Midterm Exam

Looks at various books about Mallory and Irvine's 1924 climb of Mount Everest: Into the Silence, The Wildest Dream, and The Third Pole.

Talks about the recent Synnott article about "the diplomat."

And the midterm exam:
1. Geese and Charlatans
a. Synnott just wrote an entire book about his search, why is he now saying the entire search was a wide goose chase?
b. In the context of Synnott’s statements, what is the difference between being sent on a wild goose chase and being taken in by a charlatan. Maximum credit will be given to one word answers.
c. In his book, The Third Pole, Synnott writes: “So, I guess I’m fortunate that my own Everest journey has come to an end, that my infatuation with the top of the world lasted less than a year, that I’m not haunted by a sense of unfinished business.” (p.388). Why does a rather dubious story from a “diplomat” change things?
2. The Diplomat
a. What are the main problems with the “diplomat’s” story?
b. Why wouldn’t both the Chinese and the British know exactly who he is? Who are they allegedly protecting him from by keeping him anonymous?
3. Meters and Feet
a. At what altitude was Mallory found?
b. How many feet is 8000 meters?
c. Where does the 1200 feet number come from? (Please use the term “posterior” to refer to someones rectum so that your answer is not blocked by YouTube).
d. Maurice Wilson was buried in a tent at the base of North Col. What questions were asked to clear up whether there was some confusion about finding a body higher up and Maurice Wilson’s? Maximum credit will be given for one word answers.
4. There is a transcript in the article where Pan Duo is asked directly whether she found a camera. What did she say?
5. Post-Truth
a. In a different video Pollard says he checked all the front pockets. Is this statement true, false, or both true and false at the same time? What evidence is there to support your answer?
b. Watch the entire Pollard video that discusses the summit rocks. What character from Rashomon is Pollard playing?
6. What important two word phrase never appears in Mark Synnott’s book?
7. What is your favorite video to date?

Graduate Level Questions:

8. Green Boots has re-appeared for a third time again using time traveling technology. Why is someone so intent on Green Boots being there after 2014?
9. What book won the Boardman Tasker Prize for Mountain Literature in 1996 and why?
10. Provide a summary of the story of Carlos, the Ascended Master from The Demon Haunted World.
11. Prove E ≠ mc2
12. Prove P = NP.


Links:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glMT08zmAP0
https://www.salon.com/2022/04/08/the-third-pole-mount-everest-mark-synnott-mystery-china/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkFHECZoeLA

Видео Midterm Exam канала Michael Tracy