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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's father do during the war years?

2. Where did Beck decide to attend college?

3. What does Beck do when he slips back into a depression after his presidency ended?

4. What is one thing Beck liked about Peach?

5. What did Beck ask one man who was on the Aconcagua climb with Beck?

Short Essay Questions

1. How did Beck and Peach end up back in Dallas?

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

3. What does Beck see as his contribution to the household, and what does he neglect?

4. What did Kit relate about the Weathers' family life?

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

6. What did Beck begin to do after his term as president of Medical City ended? How did he cope with the problem?

7. Discuss what Beck wrote about his parents in Chapter 11.

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

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

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 3

Beck was reliant on those closest to him, including Peach. He underwent physical and emotional pain as he dealt with people's reactions to his unsightly body and fought infections. He had eleven surgeries over the next year. The pain was excruciating.

1. Do you think the average person would resent his or her life becoming more difficult because of a spouse's poor choice? In other words, all of a sudden Peach is faced with having to do many tasks her husband cannot do for himself, as the the result of him being determined to climb a mountain she asked him not to climb. Use examples from the book and your own life to support your answer.

2. Humans often have a tendency to think someone deserves pain or suffering if they are the cause of their suffering. Beck chose to climb, even when his daughter and wife asked him not to do it. Does Beck deserve his suffering? Why or why not? Use examples from the book and your own life to support your answer.

3. Everyone has done something unwise and suffered the consequences of the behavior. Do you think the consequences of a bad choice is the best way for a person to grow? Why or why not? Use examples from the book and your own life to support your answer.

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