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Based on the text, answer the following questions in a paragraph of about 100-150 words each.

1. We started up our cooker and drank large quantities of lemon juice and sugar, and followed this with our last tin of sardines on biscuits. I dragged our oxygen sets into the tent, cleaned the ice off them, and then rechecked and tested them.

2. I had removed my boots, which had become wet the day before, and they were now frozen solid. So I cooked them over the fierce flame of the Primus and managed to soften them up. Over our down clothing we donned our windproof and on to our hands we pulled three pairs of gloves – silk, woollen, and windproof.

3. At 6.30 a.m. we crawled out of that tent into the snow, hoisted our 30 lb. of oxygen gear on to our backs, connected up our masks and turned on the valves to bring life-giving oxygen into our lungs. A few good deep breaths and we were ready to go. Still a little worried about my cold feet, I asked Tenzing to move off.

4. Tenzing kicked steps in a long traverse back towards the ridge, and we reached its crest where it forms a great snow bump at about 28000 feet. From here the ridge narrowed to a knife-edge and, as my feet were now warm, I took over the lead.

5. The soft snow made a route on top of the ridge both difficult and dangerous, which sometimes held my weight but often gave way suddenly. After several hundred feet, we came to a tiny hollow, and found there the two oxygen bottles left on the earlier attempt by Evans and Bourdillon. I scraped the ice off the gauges and was relieved to find that they still contained several hundred litres of oxygen-enough to get us down to the South Col if used sparingly 

6. I continued making the trail on up the ridge, leading up for the last 400 feet to the southern summit. The snow on this face was dangerous, but we persisted in our efforts to beat a trail up it. We made frequent changes of lead. As I was stamping a trail in the deep snow, a section around me gave way and

7. I slipped back through three or four of my steps. I discussed with Tenzing the advisability of going on, and he, although admitting that he felt unhappy about the snow conditions, and finished with his familiar phrase “Just as you wish”.

8. I decided to go on; and we finally reached firmer snow higher up, and then chipped steps up the last steep slopes and cramponed on to the South Peak. It was now 9 a.m

9. We cut a seat for ourselves just below the South Summit and removed our oxygen apparatus. As our first partly-full bottle of oxygen was now exhausted, we had only one full bottle left. Our apparatus was now much lighter, weighing just over 20 lb., and as I cut steps down off the South Summit I felt a sense of freedom and well- being.

10. As my ice-axe bit into the first steep slope of the ridge, my high hopes were realized. The snow was crystalline and firm. Two or three blows of the ice axe produced a step large enough even for our over-sized High Altitude boots, and a firm thrust of the ice-axe would sink it half-way up the shaft, giving a solid and comfortable belay.

11. We moved one at a time. I would cut a forty foot line of steps, Tenzing belaying me while I worked. Then in turn I would sink my shaft and put a few loops of the rope around it, and Tenzing, protected against a breaking step, would move up to me. Then once again as he belayed me I would go on cutting

12. In a number of places the overhanging ice cornices were very large indeed, and in order to escape them I cut a line of steps down to where the snow met the rocks on the west. It was a great thrill to look straight down this enormous rock face and to see, 8000 feet below us, the tiny tents of Camp 4 in the Western Cwm. Scrambling on the rocks and cutting handholds on the snow, we were able to shuffle past these difficult portions.

13. On its east side was another great cornice; and running up the full forty feet of the step was a narrow crack between the cornice and the rock. Leaving Tenzing to belay me as best he could, I jammed my way into this crack. Then, kicking backwards, I sank the spikes of my crampons deep into the frozen snow behind me and levered myself off the ground

14. Taking advantage of every little rock hold, and all the force of knee, shoulder, and arms I could muster, I literally cramponed backwards up the crack, praying that the cornice would remain attached to the rock. My progress although slow was steady. As Tenzing paid out the rope, I inched my way upwards until I could reach over the top of the rock and drag myself out of the crack on to a wide ledge.

15. For a few moments I lay regaining my breath, and for the first time really felt the fierce determination that nothing now could stop us reaching the top. I took a firm stance on the ledge and signalled to Tenzing to come on up. As I heaved hard on the rope, Tenzing wriggled his way up the crack, and finally collapsed at the top like a giant fish when it has just been hauled from the sea after a terrible struggle.

16. The ridge continued as before: giant cornices on the right; steep rock sloped on the left. The ridge curved away to the right and we have no idea where the top was. As I cut around the back of one hump, another higher one would swing into view. Time was passing and the ridge seemed never-ending.

17. Our original zest had now quite gone, and it was turning more into a grim struggle. I then realized that the ridge ahead, instead of rising, now dropped sharply away. I looked upwards to see a narrow snow ridge running up to a snowy summit. A few more whacks of the ice-axe in the firm snow and we stood on top.

18. My first feelings were of relief– relief that there were no more steps to cut, no more ridges to traverse, and no more humps to tantalize us with hopes of success. I looked at Tenzing. In spite of the balaclava helmet, goggles, and oxygen mask – all encrusted with long icicles–that concealed his face, there was no disguising his grin of delight as he looked all around him. We shook hands, and then Tenzing threw his arm around my shoulders and we thumped each other on the back until we were almost breathless. It was 11.30 a.m. The ridge had taken us two and a half hours, but it seemed like a lifetime To the east was our giant

19. neighbour Makalu, unexplored and unclimbed. Far away across the clouds, the great bulk of Kanchenjunga loomed on the horizon. To the west, we could see the great unexplored ranges of Nepal stretching off into the distance.

