This match day ranges widely across space and time, but it has a strong spine of European history and culture running through the early questions, anchored by a Reformation‑era assembly on the Rhine, the mountain backbone of Italy, and the shock‑tactic art of Britain’s 1990s Young British Artists.[^1][^2][^3] You then pivot into how ideas and stories are packaged and sold—through Allen Lane’s cheap, high‑quality Penguin paperbacks and Cameron Crowe’s grunge‑era film Singles that made a real Seattle apartment building at 1820 E. Thomas St. into a Gen‑X cultural touchstone.[^4][^5]

The day finishes in the present with A’ja Wilson, whose four WNBA MVP awards, three Defensive Player of the Year trophies, and three championships in four seasons with the Las Vegas Aces have elevated her into the conversation as one of the greatest players in women’s basketball history.[^6] Across the set you see recurring themes: institutions and brands named from vivid single words (diet, Penguin), geography used as a hook for both physical landscapes and cultural scenes (the Apennines, Seattle’s Capitol Hill), and questions that reward recognizing iconic proper nouns—Diet of Worms, Tracey Emin’s tent, Singles, and A’ja Wilson—rather than obscure minutiae.

If some of these felt out of reach in real time, they make excellent anchors for future studying. Each one connects to a larger network of knowledge: the Holy Roman Empire and the Reformation, Italian physical geography, contemporary British art, 20th‑century publishing, 1990s American film and music, and modern women’s sports. Treat them as starting points for deeper dives rather than isolated facts.

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Study Notes

Question 1: The term “diet” as an assembly

WORLD HIST - What term for a formal assembly of representatives, derived from a Medieval Latin word and used for a 1521 gathering in an imperial free city on the Upper Rhine near Frankfurt, is (per that Latin word’s literal definition) intended to describe a meeting lasting only one day?

A diet is a formal deliberative assembly or legislature; in the Holy Roman Empire it referred to imperial assemblies such as the 1521 Diet of Worms, held in the Imperial Free City of Worms on the Upper Rhine about 60 km south‑southwest of Frankfurt.[^1] Through a later association of the Medieval Latin diaeta with Latin diēs (“day”), the word came to be understood as a “day” set aside for meeting—hence a diet as (literally) a one‑day assembly, even though many actually sat for months.[^2]

Reasoning Tips

  • The phrase “1521 gathering in an imperial free city on the Upper Rhine near Frankfurt” is a huge pointer to the Diet of Worms, where Martin Luther defended his teachings before Emperor Charles V.[^1][^3]
  • Once you think of the Diet of Worms, notice that the question wants the term for the type of assembly, not the city: that term is diet.
  • “Formal assembly of representatives” plus “used for a 1521 gathering” is reinforcing that we’re in the world of Holy Roman Empire institutions like the Imperial Diet, not everyday vocabulary.
  • The Medieval Latin/“one day” clue alludes to the false but influential etymology linking diet to Latin diēs (day), i.e., the “day” appointed for an assembly.[^2][^4]
  • Remember the modern National Diet of Japan as another example of this sense of diet for a legislature, which can help you recall that diet isn’t just about food.[^1]

Sources

Question 2: Corno Grande and the Apennines

GEOGRAPHY - At 9,554 feet, Corno Grande in the Gran Sasso d’Italia massif is the highest peak in what mountain range?

Corno Grande (“Great Horn”) is a 2,912 m (9,554 ft) peak in the Gran Sasso d’Italia massif of Abruzzo, and it is the highest point in the Apennine Mountains, the long range that runs down the spine of peninsular Italy.[^5][^6][^7]

Reasoning Tips

  • “Gran Sasso d’Italia” and the Italian name “Corno Grande” both strongly suggest central Italy.
  • Aside from the Alps and isolated volcanoes like Etna, the main mountain system in peninsular Italy is the Apennines, often described as the country’s backbone.[^7]
  • The height—about 9,500 ft—fits the Apennines: high, but not Alpine‑high (the Alps exceed 15,000 ft at Mont Blanc).
  • Britannica explicitly notes that “Mount Corno” at 9,554 ft is the highest point of the Apennines proper, confirming the linkage.[^6]
  • If you remember that Gran Sasso is a national park area in the Abruzzi Apennines, that’s an additional hook.[^6][^7]

