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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 date did Erich Vanis, Hans Ratay, and Karl Lugmayer arrive at the North Face?

2. What did Edmund Geer and Wolfang Görter do while Derungs and Albrecht were climbing the North Face?

3. How far did Karl Blach initially say he would guide Jürgen Wallenkamp and Bernd Huber on their climb up the North Face?

4. What cliff on the North Face did Karl Reiss attempt to climb?

5. When did Helmut Salger and Horst Wels climb the North Face?

Short Essay Questions

1. 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?

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

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

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

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

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

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 were Nothdurft and Mayers' families reactions to the tragedy?

9. What was the weather like during Erich Vanis, Hans Ratay, and Karl Lugmayer's first night on the mountain in 1952?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Harrer talks about the media and publicity often in his book. Discuss the relationship of the media to mountain climbing.

1) How does Harrer view the media's reporting on mountain climbing? What criticisms does he levy?

2) In what ways is Harrer's book similar to the media that he criticizes? in what ways is it different?

3) How does Harrer portray the film crews that film climbers going up the mountain? How does Harrer think about the films of mountain 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 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?

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This section contains 966 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample