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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. Who loses alacrity and becomes clumsy while Matthiessen gets lighter on his feet?

2. Blue sheep rams are ________________.

3. How long is Matthiessen's group forced to stay inside the monastery in their tents?

4. What does Matthiessen eat in the village he stops in with two other men?

5. In the letter, what does Schaller encounter unexpectedly as he comes out of a canyon with his group?

Short Essay Questions

1. What kind of sleeping arrangements can Matthiessen, Schaller, and the rest of their group find at the monastery?

2. When Jang-bu and another sherpa go in search of firewood, where do Matthiessen and Schaller wander and what do they find?

3. What is the rumor surrounding Tukten when he goes with Gyaltsen to collect the mail and supplies in town?

4. What do Matthiessen, Tukten, and Dawa discuss around the campfire and what does Tukten say?

5. With whom does Matthiessen share a special bond and what about this individual surprises him in Jumla?

6. When the sherpas say that there is another trail east of the Shey Pass but the group does not have a permit, what does Schaller suggest?

7. What does Matthiessen share from the letters he receives from Schaller dated December 8th and 9th in the last part of the book?

8. After Matthiessen and Schaller part ways, where and with whom does Matthiessen travel next?

9. When Matthiessen thinks about the letters in his rucksack, he grows restless. What does he start to imagine?

10. While Schaller is happy watching the blue sheep near the monastery, what does Matthiessen get concerned about and why?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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?

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

Peter Matthiessen travels extensively and has had many hallucinogenic experiences. On this trip, he does not take any drugs but still experiences hallucinations in dreams leaving a feeling that does not disappear upon his waking. What could this be caused by? What is the internal transformation that is occurring to Matthiessen on his journey with Schaller?

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