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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. What causes Ralston to have an erratic heartbeat and sunken eyes?

2. How does Ralston sometimes enter another world in his trances?

3. What does Ralston imagine hell to be like?

4. Who does he meet on his hike out of the canyon?

5. What important role does Captain Kyle Ekker play in Ralston's search?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Emery County know to send a helicopter even before they find Ralston?

2. What is Ralston's agenda between leaving his house on Spruce Street on Thursday and the Saturday he becomes trapped in the canyon?

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

4. Describe the sequence of events the leads to locating Ralston's truck.

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

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

7. Describe the conditions of the Elk Mountains Grand Traverse race and what complications it causes the racers.

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

9. What happens after the amputation that eventually leads Ralston to the helicopter?

10. If Ralston knows how to successfully amputate his arm days earlier, does the outcome be the same or different? How come?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Ralston makes many friends that love climbing and skiing as much as he does. Yet, each of their motivations are unique. Compare and contrast Ralston and his friends' motivation to ski and climb as much as they do.

Essay Topic 2

Ralston is stuck in the canyon for six days and is generally calm, with some bouts of anger and frustration. However, when he sees the decomposition of his arm is greater than he realizes, he panics more than usual. Why? Ralston is mentally aware his arm is decomposing for several days. Describe what really sets him off.

Essay Topic 3

Choose one of the trances Ralston slips into near the end of his week of entrapment. Analyze the trance. What does it mean? Why do you think Aron falls into this trance? Does it decipher any meaning from it? What actions does he take because of the trance? Does it change his way of thinking?

(see the answer keys)

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