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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What is Joe doing in the opening scene?
(a) Lying in his sleeping bag.
(b) Drinking tea.
(c) Snoring.
(d) Climbing.

2. What is the name of the rock that Joe and Ian climb?
(a) Chamonix.
(b) The Bonatti Pillar.
(c) The Rock of Gibraltar.
(d) Les Petits Drus.

3. At the beginning of the chapter "On the Edge", on which side of Siula Grande are Joe and Simon descending?
(a) The North Face.
(b) The West Face.
(c) The South Face.
(d) The East Face.

4. What device does Joe wish they had in their possession as they descend from the summit of Siula Grande?
(a) A satellite phone.
(b) A GPS.
(c) A flare gun.
(d) A compass.

5. After lowering Joe down, what is Simon's signal that Joe needs to take his weight off the rope?
(a) Three arm waves.
(b) Three tugs on the rope.
(c) Giving slack to the rope.
(d) Three flashes of his head torch.

6. At the end of "The Final Choice", how does Simon feel?
(a) Like he has broken his leg.
(b) Thirsty and lonely.
(c) Watched.
(d) Relieved.

7. What does Joe say about bivouac sites?
(a) They are convenient.
(b) They are hidden.
(c) He usually dislikes them.
(d) They are cold.

8. How many hours do Joe and Ian hang on the rope before being rescued?
(a) 1.
(b) 2.
(c) 21.
(d) 12.

9. What does Joe do while he is waiting for Simon between lowerings?
(a) He screams at Simon to slow down.
(b) He reties the knot between the ropes.
(c) He traverses the slope to get out of Simon's way.
(d) He digs a bucket seat in the snow for Simon.

10. What does Joe do to stifle the nausea caused by the pain?
(a) He induces vomiting.
(b) He bends his right knee.
(c) He pushes his face into the snow.
(d) He holds his breath.

11. How does the weather look when Joe and Simon start up Siula Grande?
(a) Dreadful.
(b) Blustery.
(c) Perfect.
(d) Foggy.

12. What is blue ice?
(a) Glacial ice that is clear.
(b) Ice that turns blue when viewed through sunglasses.
(c) Ice that is blue in color.
(d) Rock that looks like ice.

13. A character in the book recounts an incident where one climber is dragged off a cliff while roped to his partner. What nationality are these climbers?
(a) French.
(b) Japanese.
(c) Peruvian.
(d) English.

14. How do Peruvian flutings contrast to European flutings?
(a) They are made of snow.
(b) They are difficult to see.
(c) They are made of yellow rock.
(d) They appear to defy gravity.

15. How many practice climbs do Joe and Simon complete in order to acclimatize?
(a) Four.
(b) Three.
(c) One.
(d) Two.

Short Answer Questions

1. How does Simon cut the rope?

2. At one of the lowering changeovers, Simon smiles at Joe, and Joe realizes that their partnership...

3. While Joe ponders the notion of being left, the rope goes slack. What does this mean?

4. What are Joe Simpson and Ian Whittaker doing when the ground breaks out from underneath them?

5. How long is one length of climbing rope?

(see the answer keys)

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