Chapter 1.2: On to the Summit - PDF

1.2 On to the Summit: We Reach the Top ICE BREAKERS Discuss with your partner and complete the web of different activities related to climbing. Rapelling CLIMBING Rock Climbing...

1.2 On to the Summit: We Reach the Top ICE BREAKERS Discuss with your partner and complete the web of different activities related to climbing. Rapelling CLIMBING Rock Climbing There are certain prerequisites for Mountaineering. With reference to the following points, develop a short dialogue between you and your friend about mountaineering. Time Distance Equipment Mental and Training Clothes physical fitness Discuss with your partner the various hazards and risks that a mountaineer/ trekker has to face in an expedition. 15  Tenzing Norgay (29 May1914- 9 May 1986), known by birth as Namgyal Wangdi and often referred to as Sherpa Tenzing, was a Nepali-Indian Sherpa mountaineer. He was one of the first two individuals known to reach the summit of Mount Everest, which he accomplished with Edmund Hillary on 29 May 1953. Sr No Honour Medal Honoured by For 1 Tiger Medal 1938 Himalayan Club III Everest Expedition 2 Star of Nepal 1953 King Tribhuvan All accomplishments 3 Padma Bhushan 1959 Govt. of India All accomplishements Tenzing describes the climb to the top and all events occurred during the historic climb. The article also describes what brought him to climbing mountains. On to the Summit: We Reach the Top When we left Camp Nine on Friday morning, I was determined to get to the top on this day. That morning I remember thinking, “I was to get to the top even if I die.” I was not afraid to die that day. We alternated : changed set out early and all the way from Camp Nine to the places peak we alternated. I would take the lead and then Hillary. The man who follows when climbing has a difficult job both in climbing up and climbing down. He is the anchor. The man going in the lead cuts the steps and breaks the way. In my pocket I had four flags. When we were still at Camp Four, Colonel Hunt gave me three flags, those of Britain, the United Nations and Nepal. He charged me with the duty of planting them on the top of the world. “These three flags are in your care,” he said. “When you and Hillary reach the top, put them at the peak. I am sure that you and Hillary are going to do it.” 16  I told Colonel Hunt that I was carrying the Indian flag with me and I would like to be on the top with the other flags. I had to ask Colonel Hunt’s permission in his capacity as leader of the expedition. Indian Flag Colonel Hunt said, “By all means, I am glad to know that you brought an Indian flag”. After one hour of steady going, we cut across from the south face and started up the west side where we had to pass up a steep line of rocks. This was slow and difficult. Once we had cleared these, there was nothing barring our way to top but a snow-covered incline, sloping less and less as it neared sloping : slanting up or down the top. These last sixty or seventy feet up the top were not very dangerous. But we kept up the same steady pace. And we reached the small, flattened summit summit: the highest point almost together : of a hill or mountain During the last fifty feet from the peak, Hillary and I were moving about twenty feet apart. We were Give reasons for the tied together with a rope. Most of the time the rope 'rope’ being called a was loose, but when we went over dangerous ground, symbol. we drew it taut. This rope was a symbol. It tied us together. One could not move without the other. We were not two individuals, but a team. I have been asked many times, “Who was first?” When we were within reach of the summit, I did not think of who was going to be “first.” I am sure that Hillary was not thinking that. Climbing takes all your attention. You have many more important worries. What does it matter whether I reached the top first or Hillary? Our main thought was that both of us reach the top. We had to. One couldn’t do it alone. If there had been a difference of one thousand feet between us, then one could make the claim that he was first. But even then, only the man behind him could confirm the distance between the two of them. 17 controversy: prolonged When we reached Kathmandu we discovered that public disagreement or a controversy had arisen. We talked it over, Hillary, heated discussion. Colonel Hunt and I. We agreed that all the talk was childish. Discuss in pairs about any controversy in which So we made a pact, and each of us signed it in you have got embroiled. the office of the Prime Minister of Nepal. Each one Also speak of your signed his own statement. I have a copy of Hillary’s experience to the class. statement which I carry in my pocket. pact: a formal It reads: “Kathmandu, June 22, 1953.” agreement between “On May 29th, Tenzing Sherpa and I left our high individuals or parties camp on Mt. Everest for our attempt on the summit. As we climbed upwards to the South Summit, first one and then the other would take a turn at leading. ridge: a long narrow We crossed over the South Summit and moved along piece of raised land the Summit ridge. We reached the summit almost together. We embraced each other overjoyed at our