origin regions (Jamaica, southern Mexico, Central America), and confirms flavor similarity to cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and pepper, plus its role in jerk and holiday baking.
• “Allspice: How to Use It In Middle Eastern Cuisine” – Hungry Paprikas – Focuses on savory Middle Eastern uses, especially the classic allspice‑and‑cinnamon pairing in hashweh and rice dishes.
• “Famous Jamaican Jerk Seasoning Recipe” – Food.com – Example recipe listing ground allspice as a key ingredient in jerk seasoning.

Question 6: “Dreamt” and the -mt Ending

Q6. LANGUAGE - “I [BLANK] I Dwelt in Marble Halls” and “I [BLANK] We Spoke Again”. What word, whose ending is unique in the English language (or very nearly so), is redacted from these song titles?

The missing word is dreamt, a past‑tense form of dream that features the highly unusual -mt ending; it appears in the aria “I Dreamt I Dwelt in Marble Halls” from the 1843 opera The Bohemian Girl and in Death Cab for Cutie’s 2018 song “I Dreamt We Spoke Again.”

Connections

• Opera and Victorian pop culture: “I Dreamt I Dwelt in Marble Halls” (also called “The Gipsy Girl’s Dream”) is an aria from Michael William Balfe’s 1843 opera The Bohemian Girl; it became a 19th‑ and early‑20th‑century favorite, referenced by writers like James Joyce and later appearing in films.
• Film soundtracks: Enya’s version of “Marble Halls” appears on her album Shepherd Moons and is featured in Martin Scorsese’s 1993 film The Age of Innocence, giving the song renewed visibility for modern audiences.
• Jazz riff on the title: Glenn Miller’s 1941 hit “I Dreamt I Dwelt in Harlem” is an explicit allusion to the original aria’s title, transferring the dream imagery from aristocratic marble halls to a jazz‑age Harlem setting.
• Indie rock usage: “I Dreamt We Spoke Again” opens Death Cab for Cutie’s 2018 album Thank You for Today, using dream imagery to explore memory and relationships; the title is a clear nod to that archaic‑feeling verb form.
• Word‑nerd trivia: Popular language trivia often cites dreamt as the only “common” English word ending in -mt, with derivative forms like undreamt, daydreamt, and redreamt recognized in word lists and Scrabble dictionaries.

Sources

• I Dreamt I Dwelt in Marble Halls – Wikipedia – Describes the aria’s origins in The Bohemian Girl, its alternate title, and various cultural references.
• “I Dreamt I Dwelt In Marble Halls” – Spanish Wikipedia – Additional detail on recorded versions by Enya and Méav and the song’s appearances in films.
• I Dreamt I Dwelt in Harlem – Wikipedia – Explains the Glenn Miller song’s title as an allusion to “I Dreamt I Dwelt in Marble Halls.”
• “I Dreamt We Spoke Again” – Death Cab for Cutie Bandcamp – Confirms the song title, lyrics, and its release as part of Thank You for Today.
• “I Dreamt We Spoke Again” – Apple Music – Lists track details and release date (August 17, 2018).
• Death Cab for Cutie – Wikipedia – Notes the release of Thank You for Today and singles including “I Dreamt We Spoke Again.”
• “Listen to Death Cab For Cutie’s new song ‘I Dreamt We Spoke Again’” – NME – Contemporary coverage of the song’s release and its place on the album.
• Words That End With MT – Merriam‑Webster Scrabble Word Finder – Lists dreamt and its derivatives (redreamt, undreamt, daydreamt, outdreamt) as valid words ending in -mt.
• “’Dreamt’ is the only English word that ends with ‘mt’” – inshorts – Popular trivia piece citing Oxford Dictionaries on dreamt and its derivative forms as uniquely ending in -mt.
• “Do Any English Words End in -Mt?” – Spiegato – Explains that dreamt and related forms like undreamt and daydreamt are effectively the only English words with this ending.