LL Study Guide – LL107 Match Day 5

This match day ranges widely: from Indian religious practice and European Christian theater to color theory, auteur cinema, scandalous French literature, and the chemistry of anesthetics. The opening question on mantra draws on Hindu and Buddhist meditation traditions, where sacred syllables like Om are repeatedly chanted as potent tools for focus and spiritual power.¹ The Oberammergau question then jumps to a very different kind of religious performance—the Passion Play that the Bavarian village vowed to stage every ten years after a 1633 plague outbreak, first performed in 1634 and still mounted on a decennial rhythm.² Meanwhile, the color‑theory problem tests applied physics and design: in both additive RGB light mixing and subtractive CMY/CMYK printing, cyan sits opposite red, so red and cyan together cancel to neutral (white in light, dark/black in print), giving maximum contrast.³

Cultural history is another major thread. The film item expects you to recognize the durable Spike Lee–Denzel Washington partnership: Mo’ Better Blues (1990), Malcolm X (1992), He Got Game (1998), Inside Man (2006), and now Highest 2 Lowest (2025) make up their five collaborations.⁴ The literature question dives into the extreme end of 18th‑century libertine writing: Donatien Alphonse François, better known as the Marquis de Sade, wrote works such as Justine and the unfinished The 120 Days of Sodom, which he himself boasted was “the most impure tale that has ever been told since our world began”; his name is the origin of the term “sadism.”⁵

Finally, the science question rewards comfort with chemical nomenclature and drug history. The mouthful 2‑(diethylamino)ethyl 4‑aminobenzoate is the ester anesthetic procaine, first synthesized in 1905 by Alfred Einhorn, who marketed it as Novocain/Novocaine; it rapidly displaced cocaine as the standard local anesthetic, especially in dentistry.⁶ Together, these questions encourage you to connect names and patterns—loanwords like mantra and sadism, complementary color pairs, recurring director–actor teams, and the -caine suffix in anesthetics—so you can reason your way to answers even when recall is imperfect.

📄 View Full Podcast Script

Study Notes

Question 1: Mantras in Hinduism and Buddhism

Q1. LIFESTYLE - In Buddhism and Hinduism, what term refers to a sacred word, phrase, or syllable believed to focus the mind and foster the development of spiritual power when repeated in meditation?

Core concept: In Hinduism, Buddhism, and other Indian religions, a mantra is a sacred utterance—a syllable, word, or phrase—believed to possess religious or spiritual power and used repetitively in practices like japa (meditative repetition) to focus the mind.⁷ One of the most famous examples is the seed syllable Om, chanted across Hindu and Buddhist traditions as a fundamental mantra of meditation.⁸

• Reasoning Tips

  • The pairing of “Buddhism and Hinduism” plus “sacred word, phrase, or syllable” strongly signals Indian religious vocabulary—this narrows you to terms like mantra, Om, sutra, etc.⁷
  • The clue stresses repetition in meditation and “development of spiritual power,” matching how mantras are re over and over (japa) for concentration and spiritual benefit.⁷⁹
  • The question asks for the generic term, not an example; Om is a specific mantra, while mantra itself names the category.
  • Even in everyday English, “mantra” is now used metaphorically for any often‑repeated phrase or slogan—another hook that ties common usage back to its religious origin.¹⁰

• Sources

  • Mantra – Wikipedia – Defines mantra as a sacred utterance or sound believed to have religious or spiritual powers and notes its use in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and other traditions.
  • Mantra | Britannica – Describes mantras in Hinduism and Buddhism as sacred syllables, words, or verses possessing mystical or religious efficacy, often repeated in meditation.
  • Japa – Wikipedia – Explains japa as the meditative repetition of a mantra or divine name across Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, and Buddhism.
  • Om – Wikipedia – Details Om as a sacred sound and mantra used widely in Hindu and Buddhist meditation.

Question 2: Oberammergau and the Passion Play

Q2. THEATRE - The Bavarian village of Oberammergau has famously, since 1634, hosted a production of what type of alliteratively named theatrical performance, to honor a vow made during an outbreak of the plague?

Core concept: Oberammergau in Bavaria stages a large‑scale Passion Play—a dramatic re‑enactment of the Passion of Jesus (his trial, suffering, and crucifixion)—roughly every ten years, fulfilling a 1633 vow made during a bubonic‑plague outbreak; the first performance took place in 1634 over the graves of plague victims.¹¹ More broadly, a passion play is any theatrical presentation depicting Christ’s Passion and is traditionally performed around Easter in various Christian traditions.¹²

• Reasoning Tips

  • The phrase “alliteratively named” plus the Christian context of a village staging a religious drama points toward something like Passion Play or Miracle Play; “Passion Play” is the well‑known Oberammergau specialty.¹²
  • The mention of plague and a vow echoes the Oberammergau legend: villagers promised to stage the Passion of Christ every ten years if spared further deaths, leading to the famous Oberammergau Passion Play tradition starting in 1634.¹¹
  • Knowing that “Passion” in Christian contexts refers specifically to Jesus’s suffering and death helps connect the clue’s “production” to the theatrical genre name rather than to a specific title.¹²
  • Even if you didn’t recall Oberammergau by name, recognizing that the best‑known long‑running Christian drama tied to plague and vows is a passion play could still get you to the correct generic answer.

