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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Where is Mr. Ralston when Brian notifies his wife of their missing son?

2. How does Ralston discover the idea of breaking his bones to amputate his arm?

3. How do you describe Ralston's personality?

4. What sign leads Ralston to believe he is not yet fully dehydrated?

5. On the Saturday Ralston gets trapped, what does he plan to check out during the hike?

Short Essay Questions

1. Once Ralston is missing, how does his friends handle the situation?

2. As time continues in the canyon, what does Ralston's water supply mean to him?

3. Other than taste, what other factors does Ralston have to consider when deciding on whether to drink his urine?

4. How does Ralston survive a night outside in a whiteout storm?

5. How does Steve Patchett help with the search from New Mexico?

6. What does Leona sense about Ralston's current situation from Boulder?

7. How does Donna react to Brian's initial phone call? How does her reaction compare to Ralston's characteristics?

8. What does Ralston realize about his arm that causes him to panic and wildly thrash around trying to free himself?

9. What symptoms does Ralston observe about his body and mind that shows signs of dehydration and lack of sleep?

10. What training does Ralston do within a 60 hour period that tells him he is ready for his Denali trip?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Research near death experiences. Choose one and compare and contrast the person's life before and after the event. Then compare and contrast their changes to Ralston's changes. Are there similarities and differences amongst people who experience near deaths?

Essay Topic 2

Ralston reminisces many past climbs. Using these memories, write about what you think Ralston is looking for in these climbs. What are the purposes to his climbs? What does Ralston want to get out of these goals? Does he?

Essay Topic 3

Over time in the canyon, Ralston begins to lose his practical way of thinking. Explore the causes of his inability to stay rational over time. What signs are there? Does Ralston notice? If so, what does he do to reframe his mind? Does he want to reframe his mind back to the way it used to be? Does this help him in any way?

(see the answer keys)

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