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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. Why had no Tibetans ever considered climbing the gigantic summits that were all around them?

2. In the Tibet chapter, what "sport" did Bulle once liken mountaineering to?

3. According to the liaison officer with Messner, how long should it have taken the traveling party to reach their destination in the Rongbuk chapter?

4. After sharing barley beer with a family in the Four Dragon Village in the Rongbuk chapter, what did Messner leave with the family as a guest gift?

5. As alluded to in the North Col chapter, at what altitude did Messner and Nena plan to set up their midway camp?

Short Essay Questions

1. What was the reaction of the world when the Chinese government announced that a Chinese expedition had successfully reached the summit of Mount Everest in 1960?

2. As the expedition rested at the start of the East Rongbuk Glacier in the North Col chapter, Nena wrote in her diary that she was disillusioned with humanity. Why?

3. According to Messner in the Chomolungma chapter, why would an attempt to preplan his solo climb be madness?

4. Why is the summer monsoon of extraordinary importance for the people of India and Nepal?

5. As Messner climbed to the summit of Everest in the Chomolungma chapter, what were his only two aids?

6. As Nena and Messner camped for the night at the Rongbuk river just at the edge of a village while waiting for the water to go down enough to safely cross the river in the Rongbuk chapter, what did Nena write that her big mistake of the night was?

7. As Messner began his ascent of Mount Everest in the Chomolungma chapter, suddenly reaching the summit was not important to him. Explain why reaching the summit lost its importance.

8. In the Tibetan chapter, what three topics did the interpreter assigned to Messner and Nena continually ask about?

9. In the Tibetan chapter, how did Messner describe the province of Szechuan?

10. According to Messner in the Chomolungma chapter, it would be impossible to reach the summit of Mount Everest without doing what first?

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 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 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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