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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 does Carine recall that Chris loved so much?

2. What important work does Walt McCandless do?

3. What is prominently displayed in Carine McCandless's home?

4. How does Roman Dial, who teaches at the University of Alaska, interpret Chris's actions?

5. How did the police know Chris's real last name?

Short Essay Questions

1. How was Krakauer's Alaska experience different from Chris's?

2. What was Chris's problem with his parents monetary success?

3. Describe why the McCandlesses could not take the exact trek to the bus that Chris had taken.

4. Explain Jim Gillien's difficulty in contacting the Alaska police.

5. What defense does Krakauer make of Chris's ability to survive in the wild?

6. To show his kindred spirit with Chris, what does Krakauer write about in Chapter 14?

7. Who was Sam McCandless, and why was he the one to notify Chris's parents?

8. What items did Billie and Walt McCandless leave behind in the bus?

9. How did Chris manage the last leg of his trip into Fairbanks?

10. Carine knew that Chris was leaving but she didn't know where he was going. Why?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write about mountain climbing and the kinds of people who are compelled to do that. Use examples from the book as well as any information you find about other mountain climbers. Sir Edmond Hillery and Mr. Everest might be a good example.

Essay Topic 2

Write about an extended trip you would like to take? Would you go alone? Would you not carry money and expect to find jobs to pay your way? Would you do any camping? Where would you go and how long would you stay?

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay expressing your opinion of Chris McCandless. Answer whether he was mentally stable, how he did or did not use people, whether he might have survived except for some bad luck, and how well he was prepared to survive alone.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 806 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample