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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 was Beck descending?

2. Who fell 150 feet into a crevasse that Beck heard about?

3. What did Beck do around 4 p.m.?

4. What happened as the sun began to set?

5. What had Peach planned to tell Beck after his climbing Mount Everest before Beck was injured?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happened after Mike Groom arrived?

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

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

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 does Beck learn about his rescue as he reaches Kathmandu?

6. How did Beck end up making it back to Camp IV?

7. What is the date at the opening chapter and what is Beck doing?

8. Why did Dan fly to be with Beck while Beck was in a hotel recovering?

9. How did Beck communicate with his family during most climbs, and how did he do so on the Everest expedition?

10. What does the rest of Chapter 7 describe after Beck arrives at Camp II?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss one of the following:

1. Define irony in literary terms. Discuss the irony of the situation whereby Beck Weathers says that climbing Everest is not dangerous and yet he barely survived.

2. Define symbolism in literary terms. Discuss the use of and meaning of five symbols found in Left for Dead. Symbols are inherent in any work of literature, whether fiction or non-fiction, though in non-fiction, the use of symbols is not always intentional.

3. Discuss the use of foreshadowing in non-fiction. What is the purpose of foreshadowing in non-fiction? Cite 3 examples of foreshadowing and how it is indicates events to come in Left for Dead. Can you as the reader see ways that what Weathers writes about his early life foreshadows what will happen in his later life?

Essay Topic 2

Often titles reveal much about one or more aspects of a novel. Discuss the following:

1. What do you think is the purpose of a title? How closely related to a major theme(s) of a book do you think a title should be? Or should it be?

2. The phrase Left for Dead describes what happens to Beck Weathers on Everest. Research the story and write why you think this book was given this title.

3. If you were the writer of Left for Dead and your editor said the title must be changed, what would you choose? Why?

4. How do you feel when you have finished reading a book and you still do not understand the meaning of the title in relation to the book?

Essay Topic 3

Characters are an important part of what makes the story interesting. Discuss the following:

1. Thoroughly discuss and analyze Beck. What are his strengths? His weaknesses? How does he contribute to the plot? Is he a sympathetic character? Is he always likable? Never likable? Use specific examples to illustrate your ideas.

2. Thoroughly discuss and analyze the character of Peach. What are her strengths? Her weaknesses? How does she contribute to the story? Is she a sympathetic character? Is she ever likable? Never likable? Use specific examples to illustrate your ideas.

(see the answer keys)

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