Practice Exam UOE Part 2

For questions 9-16, read the text below and think of the word which best fits each space. Use only one word in each space. There is an example at the beginning (0).

Why climb mountains?

There’s (0) .nothing.. more likely to irritate a mountaineer or explorer than to ask them why they do it, or why they are so willing to put (9)………………………………………. with danger and discomfort. In 1924 when George

Mallory was asked why he wanted to climb Mount Everest, he replied: ‘Because it’s there.’ It may be that, having been asked the same question several hundred times, Mallory just didn’t care any more and this was the first phrase to (10) ………. into his head. Then again, for (11)          we know,

it was simply his way of saying, ‘Why not?’

This might seem self-evident (12)……….. someone like Mallory. You climb Everest because you

can. One way to look at people like mountaineers or explorers, or successful ones at any rate, is to see them (13)………………………… people who have realised what they are good at. When you read their books,

more often than (14) ………. they will come across as people who are (15)………. ease with their

environment, (16)……….. alien it might seem to an outsider.