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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 seemed to be the only way Beck could be happy?

2. What happened to Beck as a freshman in college?

3. Where did Beck spend his early years?

4. How old was Beck when he became President in number 111?

5. How did Beck think of himself in high school?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Peach write about the women in her family?

2. What did Beck and Peach say attracted each of them to the other?

3. Why does Beck blame Peace for his unhappiness and what is her response?

4. What does Peach say about Beck's "obsessions"?

5. What did Beck write about his life in Japan?

6. What made Beck decide to climb Everest? How does he start getting ready for the climb?

7. What does Beck write about his experience climbing Mount McKinley?

8. What does Ken want Beck to decide while descending Mount McKinley? What is Beck's response?

9. What happened to Beck's emotional state during his first year at Midwestern?

10. Who served as a surrogate father to Peach, and what was Beck's relationship with the man?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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?

Essay Topic 2

Left for Dead is a memoir by Beck Weathers. Discuss the following:

1. Define the word "genre" in the context of literary criticism.

2. Why do you think literature is categorized by genre?

3. Does it help to know how a book is categorized as to its genre before reading it? Explain.

4. Memoir used to be considered inferior to what are considered "the classics." Why do you think this is so? Do you believe a book such as Left for Dead is inferior to something such as A Tale of Two Cities? Explain.

5. What is your favorite genre and why?

Essay Topic 3

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?

(see the answer keys)

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