• Sources

  • Oberammergau Passion Play – Wikipedia – Describes Oberammergau’s Passion Play, the 1633 plague vow, first performance in 1634, and the decennial performance tradition.
  • History – Passion 2022 Oberammergau – Official site timeline explaining the villagers’ 1633 pledge during the plague and the first Passion Play staged in 1634 on the cemetery.
  • Passion Play – Wikipedia – Defines passion plays as dramatic presentations of Jesus’s Passion and discusses their role in Christian devotional practice.

Question 3: Complementary Color to Red – Cyan

Q3. ART - In both the additive RGB color model and the subtractive CMY color model, what is the complementary color to red (meaning that it creates the greatest contrast, and cancels red out when combined)?

Core concept: In the additive RGB color model, red’s complementary color is cyan; red and cyan light together at full intensity contain all three primaries (red, green, blue) and thus combine to white.¹³ In subtractive printing systems based on CMY/CMYK inks, cyan and red (which corresponds to a mix of magenta and yellow) are also treated as complementary opposites, forming one of the standard contrast pairs in color printing.¹⁴

• Reasoning Tips

  • Remember that in RGB (light), the primaries are red, green, blue; the secondary colors—made by mixing two primaries—are cyan (green+blue), magenta (blue+red), and yellow (red+green). Each secondary is the complement of the remaining primary, so cyan (green+blue) complements red.¹³
  • The CMY/CMYK (ink) model is subtractive: cyan is “white minus red,” magenta is “white minus green,” and yellow is “white minus blue,” so cyan again stands opposite red.¹⁴
  • The clue mentions both additive and subtractive models agreeing—that’s a big hint that the answer is one of the secondary colors that shows up in both systems, which narrows you to cyan, magenta, or yellow.
  • Everyday anchors: red–cyan 3D glasses rely on this complementary relationship to deliver separate images to each eye; red afterimages viewed on white surfaces appear cyan, reflecting the same opponent relationship in human vision.¹⁵

• Sources

  • Complementary colors – Wikipedia – Explains complementary pairs; notes that in RGB, red and cyan are complementary (their light combines to white) and that in CMYK printing, cyan–red is one of the standard complementary pairs.
  • RGB color model – Wikipedia – Describes RGB as an additive model in which cyan (green+blue) complements red.
  • CMYK color model – Wikipedia – Defines CMYK as a subtractive model using cyan, magenta, yellow, and black inks; explains that cyan corresponds to white light minus red.

Question 4: Spike Lee & Denzel Washington – Other Collaborations

Q4. FILM - Denzel Washington has starred in five films directed by Spike Lee, with Highest 2 Lowest the most recent and Malcolm X the most notable. Name any one of the other three.

Core concept: Spike Lee has directed Denzel Washington in five features: Mo’ Better Blues (1990), Malcolm X (1992), He Got Game (1998), Inside Man (2006), and Highest 2 Lowest (2025); the question wanted any one of the other three—Mo’ Better Blues, He Got Game, or Inside Man.¹⁶ Mo’ Better Blues is a drama about jazz trumpeter Bleek Gilliam and his turbulent relationships, He Got Game a sports drama about imprisoned father Jake Shuttlesworth trying to sway his basketball‑star son’s college choice, and Inside Man a New York bank‑heist thriller where Washington plays hostage negotiator Detective Keith Frazier.¹⁷

• Reasoning Tips

  • The question already gives you two anchors: Malcolm X (biographical drama) and Highest 2 Lowest (recent Kurosawa‑inspired thriller). Recognizing Spike Lee–Denzel collaborations helps you search your memory for the remaining titles.
  • Think of eras: early 1990s (jazz‑club drama Mo’ Better Blues), late 1990s (basketball‑focused He Got Game), mid‑2000s (bank‑heist Inside Man). Associating each with a simple hook (jazz, basketball, heist) makes them easier to recall.¹⁷
  • If you remembered any one of these but blanked on the exact year, you were still fine—the question only needed one correct title, not chronology.
  • Knowing that Highest 2 Lowest is described in press coverage as their fifth collaboration confirms that there must be exactly three more films beyond Malcolm X and the new one.¹⁶

• Sources

  • Mo’ Better Blues – Wikipedia – 1990 Spike Lee film starring Denzel Washington as jazz trumpeter Bleek Gilliam.
  • He Got Game – Wikipedia – 1998 sports drama written and directed by Lee, with Washington as jailed father Jake Shuttlesworth tasked with influencing his son’s college decision.
  • Inside Man – Wikipedia – 2006 crime thriller directed by Lee, starring Washington as NYPD hostage negotiator Detective Keith Frazier.
  • Highest 2 Lowest – Wikipedia – Notes that this 2025 film is the fifth Spike Lee–Denzel Washington collaboration and their first since Inside Man.
  • Spike Lee says Highest 2 Lowest is his last film with Denzel Washington – The Guardian – Discusses their five films together and situates Highest 2 Lowest as the latest entry.

