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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What year was the third successful climb up the North Face?
(a) 1949.
(b) 1947.
(c) 1948.
(d) 1946.

2. What did the press call the North Face?
(a) Mordwand.
(b) Todesgesicht.
(c) Unbesteigbar.
(d) Todesberg.

3. What is the relationship between Otto and Sepp Maag?
(a) Cousins.
(b) Second cousins.
(c) Father and son.
(d) Brothers.

4. On what day of the climb did Toni Kurz and his party turn back?
(a) The third day.
(b) The fourth day.
(c) The second day.
(d) The fifth day.

5. Why does Harrer write about the North Face of the Eiger?
(a) It is the hardest to climb.
(b) It was the first side climbed.
(c) It is the only climbable face.
(d) It is the side that he chose to climb.

6. What phrase do newspapers use to describe the rush of climbers heading for the North Face?
(a) Eiger Storm.
(b) White Spider Craze.
(c) Ice Field Flurry.
(d) North Face Fever.

7. How many parties left the Eiger without an attempt to climb the North Face in 1937, due to bad weather?
(a) One.
(b) Two.
(c) Four.
(d) Three.

8. How did newspapers react to plans to climb the North Face in 1937?
(a) With indifference and certainty that attempts would fail.
(b) With both outcry against the danger and sensationalism.
(c) With enthusiastic sensationalism of the heroism of the climbers.
(d) With condemnation against the suicidal dangers.

9. What was Guiseppe Piravano and Bruno Detassis's ultimate goal in attempting to climb the North Face?
(a) To win glory for their country of Italy.
(b) To write a book about climbing the North Face.
(c) To eventually guide tourists up the North Face.
(d) To win the glory of being the first to conquer the North Face.

10. What year was the Eiger first climbed?
(a) 1848.
(b) 1838.
(c) 1828.
(d) 1858.

11. What warning did the Swiss government issue to climbers?
(a) A warning that rescue and recovery efforts were not guaranteed.
(b) A warning that climbing the mountain was prohibited.
(c) A warning that the Eiger's North Face would be prohibited if there were another accident.
(d) A warning not to attempt to climb during June or July due to bad weather.

12. What problem did Heckmair have during the night?
(a) His hands began to freeze.
(b) His rope sling began to slip.
(c) His stomach was upset.
(d) Rocks slid down and hit his arm.

13. What type of weather hit when Terray and Lachenal reached the Spider, during their climb in 1946?
(a) A thunderstorm.
(b) A snowstorm.
(c) A windstorm.
(d) Fog.

14. How many climbers were there in the first party to attempt to climb the North Face?
(a) Four.
(b) Five.
(c) Three.
(d) Two.

15. What trapped Primas and Gollackner on the mountain?
(a) A spring bursting from the mountain.
(b) A large boulder.
(c) Bad weather.
(d) A broken rope.

Short Answer Questions

1. Who led the climb down the mountain after the ascent?

2. Preparing for the final ascent, what did the climbers do with their unnecessary provisions?

3. What quality does Maix say Harrer has that qualifies him to write about the Eiger?

4. How did the mountaineer who first climbed the Eiger write his account?

5. Which two members of the party injured their hands on the ascent?

(see the answer keys)

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