Sources

  • Corno Grande – Wikipedia – Gives the elevation (2,912 m / 9,554 ft), location in Abruzzo, and identifies it as the highest point in the Apennines and on the Italian peninsula outside the Alps.[^5]
  • Gran Sasso d’Italia – Wikipedia – Describes Gran Sasso’s main peaks and confirms Corno Grande as the Apennines’ highest summit.[^6]
  • Apennine Range – Britannica – States that “Mount Corno” at 9,554 ft is the highest point of the Apennines proper.[^6]
  • Apennine Mountains – Wikipedia – Overview of the range’s length, orientation, and identification of Corno Grande as its highest peak.[^7]
  • Monte Amaro – Wikipedia – Notes Monte Amaro as the second‑highest peak in the continental Apennines, reinforcing Corno Grande’s primacy.[^8]

Question 3: Tracey Emin and Everyone I Have Ever Slept With 1963–1995

ART - Everyone I Have Ever Slept With 1963–1995, a tent appliquéd with the 102 names of everyone the artist had ever shared a bed with (not just sexual partners), which was destroyed in a 2004 warehouse fire, was the first major confessional work of what leading figure of the Young British Artists movement?

Everyone I Have Ever Slept With 1963–1995 was a 1995 tent installation by English artist Tracey Emin, with the names of 102 people she had slept beside (including friends, family, and aborted fetuses as well as lovers); it became an iconic work of the Young British Artists before being destroyed in the 2004 Momart warehouse fire.[^9][^10][^11] Emin is noted for highly autobiographical, confessional art and is widely regarded as a leading figure of the YBAs, the loosely defined group of provocative British artists who rose to prominence in the late 1980s and 1990s with the support of collector Charles Saatchi.[^10][^12]

Reasoning Tips

  • The title Everyone I Have Ever Slept With 1963–1995 and the description of a tent embroidered with names is one of the most famous art trivia images of the 1990s; it’s worth treating as a “must‑memorize” association with Tracey Emin.[^9][^10]
  • The question emphasizes confessional content and personal history—hallmarks of Emin’s work, including later pieces like My Bed.[^10]
  • “Young British Artists” is another strong key phrase: among the better‑known YBAs, Emin is the one most associated with intimate, text‑based installations; others like Damien Hirst and Sarah Lucas have different visual signatures.[^10][^12]
  • The 2004 Momart warehouse fire is a notorious event that destroyed works by several YBAs; if you remember that Emin’s tent was lost there, it’s a direct clue.[^9][^11]
  • When you see a question combining: YBAs + confessional + tent of names + 2004 fire, you should be locked in on Tracey Emin.

Sources

Question 4: Penguin Books and the bird

LITERATURE - The English imprint that, since its founding as a publishing house in 1935, has aimed to produce and market high-quality paperbacks that are affordable and accessible to the general public, was named by co-founder Allen Lane (hat-tip to secretary Joan Coles) after what bird?

Penguin Books was founded in 1935 by Allen Lane and his brothers to publish inexpensive, well‑designed paperbacks that would bring quality fiction and non‑fiction to a mass audience; Lane envisioned selling them for sixpence in places like railway stations and chain stores.[^13][^14][^15] The company’s name and logo came from Lane’s wish for a “dignified but flippant” mascot: his secretary Joan Coles suggested a penguin, and a young designer, Edward Young, was sent to London Zoo to sketch the bird that became the famous logo—so the imprint was named after the penguin.[^13][^16][^17]

Reasoning Tips

  • The description—English paperback imprint founded in 1935 aiming at cheap, high‑quality paperbacks for the general public—is almost a textbook definition of Penguin Books.[^13][^14][^15]
  • The hat‑tip to Allen Lane is another anchor: he is synonymous with Penguin and the paperback revolution in Britain.[^14]
  • The question then asks “after what bird?”, so you just have to recall what creature is on the spines of millions of those orange classics: the penguin.
  • The explicit mention of secretary Joan Coles is a nice extra clue; if you’ve read Penguin history, you may remember she’s credited with suggesting the penguin name and mascot.[^13][^16]
  • Be careful not to be diverted by related imprints: Pelican Books (non‑fiction series) and Albatross Books (a German paperback pioneer that inspired Lane) are in the same family of ideas, but the 1935 mass‑market British paperback brand is Penguin.[^13][^14]

