“Tenzing Norgay” and “Sir Edmund Hillary’s” epochal 1953 Everest ascent immortalized human perseverance, but figures such as “Reinhold Messner” redefined the boundaries further. Rejecting supplemental oxygen, Messner’s minimalist ethos emphasized purity over conquest, portraying mountains not as trophies but as sentient entities commanding reverence. Similarly, “Junko Tabei”, the first woman to summit Everest, symbolized the intersection of resilience and quiet defiance in an era resistant to female adventurers.
The ethos of mountaineering diversified through the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Climbers like “Kilian Jornet”, blending ultra-marathon endurance with technical ascents, and “Nirmal Purja”, whose record-breaking summits shattered temporal assumptions, reveal a contemporary paradigm: mountains as arenas of rapid, almost transcendental athleticism. Meanwhile, indigenous climbers, long relegated to footnotes in expedition histories, increasingly assert their rightful place as stewards of sacred peaks.
Thus, the saga of mountaineering resists reduction to mere feats of strength. It weaves a tapestry of cultures, philosophies, and personal odysseys — each ascent a dialectic between human fragility and the immutable majesty of the mountains.
Summarizing the Passage's Primary Argument
The question asks to identify the core argument presented in the passage regarding mountaineering. Analyzing the options helps determine the most comprehensive and accurate summary.
Evaluating the Options
- Option 1 is too narrow, focusing solely on the physical aspect, ignoring other potential dimensions discussed in the passage.
- Option 2 focuses on a historical aspect (Western dominance), which might be mentioned but is unlikely to be the central argument about the nature of mountaineering itself.
- Option 3 presents a multi-faceted view, combining physical challenge, cultural identity, and philosophical exploration. This holistic perspective likely captures the passage's main point.
- Option 4 makes an extreme claim about technology making mountaineering effortless, which contradicts the inherent challenges of climbing mountains.
Conclusion on Primary Argument
Option 3 best summarizes the primary argument because it acknowledges mountaineering as a complex activity encompassing multiple dimensions:
- Physical Challenge: The inherent difficulties and demands on the body.
- Cultural Identity: How mountaineering relates to different cultures, traditions, or personal identity.
- Philosophical Exploration: The mental, spiritual, or existential aspects involved in the pursuit.
This option provides a well-rounded perspective, suggesting the passage discussed these interconnected elements rather than focusing on just one or making unsupported claims.
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Important Questions from Reading Comprehension
Why, according to the writer can't people be motivated to use a resource prudently?
1. They feel that others may overuse the resource
2. It is possible to substitute the resource
3. Abundance of the resource availability
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
When do people use resources exhaustively?
The self-interest of people affects the use of renewable resources
People rooted in a locality
Which among the following is closest in meaning with the word 'deplete'?
