The Million Dollar Man?/The Aussie Continues - May 10

Last time, Kerryann Shirdon began her march to the million. So far she's up to $5000 with one help and a one save left. We'll see how she does a little later, but first...

In a case of gamus-interruptus, we have a new student, a 35-year-old music technologist from St. Cascal's in Chicago by the name of STEVE NALEPA. He went to Yale, where he got a 3.6 GPA. He could be the guy who goes the distance.

First, though. Round 1 and Kyle. He bypasses the first three levels and goes right for the gut.

4th Grade Math	$1,000	PEEK	COPY	SAVE
If a car is traveling at 40 MPH, how long will it take to go 190 miles?

Steve proves his math muscle with 4 hours, 45 minutes... Correct for $1000!

Next up...

1st Grade Animal Science	$2,000	PEEK	COPY	SAVE
TRUE OR FALSE? The following picture is an image of a dinosaur called a tyrannosaurus rex.

That's a picture of a stegosaur. The correct answer is false. Steve goes with that for $2000.

Round 2, and Steve calls out Jacob.

1st Grade English	$5,000	PEEK	COPY	SAVE
How many nouns are in the following sentence? "The rabbit ran to the cafeteria and ate a big salad."

Rabbit... cafeteria... salad. That's three. Steve locks it in... and he's right again!

Next question.

3rd Grade Measurements	$10,000	PEEK	COPY	SAVE
What unit of measurement is abbreviated oz?

Steve is thinking about the ounce... He's thinking right!

Can he get the milestone with Marki's help? Let's find out as the second half of the game starts with...

2nd Grade Health	$25,000	PEEK	COPY	SAVE
TRUE OR FALSE? The human shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint.

We're all working our shoulders now... Steve says true... True is right!

Freeball coming...

3rd Grade Life Science	$50,000	PEEK	COPY	SAVE
Which one of these is a mammal? a) sea horse b) sea lion c) sea urchin

Marki is locked. Sea horse... Sea lion... Sea urchin... See $50,000? Steve goes with B... Marki... said the same thing. Both are right!

This is the farthest anyone has gotten on this show without cheating.

Next up is Alana, who says, "I don't even think he NEEDS my help!"

2nd Grade World Geography	$100,000	PEEK	COPY	SAVE
Which continent is the least populated?

There are seven of them... We're in North America. Steve goes with Antarctica, which counts among its ranks a few scientists and a lot of penguins.

Right on!

Now if Steve gets to the $300,000 level, he promises to bust a backspin. He was in a troupe of 5th grade B-boys as it turns out.

Next up for $175,000...

4th Grade Social Studies	$175,000	PEEK	COPY	SAVE
Since the late 1930s, what calendar date has been designated for the inauguration of a United States President?

Steve is worried. He wants to peek at Alana's paper. She said... "January 20." Steve goes with that... and she's right! He's right! You've got $175,000!

Next for $300,000... and Spencer's going to help him breakdance... Maybe.

5th Grade Astronomy	$300,000	PEEK	COPY	SAVE
In the initials of the federal agency known as NASA, what word does the first "A" stand for?

Spencer locks in. Steve thinks one of the two A's is Aeronautics... and the other is Agency. He goes for Aeronautics.

National Aeronautics Space Agency... Spencer said... American? Both of these ... are wrong. BUT that first A... is Aeronautics.

And sure enough, here's Steve with a backspin! It's "National Aeronautics & Space Administration."

Next for $500,000... This is for the worm.

5th Grade US History	$500,000	PEEK	COPY	SAVE
What revolutionary leader wrote the influential pamphlet "Common Sense" in 1776?

Spencer is locked. Steve thought about Thomas Paine. He locks in Thomas Paine.

Spencer said... "Thomas Payne?"

So he can't save you...

He doesn't have to. You're right!

And there's the worm. NOW time to talk some turkey. In a moment, you're going to see the Million Dollar category. You can take the question or go home with $500,000.

The Million Dollar Question category is...

ASTRONOMY.

Another astronomy question. Do not touch the button until you're absolutely sure about what you're going to do. Do you go for it? Or do you drop out with $500,000?

Alex Outhred... didn't go for it. He knew the answer.

John Zole... didn't go for it. He did not know the answer.

Steve Nalepa... is going for it.

For $1 million, the category is 5th Grade Astronomy. The question is...

5th Grade Astronomy	MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION
What was the name of the first satellite put into orbit by the United States?

The first satellite was put into space by Russia... It was Sputnik. The moon missions... Apollo. First instinct... Mercury. Second instinct: Genesis.

He goes with Mercury.

If it is indeed Mercury, you will be the first person to declare that he is smarter than a 5th grader...

Mercury was the name of the first... manned launch. Correct: Explorer.

But Steve does leave with $25,000... Steve... There's the camera...

"My name is Steve Nalepa. I may be a Yale graduate, but I am not smarter than a 5th grader."

