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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What is the first thing Simon says to Joe after Joe tells him about the broken leg?
(a) 'I'll abseil down to you.'
(b) 'What happened?'
(c) 'Are you okay?'
(d) 'Are you sure it's broken?'

2. Joe notes that some of the icicles are as thick as...
(a) An ice weep.
(b) A family bible.
(c) A glacier.
(d) A man's arm.

3. Before recounting the Mont Blanc incident, Joe determines that Simon...
(a) Is suffering from altitude sickness.
(b) Is indeed frostbitten.
(c) Has broken his leg.
(d) Is going to leave without him.

4. At one of the lowering changeovers, Simon smiles at Joe, and Joe realizes that their partnership...
(a) Is accident-prone.
(b) Has gone from bad to worse.
(c) Had been a bad idea.
(d) Is just as effective and had turned from climbing to rescue.

5. What is a pitch?
(a) A toss of the rope.
(b) A slide down the mountain on one's back.
(c) A section of a climb equal to one length of rope.
(d) The echo of the ax cracking the ice.

6. What animals do the climbers use to transport their gear to base camp?
(a) Yaks.
(b) Donkeys.
(c) Mules.
(d) Llamas.

7. Who witnesses two climbers in Europe fall to their deaths the year before?
(a) Simon Yates and Joe Simpson.
(b) Simon Yates and Jon Sylvester.
(c) Richard Hawking and Ian Whittaker.
(d) Al Rouse and Maurice Herzog.

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

9. When Joe sees Simon's frostbitten fingers, why does he feel anxious?
(a) He is worried that Simon won't be able to lower him down the mountain.
(b) He is worried about Simon's health.
(c) He is worried about Simon's climbing future.
(d) He gets queasy about frostbite.

10. What is directly under Joe when he hangs in front of the ice wall?
(a) A summit.
(b) A snow ribbon.
(c) A crevasse.
(d) A moraine.

11. When Joe says to Simon, 'We should top out today' (p41), what does he mean?
(a) We should beat our altitude record.
(b) We should reach the summit.
(c) We should drink the maximum amount of fluids.
(d) We should consume the maximum amount of calories.

12. What is a "Friend"?
(a) A belay device.
(b) A hydration bag with a tube for drinking.
(c) A sleeping mat.
(d) Climbing gear.

13. When Joe follows Simon, he is careful to do what?
(a) Keep Richard informed of their progress.
(b) Avoid Simon's footsteps entirely.
(c) Follow Simon's footsteps exactly.
(d) Not lose sight of Simon.

14. What is a sticht plate?
(a) A high-altitude breathing apparatus.
(b) A belay device.
(c) A camming device.
(d) A cooking utensil.

15. What collapses under Simon's feet?
(a) A crevice.
(b) A snow ridge.
(c) An ice bridge.
(d) The summit.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is verglas?

2. As Simon lowers Joe, what causes the most pain?

3. What does Joe try to use to climb up the rope?

4. When Joe knocks down a row of large icicles, he curses the pain of a...

5. How does Simon cut the rope?

(see the answer keys)

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