Question 5: Donatien Alphonse François – Marquis de Sade

Q5. LITERATURE - Notorious nobleman and writer Donatien Alphonse François, whose body of work includes a depraved story he himself described as “the most impure tale that has ever been told since our world began”, is best known as whom?

Core concept: Donatien Alphonse François was an 18th‑century French nobleman and writer whose libertine, often violent erotic works—including The 120 Days of Sodom, which he proudly called “the most impure tale that has ever been told since our world began”—made him infamous under his title Marquis de Sade, from which the modern term “sadism” is derived.¹⁸ His best‑known novels, notably Justine and The 120 Days of Sodom, were largely written in prison and remained censored or banned for much of their publication history.¹⁹

• Reasoning Tips

  • The full French triple name “Donatien Alphonse François” plus “notorious nobleman and writer” is a classic way quiz questions point to the Marquis de Sade.
  • The quoted line “the most impure tale that has ever been told since our world began” refers to The 120 Days of Sodom, repeatedly described in scholarship and journalism with that phrase, and widely associated with de Sade’s extreme reputation.¹⁸
  • Even if you didn’t know the quote, the combination of “notorious,” “depraved story,” and a noble title should steer you toward Sade over other scandalous writers.
  • Knowing that the English word “sadism” comes from Sade’s name gives another confirming cross‑check when you see a question emphasizing cruelty and depravity.²⁰

• Sources

  • Marquis de Sade – Wikipedia – Biographical overview of Donatien Alphonse François, his noble status, major works, repeated imprisonments, and posthumous reputation.
  • Marquis de Sade | Britannica – Identifies him as a French nobleman whose erotic writings and behavior gave rise to the term sadism, highlighting Justine as a key work.
  • The 120 Days of Sodom – Wikipedia – Describes the unfinished 1785 novel, its extreme content, composition in the Bastille, and later publication history.
  • ‘120 Days of Sodom’, Marquis de Sade’s Depraved Opus, Declared a French National Treasure – Smithsonian Magazine – Quotes Sade’s description of the book as “the most impure tale that has ever been told since our world began” and recounts the manuscript’s history.
  • “8 Works of Literature Written From Prison” – HISTORY – Includes The 120 Days of Sodom, repeating Sade’s “most impure tale” description and noting its composition in the Bastille.
  • Original Marquis de Sade scroll returns to Paris – The Guardian – Discusses the 12‑meter scroll manuscript and repeats Sade’s “most impure tale” characterization.
  • Justine (de Sade novel) – Wikipedia – Details the 1791 novel Justine, its plot and publication, and its place in Sade’s oeuvre.
  • Sadism – Wikipedia – Notes that the term sadism is named after the Marquis de Sade.

Question 6: Novocain(e) – Trade Name of Procaine

Q6. SCIENCE - The drug with IUPAC name 2-(diethylamino)ethyl 4-aminobenzoate was first synthesized in 1905 by Alfred Einhorn, who gave this new anesthetic what now ubiquitous trade name?

Core concept: The compound 2‑(diethylamino)ethyl 4‑aminobenzoate is the local anesthetic procaine, first synthesized in 1905 by German chemist Alfred Einhorn, who patented it under the trade name Novocain (German spelling) / Novocaine (U.S. spelling).²¹ Novocain quickly replaced cocaine as the standard local anesthetic, especially in dentistry, and its brand name became so common that “novocaine” is often used generically for numbing injections.²²

• Reasoning Tips

  • The IUPAC structure “…4‑aminobenzoate” signals an ester of para‑aminobenzoic acid, a scaffold found in several early ester‑type local anesthetics, including procaine.²¹
  • The question explicitly labels the substance an anesthetic and asks for a “now ubiquitous trade name” from the early 1900s; among classic local anesthetics, Novocain is the archetypal branded name.
  • Knowing that many local anesthetics end in -caine (cocaine, procaine, lidocaine, etc.) and that Novocain is historically linked to dentistry helps distinguish it from later agents like lidocaine.
  • Even if you didn’t map the IUPAC name to procaine, recognizing Alfred Einhorn as the chemist associated with Novocain could get you to the answer from history alone.²¹

• Sources

  • Alfred Einhorn – Wikipedia – States that Einhorn first synthesized procaine in 1905 and patented it under the name Novocain, which became the standard local anesthetic.
  • Procaine – Wikipedia – Gives the IUPAC name 2‑(diethylamino)ethyl 4‑aminobenzoate, lists “Novocain/Novocaine” as the widely used trade name, and notes its historical use in dentistry and as a safer alternative to cocaine.
  • Procaine | PubChem – Confirms the chemical identity and classification of procaine (supplemental structural data).