If you didn't have the questions before the tour, these would be tough questions for any newbie.

#1 Impossible to tell unless they are seen. (is there a website for the school's studio that lists equipment?)
#2 Microphone - cable - preamp - any number of places to alter the tone or level before entering a mixer or recording interface or both
#3 Usually with phone plugs or RCA jacks , it may or may not be normaled (both are possible)
#4 Because there are no "rules" just common accepted practices that should be learned and then understood and then questioned and then experimented with until you make good AND interesting sounds.

Good Luck, next time do your own homework

Phil
music teacher- 20 years

Yeah, that's like asking a blind man what color of car is in front of him.

He may know that Toyota makes a Blue car or Honda makes a Silver car but that does nothing for him to know what color of car is in front of him.

I am assuming your instructor has a reason for asking those questions and that he's not trying to lord over you students a "holier than thou" attitude.

To help get you started, you should google each one of your sentences and lean the basics of patch bays, signal path of mics and outboard gear.

We're not hear to spoon feed you, but we will provide the bib.
-Chris

-Chris