embrace : hug, hold success, then I took photograph of Tenzing holding (someone) closely in aloft the flags of Great Britain, Nepal, the United one's arms Nations and India.” (Signed: E.P. Hillary) There is another paper like this in English, signed by me. Thus, we will not take part in any controversy. As the statement says, Hillary and I embraced when we reached the top. We did as well as our bulky equipment would let us. I remember saying to him: “We have done it.” But we couldn’t hear. We had our oxygen mask on. First Thought My first thought on reaching the top was a sense of gratitude to God, that after having failed six times, He had blessed me with fulfillment of this desire I in accord with : in had held so long. agreement with, I placed on the summit the offerings to God that harmonious or I had carried with me. This is in accord with my consistent with religion. Both my wife and I are Buddhists. I could not kneel because of my clothes and equipment. But I offered a silent prayer in my heart. The offerings were biscuits, candy and a little blue pencil. My youngest daughter, Nima, had given me the pencil before I left home. She asked me to put it on the top of the mountain as her offering. It was an 18 ordinary blue pencil, not even a long one, but it was one of her prized possessions. List the ways in As I put it down, I pointed it out to Hillary. He which Tenzing Norgay gave me a big smile, showing that he understood. celebrates on reaching Then I got out the flags which I had on piece of the top. string about four feet long. I fastened one end to my 1. 2. ice axe and Hillary took pictures as I held it up. 3. As I had to bring my ice axe down with me, I buried one end of the string in the ice on the top, and the other in snow on the slope down below. When we left, they were lying flat against the summit. I was very thirsty. I took out a water tumbler for a drink, but found the water in the metal container had frozen so I couldn’t quench my thirst. I ate some quench: satisfy one’s biscuits and offered some to Hillary. thirst I was wearing a red scarf which my great friend Lambert (leader of the 1952 Swiss expedition) had given me last year. It was just a year ago, on May 28th, when we were standing at 28,215 feet, that he gave me the scarf. I wore it all the way up the mountain from Darjeeling. As I stood at the top, I remembered him, and felt that he was with me. I felt absolutely fit at the summit. My mind was absolutely clear. I didn’t exhilarated: very happy feel tired I felt exhilarated. It was a very clear and excited sensation. Below, all the hills and mountains looked like Gods and Goddesses to me. The plains below looked like so many broken pieces of the map. Two or three people could stand there on the roof of the world if you cut ice. Twenty or 30 feet below the top, there was enough flat square for two people to sleep. You could pitch one tent there. The summit is flat on one side and steep on the other. There is snow on the northern side, rocks on the South and East and snowy rock on the West. We stayed on the top a little more than fifteen minutes. We were lucky that there was no gale, or it would have swept us gale: strong wind off. My next thought was how to get down safely. 19  On the descent from the summit, I was walking behind Hillary. I was following him and holding the rope tightly, and my determination was to make sure he descended safely. I must say that the climb down was more difficult and dangerous than the climb up. If you slipped down, you would go into Kangshung glacier and there would be no trace left of you. More Caution Needed Of course it took less time climbing down, but you needed more “husiar” (caution). When I reached Camp Nine, my first thought was: “Thank God we have been spared an accident, and if up to now there have been no accidents I hope there will be none in future.” I had always prayed to God and he had saved me. At Camp Nine, Hillary and I were in no mood for any talking. We just attended to our own things. We stayed there about half an hour. We boiled some snow to make lemon water and drank it. When we left, we took only our sleeping bags and left everything else behind in the tent. From Camp Nine to Camp Eight, where we spent the night, was an easier job. Just above Camp Eight where the others could see us. I raised my arm with my thumb up. (C.W.F.) Noyce and (W.G.) Lowe saw us and their faces flushed with joy. In this way I was able to tell them of our success. As we got nearer to Camp Eight, Lowe came to meet us and came up about 300 feet with tea and coffee. apparently: as far as Another 50 feet down, we met Noyce who brought one knows or one can us more tea. This tea smelled kerosene. Apparently it see had been made in a hurry and somehow some kerosene got into the welcome cup. But I thought since the gentleman had taken so much trouble to bring it, I was going to enjoy it whatever the smell. -Tenzing Norgay (From archives of TOI) 20  BRAINSTORMING DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD (A1) Summarise to the class in your own words the highly risky and dangerous journey of Tenzing and Hillary from the base to the top of Mt. Everest. (A2) (i) Complete the web highlighting the feelings/emotions of Tenzing after reaching the summit. Tenzing’s feelings/ emotions after reaching the summit (ii) Glance through the text again and explain the qualities of Tenzing Norgay. Pick lines that show his unique qualities. One is done for you. Sr No. Qualities Lines 1. Patriotic I told Colonel Hunt that I was carrying the Indian flag with me and I would like it to be on the top with other flags. 