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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. Whom does Matthiessen's group see along their journey that reminds the group of mortality?

2. Who walks easily on sharp ledges and inspires admiration from Matthiessen?

3. What is so rare and elusive and blends into surroundings that people can easily miss seeing it, according to Schaller?

4. What keeps delaying the trip for Matthiessen's group that cannot be prevented?

5. Who in Matthiessen's group has hallucinogenic dreams?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens to Matthiessen after he walks for 10 hours on the first day of their trek?

2. In Part 2, how does Matthiessen describe his relationship with Deborah before she died?

3. When did Matthiessen meet his wife and how does he feel about that experience while writing the novel?

4. What is a Vedic belief that Matthiessen has great respect for and shares on his initial ascent up the mountain in Part 1?

5. What do Matthiessen and the party see as they hike up the mountain in high spirits that reminds them of their mortality?

6. What does Matthiessen find on the Nepal side of the mountains that inspires a lot of questions from the group and could mean that they have gotten closer to finding what they came for?

7. What makes Schaller furious because he is afraid of being stranded?

8. Why is Matthiessen so affected by the rain and bad weather after they pass through the canyon?

9. When they are hiking, what disgusts Schaller but he is powerless to prevent from happening?

10. What does Matthiessen remark about Asia as they begin their trip?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Who or what is the yeti? Describe the yeti as mentioned in "The Snow Leopard". Explain the significance of the yeti to the Nepalese people in your own words.

Essay Topic 2

What is the transformation that occurs to Matthiessen on Crystal Mountain that changes his perspective to some degree? How does he act consequently?

Essay Topic 3

The four rhetorical modes of writing are exposition, argumentation, description, and narration. Which mode or modes are used in this book and how? List at least one example of each mode you find in the book. Explain what reason Matthiessen might have had for using it.

(see the answer keys)

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