TASK DEFINITION: You will be given a trivia clue, and the category it belongs to. You should answer with the best answer that belongs in the category and is described by the clue. For simplicity, answers should be in all lower cased letters.
PROBLEM: Category: AMERICAN CITIES
Clue: 6 of the top 10 U.S. cities in population are found in these 2 states

SOLUTION: california & texas

PROBLEM: Category: GEOGRAPHIC PHRASES
Clue: Mythological name sometimes given to Mount Acha & Gibraltar

SOLUTION: the pillars of hercules

PROBLEM: Category: AUTHORS
Clue: John Dryden in 1683 was the first to use the term "biography"--appropriately, while writing about this Greek

SOLUTION:
plutarch