04 K2

K2, Mount Everest's dangerous little sister, is the highest peak in the Karakoram Mountain Range of
Pakistan. At 8,611 meters, it is the second highest mountain in the world. In addition to being the second-
highest mountain, K2 also has the second highest fatality rate among mountains over 8,000 meters. K2 is
deadly. It is nicknamed Savage Mountain because of its fearsome weather. K2 is so dangerous that it has
never been climbed in winter.
K2 is a rocky mountain up to the 6,000-meter point. After that, it is covered in snow. It rises very
steeply on all sides, making it stand out dramatically in its mountain range. Its steepness, of course, adds to
its great difficulty. Anyone attempting to climb K2 must truly climb; this is not a mountain you can hike up.
Who has actually climbed K2? Far fewer people than have tried, that's for sure. The first people known
to summit, or reach the top of K2, were Lino Lacedelli and Achille Compagnoni. They stood on top of the
Savage Mountain on July 31, 1954. This was the fifth serious attempt to climb the mountain, though teams
had been trying since 1902!
The next group to summit K2 didn't make it to the top until August 9, 1977. As of today, 302 people
have reached the top of K2. However, 31 of those people died on the descent. A total of 80 people have
died trying to climb K2, meaning that about 26% of those who attempt K2 never make it back. They are
killed by avalanches, rock falls, falling, cold and exhaustion, or they disappear into snowstorms. Mountain
climbing is a dangerous sport, and K2 is one of its greatest challenges. Despite its cruelty, there is
something about this great mountain that keeps drawing people to it.

1. What is closest to the main point the author wants to make?

a) There are many people who have climbed K2. b) There is only one right way to climb K2.
c) The geography of K2 is totally unique. d) K2 is both deadly and fascinating.
2. The passage is mainly about
a) a mountain b) a country c) an extreme sport d) a famous climber
3. According to the passage, K2 is
a) the tallest mountain in the world b) frequently summited in the winter
c) mostly a rocky mountain d) located in a mountain range in Tibet
4. Which of the following can be inferred from the sentence "K2 is Mount Everest's dangerous little sister"?
a) K2 is smaller than Mount Everest. b) K2 is in the same country as Mount Everest.
c) Both mountains are considered to be deadly. d) Both mountains are completely covered in snow.
5. What does This in the final sentence of the third paragraph refer to?
a) Lino Lacedelli and Achille Compagnoni. b) The first summit of K2.
c) The steepness of K2. d) The people who have died climbing K2.
6. Which of the following is an opinion?
a) K2 has been nicknamed Savage Mountain. b) K2 is 8,611 meters tall.
c) A total of 80 people have died trying to climb K2. d) Mountain climbing is a dangerous sport.