English Comprehension No.9
Read the passages carefully to grasp the sense and the Meaning sought to be conveyed by the narrator. Attempt to point the correct answer to each question.
The French expedition led by Maurice Herzog climbed Annapurna, the 26,493 ft mountain in the Himalayan mountain of Nepal in 1950. This was the first mountain over 26,000 ft to be climbed, nearly 1,000 ft higher than Tilman’s Nanda Devi. At the time of Herzog’s climb, some twenty-two previous expeditions had attempted to reach a summit of 26,000 ft. all had failed.
At first, things went according to plan. By May 28th the mountaineers had established four camps at 19,350 ft, 21,650 ft, and 23,500 ft. Then two things went wrong. Two of Herzog’s companions, whom he had sent high to establish a fifth camp near the summit, were overcome by high altitude sickness and frostbite, an injury to the body caused by intense cold. They failed to set up the camp. With another companion of sorts- a tent on an ice shelf- at 24,600 ft. the monsoon was almost on them and a weather forecast that they had heard on the radio just before coming up was bad. They spent a miserable night in their tent and it snowed heavily.
With dawn, the weather got a little better and they decided to go for the summit, still nearly 2,000 ft above them. Neither was using oxygen, both were beginning to suffer from frostbite. After eight hours’ climbing, they got to the top. Then the weather showed signs of breaking and they had to go down as quickly as they could. On the way down Herzog took off his gloves for a moment to get something out of his climbing bag- he does not recall what- and he dropped the gloves. They rolled over a cliff.
The loss was disastrous. To be gloveless at 26,000 ft with bad weather coming on might easily mean the loss of his hands from frostbite. There was nothing to be done but to go on down.
They reached their tent of the night before to find that two more of the party, Lionel Terray, and Goston Rebuffat had come to their aid. Terray and Rebuffat undoubtedly saved their lives, for both Herzog and Lachenal were severely frostbitten, and Herzog’s hands were in a terrible condition.
In the morning the four of them set off on the descent to the next camp, but in snow and thick mist, they lost their way. They walked this way and that for the whole day. At nightfall, they were still lost. Not knowing where they were continuing the descent. The next morning Lachenal could barely walk. Herzog could not stand unless Terray Rebuffat supported him. Herzog decided that he was simply getting in the way and told them to leave him and try to save their own lives. The others refused to leave him. In this condition, they were lucky to be found by a search party from the camp.
The behavior of Herzog and his companions in a disaster is beyond criticism as it is beyond praise. As the leader of the expedition, Herzog was unquestionably right to tell the others to abandon him in order to have a better chance themselves, but they were equally right to disobey. At the same time, had they left him to die on the mountains, they could not have been criticized; three lives for one is a proper exchange. Herzog’s condition was hindering the others, fatally, for all he or they knew. Yet the determination of Herzog’s companions to die with him rather than leave him somehow stands out above all arguments about what would have been sensible.
Question 1: The writer commenting on an expedition to Annapurna has remarked to the effect that:
Answer A Before Tilman none had climbed the height of 26,000 ft
Answer B Herzog was the first mountaineer to reach the height of 26,000 ft
Answer C There had been no expedition till then to climb to that height
Answer D There had been twenty-two expeditions to climb Annapurna but all had failed
Answer B
Question 2: What had been the fate of the French expedition under review?
Answer A It took an ill-start and ended in damn failure
Answer B It took good and successful start but ended in sorrow
Answer C It took an odd start but later got to the right course as per plan
Answer D It was very disheartening in the beginning but ended in success
Answer D
Question 3: What happened to Lachenal and Herzog when they set out for final assault to Annapurna?
Answer A They were overcome by mountain sickness and frostbite and gave up the idea of proceeding on
Answer B They reached Annapurna all right but descended immediately
Answer C They had returned leaving uncanned 2,000 ft height below Annapurna
Answer D They had reached the summit but due to aggressive weather returned without camping or rest
Answer D
Question 4: What happened when Lachenal and Herzog were returning from Annapurna to the lower camp?
Answer A Both had broken their shins
Answer B Herzog had lost his gloves
Answer C Rebuffat and Terray met to help them
Answer D Both were affected by frostbite
Answer B
Question 5: What did Herzog decide while on way to descent to the fourth camp?
Answer A Herzog decided for others to leave as Rebuffat was getting in the way
Answer B Herzog decided to leave Lachenal because he could only walk with difficulty
Answer C Herzog ordered others to leave him and save their own lives
Answer D Herzog asked others to leave him in anticipation of getting a better chance of recovering later in due course
Answer c