Analyzing the Mount Everest Passage: Filling Blank 5

The passage describes the reactions to the news of Mount Everest being conquered by Tenzing and Hillary. It notes that while the news was significant, there was also a sense of disappointment that the great mountain had been conquered. The task is to select the most appropriate word to fill in blank number 5, which describes how it might have been nice to view Everest as a specific type of part of the Earth before its conquest.

Focusing on Blank Number 5 in the Passage

The sentence containing blank 5 reads: "It would have been nice to ______ the Everest as an (5) ______ part of the Earth." We need a word that fits the context of disappointment over the mountain's conquest. This suggests a desire for the mountain to have remained in a state that prevented it from being conquered.

Evaluating Options for Mount Everest Blank 5

Let's examine the given options for blank number 5:

• unavailable: This means not able to be obtained or used. While Everest is not easily available to climb, this word doesn't specifically capture the idea of being unconquerable.
• unusual: This means not common or ordinary. Mount Everest is certainly unusual, but the passage's focus is on its conquest, not just its general uniqueness.
• unruly: This means disorderly and difficult to control. This word is typically used for people or animals and doesn't fit the description of a mountain.
• unassailable: This means unable to be attacked, questioned, or defeated. In the context of climbing a mountain, "unassailable" strongly implies that the mountain cannot be conquered or overcome.

Determining the Most Appropriate Word for Blank 5

Considering the disappointment expressed in the passage that Mount Everest "had been conquered," the ideal word for blank 5 should reflect a state that made it resistant to conquest. The word "unassailable" perfectly conveys the idea of something that cannot be attacked or defeated, which directly relates to the idea of a mountain that cannot be conquered.

Therefore, viewing Everest as an "unassailable part of the Earth" aligns with the sentiment that it would have been preferable for it to remain unconquered.

Step-by-Step Selection for Mount Everest Blank 5

1. Read the sentence containing blank 5 carefully.
2. Understand the overall context of the passage, especially the reaction to Everest being conquered.
3. Consider what quality of Everest the author might wish had remained, given the disappointment about its conquest. It should be a quality that prevented conquest.
4. Evaluate each option against this requirement.
5. "Unavailable" is related but not precise about conquest.
6. "Unusual" describes its nature but not its conquerability.
7. "Unruly" is inappropriate for a mountain.
8. "Unassailable" means unable to be attacked or defeated, fitting the idea of being unconquerable.
9. Select "unassailable" as the most appropriate word for blank 5.

Revision Table: Key Terms from Mount Everest Passage

Additional Information: Understanding "Unassailable" and Context

The word "unassailable" is powerful because it implies a strength or status that prevents attack or defeat. It is often used in military contexts (an unassailable fortress) but can also be used figuratively (an unassailable argument). In this passage, applying it to Mount Everest personifies the mountain somewhat, giving it the quality of resisting human efforts to conquer it. Understanding the nuances of vocabulary and how words fit the specific context of a passage is crucial for reading comprehension and fill-in-the-blank questions.

Context clues, such as the mention of "conquered" and "disappointment," guide the reader toward choosing a word like "unassailable" that directly relates to the theme of overcoming or failing to overcome a challenge.