Page 14 - aruba-today-20220601

a14 people & arts
Wednesday 1 June 2022
'No joke': Initial rounds of National Spelling Bee get tough

By BEN NUCKOLS paused because she was
Associated Press experiencing a legitimate
OXON HILL, Md. (AP) — emergency.
One speller ran off the There is precedent for paus-
stage in the middle of her ing the clock during what
time at the microphone, Brooks called "extenuating
saying she needed to pee. circumstances," notably in
Another tried to walk back 2004 when Akshay Buddiga
to her seat after spelling fainted on stage but re-
her first word correctly, only covered to finish in second
to be reminded she had a place.
vocabulary word next. Dur- Braydon Syx of West Bloc-
ing one particularly brutal ton, Alabama, might not
stretch, 10 consecutive get that far, but his time in
spellers heard the bell that front of the microphone on
signals elimination. Tuesday encapsulated the
The Scripps National Spell- newly riveting drama of the
ing Bee used to begin with early rounds.
a handshake. Now it starts The 13-year-old seventh
with a slap to the face. grader took his first plane
Leaner and meaner in its ride to compete in this
post-pandemic iteration, year's bee. Braydon's first
the bee returned to its usu- Annie-Lois Acheampong, 13, from Accra, Ghana, reacts during the Scripps National Spelling Bee, word was "ormolu" — a
al venue on Tuesday for the Tuesday, May 31, 2022, in Oxon Hill, Md. gold-colored alloy of cop-
first time in three years, and Associated Press per, zinc and sometimes tin.
spellers were greeted with He spelled out "O-R-M" and
a new preliminary-round nated the test, and that to spell a word that could She scurried off the stage then took a long, excruci-
format that gave them no structure continued as 229 be found anywhere in before she got an answer ating pause before spitting
time to get comfortable. spellers took the stage for Webster's Unabridged dic- from the stunned judges, out the final three letters.
"The prelims is no joke. Every this year's fully-in-person tionary. who paused the competi- He stretched his arms out
stage of the bee is so impor- competition. Well over half Annie-Lois Acheamong, tion and conferred about to his sides after identifying
tant," said Dhroov Bharatia, the spellers who competed one of three spellers from how to handle the situa- the definition of the word
a 13-year-old from Plano, by midafternoon Tuesday Ghana, didn't get that tion. "tremulous" — not a bad
Texas, who finished fourth were eliminated. far. She labored success- "That was a first," head description of his demean-
last year. Spellers had to get through fully through her first word, judge Mary Brooks, who's or at the microphone.
In years past, the early on- three words in one turn at "coulrophobia" — fear of been involved with the bee "It was really scary," Bray-
stage spelling rounds did the microphone to ad- clowns — and then was for 50 years, said later. don said, "but I also felt
little beyond weeding out vance to Wednesday's asked to define "edama- The judges ultimately de- really happy at the same
the weakest or most ner- quarterfinals. First, they me." She smiled initially, but cided to let Annie-Lois re- time. It was a weird feeling."
vous spellers. The real ac- were given a word from when she crossed her legs turn to the microphone af- Then came "bromegrass" —
tion was a written test that a provided list of 4,000 — and couldn't stand still, it ter the day's last scheduled any grass of a large genus
determined who would more than twice as many was clear something else speller. Although she could of grasses native to tem-
make the cut for the semi- as in years past. Then, they was going on. have been eliminated for perate regions. Something
finals. had to answer a multiple- "I think I'm going to pee my- exceeding the 30-second about the word was both-
But during last year's mostly choice vocabulary ques- self," the 13-year-old eighth time limit for the vocabu- ering him.
virtual bee, the bee's new tion about a word on the grader said. "Can I go pee? lary question, Brooks said "Can you say it again?" he
executive director elimi- same list. Finally, they had I'm very sorry." the speller's clock was asked.q

Rachel Zegler to star in 'Hunger Games'

prequel

NEW YORK (AP) — Fresh Baird will be a part of the spearheaded an exhaus-
off her breakthrough role 10th Hunger Games. tive search, reading hun-
in Steven Spielberg's "West Suzanne Collins, whose dreds of actors in search of
Side Story," Rachel Zegler books were adapted into our perfect Lucy Gray. That
will star in Lionsgate's the $3 billion blockbuster search ended when Rachel
planned "Hunger Games" franchise, in 2020 published Zegler blew the roof off with
prequel. a prequel novel upon her depth and breadth of
The studio announced which "The Ballad of Song- talent as an actor, singer,
Tuesday that Zegler will birds and Snakes" is based. and performer," said pro-
play Lucy Gray Baird in In the film, Lucy Gray Baird, ducer Nina Jacobson in a
"The Hunger Games: The a tribute from the impover- statement. "Rachel is utterly
Ballad of Songbirds and ished District 12, sings in a compelling; just like Lucy
Snakes," an extension of pivotal moment during the Gray, her voice and cha-
the "Hunger Games" saga reaping ceremony. Zegler risma command the stage
that takes place decades stars opposite Tom Blyth, while her inner strength and
Rachel Zegler attends the "West Side Story" premiere in New before the adventures of who plays the 18-year-old humanity transform those
York on Nov. 29, 2021. Zegler will star in Lionsgate’s planned
“Hunger Games” prequel. Jennifer Lawrence's Katniss Coriolanus Snow. around her." Lionsgate is to
Associated Press Everdeen. Katniss played "Our casting team, Deb release the movie in the-
in the 74th Hunger Games; Zane and Dylan Jury, aters Nov. 17, 2023.q