Now back to the game at hand last week, when Kerryann Shirdon was at $2000 with a peek and a save remaining.

Next to help the vet tech is Jacob.

3rd Grade Spelling	$5,000	PEEK	COPY	SAVE
The word "balloon" has two sets of double letters: "ll" and "oo". How many sets of double letters are in the following word?

"Bookkeeper." That's three. Kerryann goes with two.

Now Kerryann does bookkeeping at the vet's office. She's wrong, we know. What did Jacob say?

"3" SAVED!

Next question.

3rd Grade Social Studies	$10,000	PEEK	COPY	SAVE
The United Nations headquarters are in what city?

Kerryann has no idea. It's not about dignity, it's about money. Let's PEEK. Jacob says New York City. Kerryann goes with it... and he's right, she's right, that's $10,000!

She's out of help, so Kerryann is about to use what's left of her brainpower on this question...

1st Grade Measurements	$25,000	PEEK	COPY	SAVE
TRUE OR FALSE? In a leap year, there are more days in January and February combined than there are in November and December combined.

Kerryann talks it out... and goes with FALSE... Let's see. 31 + 29 < 30 + 31. That's right. She's got $25,000!

Freeball coming...

2nd Grade Literature	$50,000	PEEK	COPY	SAVE
Which is a fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen? a) The Duchess and the Door b) The Princess and the Pea c) The Lady and the Lion

C is familiar, but she didn't know if Andersen wrote it. Kerryann goes with B. The other two.... made up. She's got $50,000!

Next question...

4th Grade Science	$100,000	PEEK	COPY	SAVE
Which subatomic particle is not contained within the nucleus of an atom? a) proton b) electron c) neutron

She can walk away with $50,000... She does. She's got $50,000. Kerryann would've gone with B...

And she would've been right.

Next on the role call is a 53-year-old mortgage-loan officer who attended Ellsworth Elementary in Ellsworth, KS, EARL BELT.

First classmate is Kyle.

1st Grade Animal Science	$1,000	PEEK	COPY	SAVE
A group of wolves is called a pack. What do you call a group of lions? a) a prestige b) a pride c) a pint

Earl goes with B.... And he's right!

Next up for $2000.

2nd Grade Earth Science	$2,000	PEEK	COPY	SAVE
TRUE OR FALSE: All snowflakes are 10-sided geometric figures

Kansas has a lot of snow. Earl peeks at Kyle's answer. Kyle said... FALSE. Earl goes with it... They're both right for $2000!

Next to help out is Marki.

1st Grade Math	$5,000	PEEK	COPY	SAVE
Kyle has two dollars in change in his pocket, consisting of only nickels and dimes. If he has 13 dimes, how many nickels does Kyle have?

Thirteen dimes is $1.30. Earl counts it out to 14 nickels. Marki said 14 as well.

Both are right!

Next up...

2nd Grade Spelling	$10,000	PEEK	COPY	SAVE
How many times does the letter "L" appear in the following phrase?

"Awfully full." That's four. That's Earl's answer. That's right for $10,000!

Next up is the milestone with Spencer...

Before that, though, we meet the family, who are very nervous.

4th Grade Geography	$25,000	PEEK	COPY	SAVE
the majority of Yellowstone National Park is located in what US state?

Earl thinks about Wyoming... and Nevada. He goes with Wyoming. One percent is located in Idaho. Three percent in Montana... Spencer is correct. He said... Wyoming!

Freeball coming...

5th Grade Life Science	$50,000	PEEK	COPY	SAVE
In the human body, the adrenal glands are located directly above what organ?

Earl goes with the kidneys... Her sister's a doctor. She says that his adrenals are trashed. Now they're trashed to the tune of $50,000...

Next question, Alana's up.

3rd Grade World Geography	$100,000	PEEK	COPY	SAVE
The Ring of Fire is an area of seismic activity around the edge of what ocean?

It's more than a Johnny Cash song. Earl copies Alana's answer. Earl would've guessed Indian Ocean. Wrong. It's the Pacific Ocean.

Alana said... Pacific! He's out of help, but he has $100,000 and his save. Next...

4th Grade Music	$175,000	PEEK	COPY	SAVE
What is the first name of the legendary 18th Century composer Beethoven?

Bum bum bum buuuuuum. He remembers his statue of "Ludwig von Beethoven". That gives him the $175,000!

Final round, and here comes Jacob. Let's finish this.

5th Grade US History	$300,000	PEEK	COPY	SAVE
During the US Civil War, what city in Virginia was the capital of the Confederacy?

Or he could walk away with $175,000. Earl goes with Roanoke...

... pregnant pause.

Wife Carol's scared.

Jacob's wrong with "Virginia City."

Earl... is also wrong. Correct: Richmond. Earl leaves with $25,000.

That's two big losses this episode. At least we had one big win out of it. New transfer next time on "Are You Smarter Than... Your Spouse?"