Question

Para 15

For a few moments, I lay regaining
my breath, and for the first time really
felt the fierce determination that nothing
now could stop us from reaching the top. I took
a firm stance on the ledge and signaled
to Tenzing to come on up. As I heaved
hard on the rope, Tenzing wriggled his
way up the crack, and finally collapsed at
the top like a giant fish when it has just
been hauled from the sea after a terrible
struggle.

Para 16

The ridge continued as before:
giant cornices on the right; steep rock
sloped on the left. The ridge curved away
to the right and we have no idea where the
top was. As I cut around the back of one
hump, another higher one would swing
into view. Time was passing and the ridge
seemed never-ending.

Para 17

Our original zest had now quite
gone, and it was turning more into a grim
struggle. I then realized that the ridge
ahead, instead of rising, now dropped
sharply away. I looked upwards to see a
narrow snow ridge running up to a snowy
summit. A few more whacks of the ice-ax
in the firm snow and we stood on top.

The ridge had taken us two and half hours, but it seemed like lifetime. Why? (Para 15 to 17)

Answer 1

Both Hillary and Tenzing reached a wide ledge. Hillary deeply felt the fierce determination that nothing could stop them from scaling the Himalayas. He took a stronghold on the ledge and signaled Tenzing to come up. With great difficulty, Tenzing reached the way up the crack and collapsed like a giant fish hauled up from the ocean. There were giant cornices on the right and steep rock sloped on the left. The ridge curved away to the right. They had no idea’ where the peak was. As Hillary cut around the back of one hump, another would swing anew ‘ to his view’. Time seemed never-ending. Their original zest started diminishing. The climb becoming a grim struggle. To their surprise, the ridge ahead now dropped sharply away. A few more whacks of the ice-ax in the firm snow’, they stood on top. It was 11.30, the ridge had taken two and a half hours. But it seemed like a lifetime as they had to negotiate numerous ridges on the way.