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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 is concerned that neither Fischer nor any of his other clients have reached the top at this point?

2. Whose family does Krakauer meet at the airport, returning his gear to them?

3. Who says he is feeling lightheaded and unsure of himself, which might affect his decisions?

4. Who is not wearing his goggles, although he is quickly reminded to do so?

5. Who assembles Fischer's team in order to continue their descent?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. Which route did the Indian team take in order to reach the summit?

3. 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?

4. What does Krakauer tell Hutchison to do?

5. What does Brashears radio into camp as many of the climbers are at Camp Two?

6. What has happened to Weathers, according to Hutchison's discovery?

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

8. What does Fischer do with his oxygen tank when he begins to make his descent from the summit?

9. What does Groom say about the tanks of oxygen at the South Summit, even though Harris was mistaken about this fact?

10. What is the eventual fate of Anatoli Bourkeev?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

During this particular time period, there are a number of teams up on Mount Everest, all trying to reach the summit on the same date or similar dates.

Part 1: Name three of the teams that are on the mountain at the time of this story.

Part 2: How does the number of teams affect the hiking schedule and the ascents to the summit?

Part 3: If there were fewer groups up on the mountain, would this have made a difference in terms of the eventual events of the story? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

With the teams, there seems to be trouble brewing between some of the guides and the leaders. This is thought to be another contributing factor to the tragic events.

Part 1: How did Anatoli's absence affect Fischer's team?

Part 2: In what ways did other guides affect their teams? For example, what might Beidleman have done better to help his team?

Part 3: What is crucial in the formation of a team like this? What would have been the ideal situations for the leaders and the guides?

Essay Topic 3

John Krakauer is the author of this book and a skilled hiker, though not with higher elevations. This is actually the case with many of the members of his team.

Part 1: Describe Krakauer's feelings about the inexperience of his team at the beginning of the story.

Part 2: What does Krakauer think of the hikers as the climbing continues? Does he feel more confident or less confident?

Part 3: Does this seem like a team that should have been going up Mount Everest? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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