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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. How high is the Eiger?

2. How many nights did Pierre Julien and Maurice Coutin spend on the mountain during their 1952 climb?

3. In 1950, where did North Face climbers Hamel and Seiler escape to after a blizzard?

4. In the third successful climb up the North Face, what nationality were Jermann's guides?

5. What did Rebisch and Vörg do to make a place to spend the night on the mountain?

Short Essay Questions

1. What metaphor did the author use to describe the societal function of mountain climbing?

2. What seemed unexplainable about Primas and Gollackner's actions on their climb?

3. How did Fritz Kasparek and Harrer meet?

4. Describe Maix and Harrer's collaboration.

5. How were photos taken of the climbers traversing toward the Spider?

6. What did Rebitsch and Vörg do, after a harrowing climb on the mountain, when they learned that Gollackner had died on the mountain?

7. What unusual attempt to climb the North Face did Fuchs and Monney consider but then reject?

8. Describe the White Spider.

9. What did the author mean by "Come back safe, my friends"?

10. Describe the reaction to Harrer telling a doctor in Lhasa that he was among the first party to climb the North Face.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the accomplishment of firsts in Harrer's book.

1) What firsts does Harrer seem to feel are most important? Does Harrer's position as one of the first party to climb the North Face change his view on firsts?

2) Why does Harrer's final chapter focus on firsts? How does he view the prospective first direct route up the North Face differently from earlier firsts?

3) Are "first" accomplishments admirable? Why are they notable?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss nationalism, rivalry, and prejudice in Harrer's book.

1) What is Harrer's viewpoint on international cooperation and on different nationalities in the book?

2) What role do national rivalries play in the race to climb the North Face and in the following attempts?

3) What is Harrer's opinion about Italian climbers, and how does it inform his presentation of Corti's ill-fated climb? Can Harrer's presentation be relied on? What other biases does he seem to hold?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the idea of rescue in Harrer's book.

1) Why are rescue attempts not guaranteed for climbers? How does climbing affect the local guides and governments who participate in rescue attempts?

2) How does Harrer view rescuers and rescue attempts? Are his portrayals of rescuers romanticized?

3) Should climbers expect rescue? What aspects of human nature make rescue attempts inevitable? What happens when rescue attempts are impossible? Discuss specific rescue attempts in the book.

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