20. The most important photograph, I felt, was a shot down the North Ridge, showing the North Col and the old route which had been made famous by the struggles of those great climbers of the 1920’s and 1930’s. After ten minutes, I realized that I was becoming rather clumsy-fingered and slow-moving. So I quickly replaced my oxygen set

(a) How did Hillary and Tenzing prepare themselves before they set off to the summit?

(b) Give an account of the journey to the South Col from 28,000 feet.

(c) Describe the feelings of Edmund Hillary and Tenzing as they reached the top of the Summit.

(d) The ridge had taken us two and half hours, but it seemed like lifetime. Why?

(e) Describe the view from the top. What was the most important photograph?

(f) ‘There is no height, no depth that the spirit of man, guided by higher Spirit cannot attain’. Discuss the above statement in the context of the achievement of Edmund Hillarv and Tenzing.

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(a) They started up their cookers and drank lots of lemon juice and sugar. Then they took sardines and biscuits. Hillary cleaned the ice off the oxygen sets. He rechecked and tested them. He had removed his boots which had become wet the day before. They were now frozen solid. It would be very challenging to start climbing ice-cold Himalayas with such wet and chilling boots. So, he cooked them over the fierce flame of Primus and managed to soften them up. They were also conscious of the probabilitvof braving snow storms during the ascent. They . fortified their clothing with wind proof and also pulled three pairs of gloves silk, woollen, and windproof on to their hands. At 6.30 am they crawled out of their tent into the snow. They hoisted their 30 lb. of oxygen gear on their backs. Connecting their oxygen masks they turned on the valves to bring life-giving oxygen into their lungs. Taking a few deep breaths, fnev got ready to go.

(b) From the altitude of 28000 feet, the ridge narrowed to a knife-edge and as Hillary’s feet were now warm, he took over the land and Tenzing followed him. The soft snow was difficult and dangerous to tackle. Sometimes it supported Hillary’s weight and often it gave way suddenly. After trudging several hundred feet, they reached a tiny hollow where they found two oxygen bottles left by Evans and Bourdillon after a failed mission. Hillary7 scraped off the ice and found that both were full and could last till they returned from ascent if they used them sparingly. Despite risky slips, they persisted and made 400 feet climb to the southern summit. Hillary sought the advisability of continuing on such a lowly snow bed. But Tenzing remarked, “as your wish.” Hillary’ made up his mind to go on. His resolve paid off. They finally reached firmer snow higher up fuelling their hopes of success.

(c) Hillary’s first feelings were of relief on reaching Everest. There were no more ridges to traverse and no more humps to tease them off with hope of success. He looked at Tenzing. In spite of balaclava helmet, goggles and oxygen mask, all encrusted with long icicles, that concealed his face, his delight was visible. He looked around with a grin of delight. They shook hands. Tenzing hugged Hillary’ and thumped each other till they were breathless. It was 1 .30 am. The ridge had taken them two and a half hours but it seemed like a lifetime.

(d) Both Hillary and Tenzing reached a wide ledge. Hillary deeply felt the fierce determination that nothing could stop them from scaling the Himalayas. He took a stronghold on the ledge and signalled Tenzing to come up. With great difficulty Tenzing reached the way up the crack and collapsed like a giant fish hauled up from the ocean. There were giant cornices on the right and steep rock sloped on the left. The ridge curved away to the right. They had no idea’ where the peak was. As Hillary cut around the back of one hump, another would swing anew ‘ to his view’. Time seemed never ending. Their original zest started diminishing. The climb becoming a grim struggle. To their surprise, the ridge ahead now dropped sharply away. A few more whacks of the ice-axe in the firm snow’ , they stood on top. It w’as 11.30, the ridge had taken two and a half hours. But it seemed like a lifetime as they had to negotiate numerous ridges on the way.

(e) On reaching the peak, Tenzing and Hillary felt a great relief. To the east was their giant neighbour Makalu, unexplored and unclimbed. Far away across the clouds, the great bulk of Kanchenjunga loomed on the horizon. To the west they could see the unexplored ranges of Nepal stretching off into the distance. The most important photograph w as a shot down at the north ridge showed the North Col and the old route. It had been made famous by the famous climbers of 1920’s and 1930’s. It w as breath-taking view of the snow’ clad peak all round.

(f) Man is naturally endowed with an indomitable spirit. Guided by powers above man reach any height. The grit and persistence of both Hillary and Tenzing stand testimony to the above maxim. The conditions were really overwhelming. Hillary slipped many times. Once he even t sought the advisability of continuing the climb under such conditions. But Tenzing and Hillary. resolved to persist and conquer the peak. As a reward to 400 feet climb near the south summit,,they got two bottles of oxygen which in fact kept them alive almost up to their base camp.Both pick up the pieces of hopes only when they come into contact with firmer rock-like.ice as they moved up.

Though they had to inch their way up clearing snow with the ice-axe and making a path to haul themselves up ridge after ridge in the elusive terrain, they did not give up. As Hillary’s ice-axe bit into the first steep slop of the ridge, his hopes were realized. The snow was crystalline and firm. With just two or three blows, Hillary could make a step large enough for their oversized high altitude boots. They could create comfortable belays and trudge forward with confidence. As the humps were continuously seen, their original zest started declining. It was at this point Hillary saw a narrow ridge up to a snowy summit. With a few more whacks of the ice-axe in the form of snow, they reached the top.

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