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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. Whose departure causes Schaller to have an angry outburst?

2. What book does Matthiessen read?

3. What tests the patience of Matthiessen's group again and again?

4. Matthiessen's group carries their packs instead of just _______________.

5. Where does Matthiessen need to be by Thanksgiving?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

8. What are the two conditions that affect the group because of the heavy weather as they hike up the canyon?

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

10. Why is the journey initially very peaceful when Matthiessen and Schaller leave Pokhara?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Along their journey, Matthiessen and Schaller employ both sherpas and porters. What is a sherpa? Where does a sherpa originate from? What is a porter? How are sherpas and porters similar and how are they different? In a hierarchical sense, who has more authority and independence of the two? How do Matthiessen and Schaller relate to the sherpas and the porters on their trip?

Essay Topic 2

Who is the yeti? What does this individual look like? Where does he or she live? How does Matthiessen describe this creature? What does he know about this creature from the local villagers that he meets in Nepal? What does the young biologist tell him about the yeti? What does Tukten tell Matthiessen about the yeti? Describe.

Essay Topic 3

Both Peter Matthiessen and George Schaller are the people this book focuses on the most.

Part 1) Compare Peter Matthiessen to George Schaller. How are these two individuals similar and how are they different?

Part 2) What inspirational purpose does Schaller's mission to Nepal ultimately offer Peter Matthiessen? Elaborate on this.

Part 3) The two men have ultimately two very different experiences. Why does this happen? Schaller encounters the snow leopard at the end, which makes him happy. Peter Matthiessen experiences something different, bonding with the sherpa Tukten who ultimately disappears. Share your opinion on these two experiences.

(see the answer keys)

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