Name ____________________________________ Date ________________________ Period ________
“Going Up: Life in the Death Zone”
1) The main idea of this passage is….
a. Climbing Mount Everest is easy.
b. Climbing Mount Everest takes months.
c. Climbing Mount Everest is challenging.
d. Climbing Mount Everest should not be attempted.
2) What evidence from “Going Up” Life in the Death Zone” led you to your
answer in question 1. Circle all that apply.
a. The New Zealander struggled up the final snowy ridge. (P1)
b. Fluid buildup in the lungs and brain is also a threat. (P9)
c. Hillary and Norgay helped move loads of supplies from the base camp
to camps higher on the mountain. (P10)
d. Had they reached the top? (P14)
3) “Both pulmonary and cerebral edema can kill. The only cure is retreating to a
lower altitude.” Why is this the only cure?
a. air pressure stays the same as you get closer to sea level
b. air pressure increases as you get closer to sea level
c. air pressure decrease as you get closer to sea level
d. air pressure has no effect on these conditions
4) The Death Zone is considered to be…
a. Above 5,000 meters
b. Above 2,000 meters
c. Above 8,000 meters
d. Above 100 meters
5) Upon arriving at the top of Mount Everest, Hillary and Norgay first...
a. Took photographs.
b. Kissed the ground.
c. Hung their flag.
d. Took off their oxygen masks for a few moments.
6) The author’s purpose in writing this story is to…
a. Inform the reader of Hillary and Norgay’s personal story.
b. Warn the reader about Mount Everest.
c. Persuade the reader to climb Everest.
7) In paragraph 7 of “Going Up: Life in the Death Zone,” what does the word
acclimatizing mean?
a. Trying to breath
b. Adjusting slowly to the lower air pressure
c. Running down a hill
d. Rushing up Mount Everest
8) Which sentence from “Going Up” Life in the Death Zone” best supports your
answer in question 7? Circle all that apply.
a. “Hillary and Norgay spent many weeks acclimatizing to higher
altitudes.”
b. “It takes many days for the body to make the extra red blood cells.”
c. “Rushing up and down Mount Everest isn’t an option.”
d. “At this altitude, air pressure is half that of sea level.”
9) In paragraph 8 of “Going Up: Life in the Death Zone,” what does the word
trekked mean?
a. Crawled
b. Skipped
c. Pulled
d. Journeyed
10)
Which sentence from “Going Up: Life in the Death Zone” best supports
your answer in question 9? Circle all that apply.
a. “Fifty years ago, Hillary and Norgay became the first to reach the
summit of Mt. Everest.”
b. “At this altitude, air pressure is half that of sea level.”
c. “Even with acclimatization, some people show signs of mountain
sickness, caused by too little oxygen.”
d. “Mt. Everest is in Nepal, a small country sandwiched between India
and China.”
11)
Based on what you have read about climbing Everest, would you want
to do so? Provide supporting evidence from the text to help validate your
opinion.