View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

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

2. Whose advice does Krakauer seek out as he deals with the horrors of the aftermath of the tragedy?

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

5. Who said he just kept moving and didn't look back when he saw Namba couldn't stay upright in order to get back to camp?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

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

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

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

6. What happens to Krakauer and other climbers from Hall's group when they fly back to Katmandu?

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

8. What does Krakauer observe about Beidleman?

9. What does Gau do in violation of his promise?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Krakauer offered to write an article about the commercialization of Mount Everest and how it's affecting the beauty of the area as well as its power.

Part 1: What are some examples of the way Mount Everest has been commercialized in this story?

Part 2: How might this commercialization affect the respect Mount Everest should have from those who climb it?

Part 3: Is there any way to stop the commercialization of this area? Isn't this book furthering its commercialization? Why or why not?

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

In reaching the summit, it can be a amazing feeling of accomplishment. But it almost seems anti-climatic when you realize you still have to go back down - and quickly.

Part 1: Describe how Krakauer feels when he reaches the summit. Are his feelings positive? Negative? Mixed?

Part 2: Do you think hikers might rethink their plans if they knew they only had a few moments to spend on the summit itself? Why or why not?

Part 3: What might you do in the few moments you'd spend at the top of Everest?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 725 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample