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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. Who asks Krakauer to clear the ice from his oxygen equipment in order to make sure it's functioning?

2. What does Lopsang give to Fischer to help him feel better?

3. What time did Fischer and Hall decide as turn around time, even though there is no formal announcement to the team?

4. Who is severely injured in a bus accident while in his native country?

5. Who is assisting Pittman, causing him to fall behind and not be the leader as he was meant to be?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Krakauer observe about Beidleman?

2. What does David Brashears note about the team Beidleman has taken into Camp Three?

3. Why does Pittman fall to the ground as they are approaching the summit?

4. What does Krakauer realize about the hiker he thought to be Harris?

5. When Hall doesn't tell his group when they will be turning back when they reach the summit, what does Krakauer interpret this to mean?

6. What is the eventual fate of Anatoli Bourkeev?

7. What risks go up as the oxygen in Krakauer's tank begins to decrease?

8. What do the Japanese climbers do when they find the bodies of the Indian climbers?

9. What items was Krakauer going to take out of his pack when he got to the summit, although he decides not to once he is there?

10. What does Krakauer tell Hutchison to do?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

When Hall says, "The trick is to get down alive," it seems to be foreshadowing for the rest of the tale. This knowledge that getting down is the hard part is something all of the hikers could have benefited from.

Part 1: In what ways is getting down the mountain harder than getting up the mountain?

Part 2: What are some of the ways Hall and the other teams attempted to make the climb down easier on the hikers?

Part 3: What other ways might the hikers have better approached the trek back down the mountain? Are there any ways you can think of that might have made this journey smoother?

Essay Topic 2

The relationships between characters is something intriguing to the reader. At times, there is an open sense of competition, for others, there is a sense of camaraderie.

Part 1: What are some examples of positive relationships between hikers on the mountain?

Part 2: What are some examples of potentially negative relationships between hikers on the mountain?

Part 3: How might this difficult challenge of hiking to the summit affect those hikers on the mountain? What does such an impossible task do to those around the hikers? To their families?

Essay Topic 3

Deciding what is real and what is not becomes difficult as the altitude changes and the oxygen tanks run low. But there are other ways the hikers' perception of the mountain can shift.

Part 1: Which characters have troubles distinguishing between reality and delusions? Why?

Part 2: In what other ways are hikers cut off from reality?

Part 3: Is there any way to make sure the hikers can remain aware of their surroundings at all times? Are any of the hikers able to keep their heads calm and collected?

(see the answer keys)

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