Sources

  • Penguin Books – Wikipedia – Covers the 1935 founding, the mission to publish inexpensive quality paperbacks, and the anecdote that Lane’s secretary Joan Coles suggested a penguin as the “dignified but flippant” mascot.[^13]
  • Allen Lane – Wikipedia – Biographical sketch noting Lane’s role in founding Penguin Books in 1935 with his brothers and his idea of cheap paperbacks available in non‑traditional outlets; also mentions influences like Albatross Books.[^14]
  • “Celebrating Sir Allen Lane’s life and legacy” – Penguin UK – Official Penguin article discussing his inspiration at Exeter St Davids, his mission to make good books affordable, and confirming that Joan Coles proposed the penguin and that Edward Young went to London Zoo to draw it.[^16]
  • Our Legacy – Penguin Random House SEA – Summarizes Penguin’s origins as Allen Lane’s 1935 brainchild, emphasizing affordable, high‑quality paperbacks and crediting Joan Coles and Edward Young for the name and logo.[^17]
  • “From Lady Chatterley’s Lover to The Salt Path, 90 years of Penguin books” – The Times – Anniversary feature recounting Lane’s 1934 Exeter station moment, the 1935 launch of Penguin, and repeating the story that Coles suggested the bird because it had a “certain dignified flippancy.”[^15]

Question 5: Singles and the Seattle apartment building

FILM - A complex at 1820 E. Thomas St. in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood serves as the central setting of what 1992 film and grunge-era Gen X classic?

The apartment complex at 1820 E. Thomas St. in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood (the Coryell Court Apartments) served as the main apartment building in Cameron Crowe’s 1992 romantic comedy Singles, which follows the love lives of young adults in early‑1990s Seattle against the backdrop of the grunge music scene.[^18][^19][^20][^21] The film was shot on location around Seattle and features cameos and performances from bands like Alice in Chains and Soundgarden, helping cement its status as a grunge‑era Gen‑X cult classic.[^18]

Reasoning Tips

  • The date (1992) plus “grunge‑era Gen X classic” and Seattle heavily narrow the field; Singles is the go‑to association for a rom‑com about Seattle twenty‑somethings with a grunge soundtrack.[^18]
  • IMDb’s filming‑locations page specifies that 1820 E. Thomas St, Seattle is “the apartment building where Cliff, Janet, Steve, and Debbie live,” i.e., the central setting for the ensemble’s interactions.[^19]
  • Wikipedia’s production section likewise notes that “the apartment building is located on the northwest corner of the intersection of E. Thomas St & 19th Ave E. (1820 E. Thomas St.),” tying the address explicitly to the film.[^18][^20]
  • Wikimedia Commons and mapping sites identify that building (Coryell Court) as “the ‘Singles’ building,” a great search hook if you only remember the nickname.[^20][^21]
  • If you know other Gen‑X‑ish early‑’90s films (Reality Bites, etc.), note that they’re set elsewhere (e.g., Texas), don’t center on a specific Seattle apartment complex, and aren’t as tightly tied to grunge.

Sources

Question 6: A’ja Wilson’s 2025 WNBA haul

GAMES/SPORT - Name the woman, arguably the greatest player in women’s basketball history, who in 2025 won her fourth WNBA Most Valuable Player award, along with Defensive Player of the Year and Finals MVP honors, as she led the Las Vegas Aces to their third title in four years.

American forward A’ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces won the 2025 WNBA Most Valuable Player award—her record fourth MVP after previous wins in 2020, 2022, and 2024—while also earning her third WNBA Defensive Player of the Year (shared with Minnesota’s Alanna Smith) and the 2025 WNBA Finals MVP as she led the Aces to their third championship in four seasons.[^22][^23][^24][^25] Her career résumé now includes three WNBA titles (2022, 2023, 2025), four MVPs, three DPOY awards, multiple scoring and blocks titles, and extensive international success, leading many observers and reference works to describe her as the best player of her generation and one of the greatest WNBA players of all time.[^22][^26][^27]

Reasoning Tips

  • The combination of Las Vegas Aces, multiple MVPs, and multiple titles in a short span immediately points to A’ja Wilson, who has been the franchise’s centerpiece since being drafted first overall in 2018.[^22]
  • The question’s “fourth WNBA MVP” is extremely restrictive—no other player (at this point) has four; in 2025 Wilson became the first four‑time MVP in league history.[^23][^26]
  • WNBA press releases and news coverage of the 2025 season note that Wilson shared Defensive Player of the Year honors with Alanna Smith and then won Finals MVP as the Aces swept the Phoenix Mercury for their third title in four years.[^23][^24][^25]
  • Wikipedia’s summary table for Wilson’s awards neatly shows: 4× WNBA MVP (2020, 2022, 2024, 2025), 3× Defensive Player of the Year (2022, 2023, 2025), 2× Finals MVP (2023, 2025), and 3× WNBA champion (2022, 2023, 2025), which matches every element mentioned in the question.[^22]
  • Because her accolades are so outsized relative to peers, future sports questions that mention a dominant Aces forward with multiple MVPs and titles will almost always be about A’ja Wilson unless clearly dated to a different era.

Sources