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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. After giving up on their original mission in Syangpoche, where did the climbing team decide to walk to in the early pages of the Mount Everest-Fairytale and Reality chapter?

2. What technical aid did Messner consent to use during his climbs?

3. When the British expedition returned to Everest in 1924, when did the team arrive?

4. In what year did Messner and Oelz successfully scale Mount Everest?

5. What was the name of the Tibetan who helped the first person who wanted to scale Everest alone enter Tibet illegally?

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. As Bulle returned to his "real" life in the Kanchung chapter, he threw himself into his job. What was Bulle's primary motivation for taking up his work with such enthusiasm?

4. 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?

5. 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?

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. According to the Kanchung chapter, the first person to want to scale Mount Everest alone was not a mountaineer. Why did this person believe he could scale Everest with no experience?

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

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Nena Holguin was the woman who accompanied Reinhold Messner as his technical assistant when Messner prepared and scaled Mount Everest solo. Describe Nena Holguin, her strengths and weaknesses, and her overall role in the success of Messner's historic climb. Would Messner have reached the summit alone without Nena supporting him?

Essay Topic 2

Throughout the course of the book, the traditions and culture of the Tibetan people were described. Identify at least three different traditions of the Tibetan people that Messner revealed in the book as well as Messner's reasoning for sharing this information with the reader. How might the book have been impacted if these traditions had not been shared?

Essay Topic 3

There is no doubt that Messner had been greatly affected by the disappearance of George Mallory years earlier as Mallory attempted to reach the summit of Mount Everest. Discuss how Mallory's disappearance affected not only Messner's worldview but also his decisions as he attempted his solo climb of Everest. How did Mallory affect Messner's mental state, his ability to persevere, and his ability to climb?

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