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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. How high did the second British expedition reach before being forced to descend the mountain because of a growing storm?

2. What was the name of the hotel in Syangpoche that the climbing team was headed to after leaving the Sherpa hut in the beginning of the book?

3. 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?

4. On what day did Messner sign the contract with the CMA for his solo ascent of Mount Everest?

5. When the CMA granted Messner a permit in the Kanchung chapter, approximately how much did Messner believe the expedition would cost?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. 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?

3. What made Messner's ascent of the Abruzzi Ridge different from that of previous mountaineers?

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

5. What did Messner suspect was the main reason that men often invited him to talk over a beer after hearing Messner's lecture?

6. According to Messner in the Mount Everest-Fairytale and Reality chapter, why was each hour of each day so precious to the second British expedition to Mount Everest?

7. What was the bold plan for the second expedition to Everest that Captain Finch came up with?

8. How did the first person to want to scale Mount Everest alone first learn about Mount Everest?

9. Why did the second person to attempt a solo ascent of Everest decline to use oxygen gear?

10. When Messner referred to "fair means" in climbing in the Mount Everest-Fairytale and Reality chapter, what was he referring to?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare Reinhold Messner's experiences on Mount Everest during his first summit attempt when he was part of an expedition team and during his second summit attempt when he was climbing solo. What changed for Messner between his first and second ascents? What lessons had Messner learned during his first attempt that he applied to his second attempt? Would Messner have been successful climbing solo if he had not already reached the summit as part of a group?

Essay Topic 2

One of the main themes in this book involved conquering fear.

a. Identify three individuals that had to overcome their fears.

b. What were each of these individuals afraid of, and was there any true basis for their fears?

c. What was the outcome for these individuals? Were they successful in overcoming their fears?

Essay Topic 3

Reinhold Messner seemed to be a man who was supremely confident in his ability to succeed. Identify at least three instances from the book that highlighted his confidence. How was Messner helped by his confidence? How was Messner hurt by his confidence?

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