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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. What does Matthiessen see in the valley located at 11,200 feet above sea level?

2. What difficult obstacles face Matthiessen's group as they cross icy boulders?

3. When a scientist asks Matthiessen why he is on the trip, what does he say?

4. Who remains in the group and gains Matthiessen's trust even if porters do not like him?

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

Short Essay Questions

1. While Matthiessen sits outside the stone hut and relaxes in the sun, what does Schaller do?

2. When the sherpas lag behind Matthiessen and Schaller, what does Schaller fear that he will miss?

3. Why does Matthiessen exhibit some reservation about traveling with Schaller at the beginning of the trip?

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

5. What does Matthiessen have hallucinations about that inspire him to pull out his book The Tibetan Book of the Dead?

6. What does Matthiessen learn is one of the biggest problems in Nepal and how is it caused?

7. What makes the journey through Kali Gandaki especially difficult?

8. 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?

9. What does a sherpa point out to Schaller while they take a break on the mountainside that makes Schaller happy?

10. When the young biologist asks Matthiessen why he is on the journey with Schaller, what does he say?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

At Crystal Mountain, Matthiessen and the group arrive at a monastery. The head of the monastery called the lama is away. In Buddhism, what is the importance of the lama? Describe the role of the lama. Do some research on the Shey Monastery. What does the area look like today? How does it resemble the description provided by Matthiessen when he visited the area?

Essay Topic 2

Tensions between certain individuals offer insight into unfolding dramatic events. Tukten and Gyalsten interact with each other and have a volatile relationship. How does this affect the rest of the climbing party? Does their conflict increase or decrease morale in the group as a whole? Explain.

Essay Topic 3

Create a brief portrait study of Peter Matthiessen. What does he look like? What are his positive personality traits? What are some of his negative characteristics? What are his hopes and fears? What motivates him through his life? How does he change from the beginning of the book, to his trip to the Shey Monastery, and finally as he gets ready to leave Kathmandu?

(see the answer keys)

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