2. 3. 4. (iii) Write down the significance of the following in the context of 'On to the Summit' : (i) Red Scarf (ii) husiar (iii) Kerosene flavoured tea (iv) Ice axe (v) Anchor (A3) (i) Add suitable suffixes (-tion,- ly, -ment, -ous) and prefixes (un, il, im) to the words given below. One is done for you. Sr. No Word Prefix Suffix 1. absolute - absolutely 2. fulfill 3. determine 4. danger 5. tight 6. clear 7. sure 8. legal 9 legitimate 10. possible 21  (ii) By filling appropriate letters in the blank spaces, you will get a past participle from it. Use the word as adjective in your own sentence. One is done for you. (a) s _ _ n _ d Word- signed. The advocate took all the signed documents to the court. (b) p_ _ z _ d (c) f_ _ t_ e n e_ (d) b _ i _ e_ (iii) Spot the error. One is done for you. I was not afraid for die that day. Correct Sentence- I was not afraid to die that day. (a) Tenzing and Hillary made an pact at the office of P M of Nepal. (b) I has to bring my ice axe down with me. (c) Tenzing have spent a night with Camp Eight. (d) Pact was signed from Tenzing and Hillary. (e) I and Hillary were in no mood of talking. (A4) When Tenzing and Hillary reached the summit, Tenzing in utter joy said, “We have done it.” In this sentence the subject (we) is the doer of the action while it (achieving the feat) is the subject. The verb of passive voice is formed by using the correct form of the verb ‘to be’ + past participle of the main verb. Construct the sentences accordingly. Now carefully go through the changes in both the sentences and do the changes accordingly in the remaining sentences. We have done it. It has been done by us. (a) We made a pact. (b) I offered silent prayer in my heart. (c) Colonel Hunt gave me three flags. (d) I was carrying the Indian flag. (e) I took photographs of Tenzing holding aloft the flags. (f) I remembered him. (g) We spent the night at Camp Eight. (A5) (i) After reading the text one can easily understand that there is a lot of risk involved in mountaineering. Write in short about any adventure sport that you like and the risk involved in it. 22  (ii) Give your opinion: We should/should not participate in adventure sports because (A6) (i) Tenzing and Hillary created history by reaching the summit of Mt. Everest. There are many mountains in Maharashtra where one can fancy his or her chances of climbing them. Imagine that you have climbed a mountain and are immensely thrilled and excited. Write a letter to your friend about it. (ii) You are the college representative and your Principal has assigned to you the task of writing a letter to the Divisional Officer, Satpuda Mountain Ranges, Nagpur, seeking permission for the mountaineering expedition to be organized by your college. Write the letter. (iii) Convert the letter into e-mail format. Name Address } Sender Date Receiver's designation Address Salutation Subject : Respected Sir/Madam, Introductory paragraph (purpose) Main body (information/explanation/elaboration) Concluding paragraph (opinion/request) Complimentory close Signature List of enclosures 23 Comparisons Look at the sentences given below. Find out which one is correct. If the sentence is wrong give reasons. a. Sunita is the quieter of four sisters. b. Sunita is the quietest of the four sisters. c. Anil’s computer is more new than mine. d. Anil’s computer is newer than mine. e. I have the wonderfullest mother in the world f. I have the most wonderful mother in the world. g. Aditi is more carefuller than Mary. h. Aditi is more careful than Mary. When we compare two nouns, we use comparative adjectives. When we compare more than two nouns, we use superlative adjectives. For example – a. Milind is taller than John. b. Zakir is the tallest of the three brothers. Look at the following sentences and observe the changes in the three sentences. Discuss the changes and note your responses: a. Atul is not as bright as Milind in studies. b. The dining room is brighter than the kitchen. c. Anne is the brightest girl in the class. Make a list of adjectives in three different forms of comparison. Use different texts to find these. Fill in the blanks with positive, comparative and superlative forms of the correct adjectives in the brackets. a. You are your brother. (clever) b. The tiger is the animal in the zoo. (dangerous) c. This is road in town. (busy) d. My new house is the one I used to live in. (big) e. He is the boy in the class. (forgetful) (A7) Project: Go to your college library or surf the internet for names of various mountaineers who have successfully climbed Mt. Everest. Write in your notebook about their struggles, the interesting anecdotes they have shared, their failures and the message that we get from their lives. Submit them to your teacher. *** 24