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Read the passages and answer the items that follow. You are required to select your answers based on the contents of the passage and opinion of the author only.

I was beginning to tire a little now. I had been cutting steps continuously for two hours, and Tenzing, too, was moving very slowly. As I chipped steps around still another corner, I wondered rather dully just how long we could keep it up. Our original zest had now quite gone and it was turning more into a grim struggle. I then realised that the ridge ahead, instead of still monotonously rising, now dropped sharply away, and far below I could see the North Col and Rongbuk glacier. I looked upwards to see a narrow ridge running up to a snowy summit. A few more whacks of the ice-axe in the firm snow and we stood on top.

‘It was turning more into a grim struggle’ would mean

General Ability 2017 NDA General Ability 2017 NDA 2017

Options

that after the long exertion he was feeling so weak that any further climbing meant a hard struggle with the forces of nature

that Tenzing was making the task more difficult

that strong cold wind was pushing him down from above and that he had to struggle with the forces of nature

that he was in a mood to give up ultimately