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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. Who had a special camera with him on expeditions in 1922 and 1924?

2. After giving up on their original mission in Syangpoche in the early pages of the Mount Everest-Fairytale and Reality chapter, how far of a walk did the climbing team undertake to reach their new destination?

3. Who were the first group of foreign mountaineers to undertake an expedition in Tibet after the creation of the People's Republic?

4. When the climbing team woke up in the Sherpa hut at the beginning of Messner's book, how long did they have to reach Syangpoche?

5. According to what Messner learned from his journalist friend in the Mount Everest-Fairytale and Reality chapter, who received permission for a solo assent of Everest during the winter of 1980-81?

Short Essay Questions

1. In the Kanchung chapter, how did Messner characterize his homeland of South Tyrol?

2. Upon reading the article in the "Peking Review" in the Kanchung chapter, what became immediately clear to Messner?

3. How did Captain Finch originally test his bold plan back in England?

4. According to Messner in the early pages of the Mount Everest-Fairytale and Reality chapter, why was Oelz depressed as the team packed for their trip to Syangpoche?

5. When the climbing team reached Syangpoche in the early pages of the Mount Everest-Fairytale and Reality chapter, they were unsuccessful in completing their task. What was their task and why were they unsuccessful?

6. As the book opens, what reason did Mallory give when asked why he wanted to climb Mount Everest a second time?

7. Because it lies so far above sea level, what is Tibet known as?

8. When a tourist at the hotel asked Oelz why he climbed Everest after learning that he and Messner had reached the summit in the early pages of the Mount Everest-Fairytale and Reality chapter, how did Oelz respond?

9. As the book opens, Messner reflects on his first ascent of Everest. What did the mountain mean to Messner?

10. When the climbing team woke up in the Sherpa hut in the early pages of the Mount Everest-Fairytale and Reality chapter, why was the team headed to Syangpoche?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

One of the main themes is this book centered on taking risks in order to reach full potential.

a. Identify three individuals that strove to reach their full potential and describe how their actions indicated that they were doing their best.

b. Why did these individuals strive to reach their full potential?

c. What was the outcome for these individuals? Were they successful in their endeavors or would they have been happier if they had been "ordinary"?

Essay Topic 2

The Chinese government used many different tactics to not only take over but also to rule Tibet and keep the Tibetan people in line.

a. Identify three tactics used by the Chinese government to rule Tibet and keep the people in line.

b. For each tactic identified, explain why the government used this method of control.

c. Compare these tactics in terms of their operational style, level of involvement, and operational success or failure.

Essay Topic 3

Throughout the book, there were several situations where Messner almost lost his life. Identify at least three instances where Messner's life was in danger and detail how he escaped from death. What lessons had Messner learned from his previous mountaineering experience combined with the experience of those mountaineers that had gone before him that allowed Messner to survive?

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