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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. How were Chris's ideals defined in his own mind?
(a) He valued chastity and moral purity as defined by Tolstoy and Thoreau.
(b) They were defined by the poetry of E.E. cummings.
(c) They were defined by the works of Phillip Roth and F. Scott Fitzgerald.
(d) His ideals were defined by his own sense of injustice in the world.

2. What comment does Krakauer make about Chris's fondness for Jack London?
(a) That London had never actually been in Alaska.
(b) That London's books had all been proven to be false.
(c) That Chris did not recognize London's lifestyle was different from the people he wrote about.
(d) That London lectured against doing exactly what Chris was doing.

3. What group of Irish aesthetics does Krakauer include in Chapter 9?
(a) The highlanders.
(b) The papar.
(c) St Patrick monks.
(d) The Celtic travelers.

4. What is Krakauer's obvious purpose of including the information in Chapter 9?
(a) Krakauer skillfully shows that there has never been someone like Chris McCandless.
(b) Krakauer gradually and artfully transforms the reader's view of Chris from mentally ill isolationist to knowledgeable spiritual seeker.
(c) Krakauer points out that there have historically been examples of sick isolationists.
(d) Krakauer gives examples to leave the reader confused about Chris.

5. What did Chris tell Gallien his plans were?
(a) To walk into the wilderness near Denali National Park to live off the land for several months.
(b) To hike from Mt. McKinley to the Gulf of Mexico.
(c) To hike as far north as he could go.
(d) To write a book like Thoreau.

Short Answer Questions

1. What did Krakauer include in the book besides events he uncovered from the life of Chris McCandless?

2. What was located at Oh-My-God Hot Springs?

3. Why does Krakauer devote Chapter 9 to the story of Everett Ruess?

4. What food was Chris extremely fond of?

5. What did Chris do after Westerberg was jailed?

Short Essay Questions

1. What was the relationship Chris developed with the Westerberg family?

2. How are letters written by Ruess and Chris another point of similarity in their stories?

3. Explain the origins of the Stampede Trail.

4. How did there happen to be an abandoned bus where Chris could find it?

5. Describe the evidence at the opening of Chapter 1 that indicates Chris might have had a premonition about his death.

6. When hunters discovered Chris's body in September of 1992, what did they decide to do?

7. Why does Krakauer include the story of Everett Ruess in Chapter 9?

8. What is a literary parallel between Chris and Ruess?

9. What are some particulars about Alex (Chris) deciding to go to San Diego?

10. Why does Krakauer mention the papar at the end of Chapter 9?

(see the answer keys)

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