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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 did Beck do around 4 p.m.?

2. When did Beck's team make High Camp on the South Col?

3. What face did the climbers ascend over?

4. What was the weather like eighteen hours earlier than when the book opens?

5. With what does Beck compare facing death?

Short Essay Questions

1. What route did Beck's group take, and what was the first tragedy on the climb?

2. What did Beck say about a climber's drive?

3. What does Beck say about hiking the Khumbu trail on his way to base camp?

4. What was Peach told about Beck in a phone call, and what happened just as she was relaying the news to the children?

5. What did three Sherpas and Stuart Hutchinson find after they set out to locate Yasuko and Beck?

6. Why did the search party leave Beck and Yasuko where they found them?

7. What happened when the camp radioed down the mountain about Beck's arrival?

8. What did Beck do while waiting to travel to base camp on Everest?

9. How did Beck overcome the boredom at base camp?

10. What astonishes the climbers at Camp IV as they prepared to descend to Camp II, and what did the climbers do?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Left for Dead ends on a happy note. Discuss the following:

1. Why do you think many (most?) people want what they perceive as a happy or good ending to a book? Explain your opinion. Do you? Why or why? not?

2. What are at least three reasons to read non-fiction? Discuss each one in light of Left for Dead and if it fulfills some or all of the reasons you mention. Give examples as to why Left for Dead is or is not successful in fulfilling the reasons you discuss.

3. Do you think reading solely for entertainment is as good a reason to read as any other? Why or why not? Can any work of fiction or non-fiction, no matter how poorly written, enlighten, teach, stimulate thought? Why or why not?

4. Would you have wished the ending to be different? Why or why not? Would that have changed what the author wished to convey with the book?

Essay Topic 2

Mountain Climbing is one of the predominant themes of Left for Dead. Discuss the following:

1. Research the history of mountain climbing and write an informative essay about what you find. Relate the information to what you read in Left for Dead.

2. Explain whether you would or would not like to climb mountains and give your reasons for your choice.

3. Why do you think people try to climb Mount Everest knowing how many people have died trying to do it? Use examples from the book to support your answer.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the following:

1. Compare/contrast Beck Weathers at the beginning of the novel to him at the end of the novel. How are they alike? How are they different? Are they both sympathetic characters? Which "Beck Weathers" would you most likely have as a friend? Why?

2. Compare/contrast Beck Weathers at the beginning of the novel to Beck Weathers at the end of the novel. How are they alike? How are they different? Are they sympathetic characters? Who would you most likely have as a friend? Why?

3. Compare/contrast Beck Weathers to Peach Weathers. How are they alike? How are they different? Are they sympathetic characters? Who would you most likely have as a friend? Why? Is each one compassionate? Honorable? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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