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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 caused Boulaz, Attinger, Vaucher, and Darbellay to turn back?

2. What put the claims of two Swiss climbers who said they climbed the North Face in one day in doubt?

3. Who made the last successful ascent of the North Face in 1961

4. What did Bonatti say about why he turned back, ending his climb attempt?

5. How did Mayr climb from the First Ice Field to the Second Ice Field?

Short Essay Questions

1. What contradictions are there in Corti's accounts of Nothdurft during the climb?

2. Describe what was done to lower Alfred Hellepart down the mountain in a rescue attempt.

3. Why does Harrer include a route guide at the end of the book?

4. How were Albert Rabada and Ernesto Navarra's bodies recovered?

5. What is Harrer's attitude toward Italians?

6. What happened when Derungs and Albrecht threw their extra equipment over the edge of the mountain after their last bivouac?

7. What information does Harrer offer in the later appended chapters about his treatment of Corti's story and the facts about Nothdurft's death?

8. What happened to Erich Vanis, Hans Ratay, and Karl Lugmayer on the Ice Bulge?

9. Why does Harrer call the climb by Radovan KuchaÅ™ and Zdeno Zibrin cautious?

10. Why were Kurt Diemberger and Wolfgang Stephan criticized, and how does Harrer answer that criticism?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the roles of skill and chance in climbing the North Face of the Eiger.

1) How does Harrer address luck or chance in success or failure of climbing the North Face? How big a role does luck or chance play in success or failure?

2) What skills are necessary to climb the North Face? How can skill mitigate bad luck or ill chance, if it can?

3) What role does skill play in a successful climb of the North Face? How essential is skill, and are there any substitutes for it?

Essay Topic 2

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 3

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?

(see the answer keys)

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