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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 happened to Söhnel and Moosmüller on their attempt to climb the North Face in 1956?

2. What area of the mountain is the Silver Trench on?

3. To what does Harrer attribute the fact that Longhi was unable to climb up the rope after he fell?

4. Where did Guido Tonella interview Corti?

5. What profession were Adolf Derungs and Lukas Albrecht, who made the 16th successful ascent up the North Face?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the climb of the first women to attempt the North Face.

2. What is Harrer's opinion about Corti's story that the two other climbers went on to send back help, leaving Corti behind after he was injured?

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

4. Describe Erich Friedli, Jr. and Arnold Heinen's climb in 1963.

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

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

7. After bivouacking above the Spider, how did Helmuth Drachsler and Walter Gstrein reach the summit?

8. What happened in the attempts to climb the North Face in 1953?

9. What is the controversy about the photograph of the German climbers on the mountain?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Harrer sees extreme climbing as being a challenge for both the mental and physical aspects of mankind. Discuss the relationship of the mental and physical in Harrer's book.

1) How does Harrer defend extreme climbing from critics who call it suicidally dangerous, and how strong are his arguments that extreme climbing requires extreme mental balance?

2) What is the relationship of the mental and physical aspects of climbing, and what are examples from the book of both mental and physical accomplishments?

3) How does technology and equipment affect the mental and physical challenges of climbing?

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 danger and courage in Harrer's book.

1) What is Harrer's attitude toward danger? How does he feel about courage?

2) What outweighs the inherent danger of extreme mountain climbing for the climbers who attempt the North Face? In what ways are they courageous, and in what ways are they foolhardy?

3) What are the dangers of the North Face, and can they be mitigated by those who attempt the climb? How does the risk become worthwhile, and under what conditions?

(see the answer keys)

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