Circle the correct item. a) the tallest mountain in the world

l. K2 is …

a) the tallest mountain in the world

b) the second tallest mountain in the world

c) the most famous mountain in the world

d) the name of a climbing competition in Pakistan

2. Why does the Gilkey Memorial exist?

a) To honor the first man to climb K2.

b) To mark the beginning of the ascent to K2's peak.

c) To serve as a shelter from bad weather.

d) To commemorate climbers who have died on K2.

3. In the rocks surrounding the base camp, the author sees …

a) corpses and old climbing gear lost during past ascents

b) metal mess plates

c) porters arguing over whether or not to continue the ascent

d) tents and fires to keep the climbers warm

4. Abbas, one of the author's porters, was tied down to his mat because...

a) he had stolen climbing gear from the author

b) he was feverish because of the cold and wanted to leave

c) he was disturbed by the sight of dead climbers

d) he was unable to make the ascent with the author

5. What was the author's primary motivation for journeying to K2?

a) He was doing research for a book on people's attempts to scale K2.

b) He planned to publish an article detailing his climbs to the base camps of K2 and Mount Everest.

c) He intended to reach the top of K2 and write a book about the achievement.

d) He hoped to honor the climbers who had died climbing K2.

6. Which of the following best sums up K2's reputation among mountaineers?

a) K2 is shorter and easier to summit than Mount Everest.

b) Even though K2's conditions are more challenging than those of Everest, more people successfully complete the climb.

c) K2 has an aura of mystery, though the climb is relatively risk-free.

d) K2, while shorter than Everest, is a more dangerous and deadly summit.

7. In this piece, the word 'concentrations' means …

a) intense focusing

b) condensed groups

c) difficult challenges

d) geographical hazards

8. Which adjective best describes K2?

a) apromontory

b) mythological

c) murderous

d) perilous

9. In 2009, 450 people reached the top of Mount Everest, while only about … had ever reached the top of K2.

a) 200

b) 100

c) 400

d) 300

10. At the end of the article the author wonders…

a) if Abbas, his porter, had a good reason to fear the mountain

b) if people are too intimidated by K2

c) why so many people have died trying to climb K2

d) if he will be able to reach the top of the mountain