Climbing Mount Everest
(1) Standing at 29,029 feet in the air, Mount Everest is located in the Himalayas between Nepal and China. For many adventurers, climbing Mount Everest is the greatest feat that can be achieved in the world. It is a dangerous climb, and many people have failed in the attempt. But for the people who succeed, the chance to actually stand on top of the world is well worth the risk.
(2) In 1953, Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay became the first people in recorded history to stand on top of Everest. It took them over two months from the time they set up base camp, but on May 29, they reached the summit. After they got back, people wanted to know which one of them had been the first one to the top. They told people that they both had been the first to reach the top because it had been a team effort. After a few years, though, Tenzing Norgay said that it was Hillary that had stood on the top first. He added, "If it is a shame to be the second man on Mount Everest, then I will have to live with this shame."
(3) Many others have since followed in the footsteps of Hillary and Norgay. To date, more than 1,300 climbers have completed the climb. While it is still an amazing feat to climb Everest, it has become easier due to advancements in climbing equipment and better knowledge of how to climb it. A 13-year-old American climber reached the top in 2010. In 2013, a 80-year-old man from Japan reached the summit.
(4) However, climbing—or attempting to climb— takes a deep level of commitment. The trek requires a long period of physical preparation. Gaining access to Everest also includes a large financial outlay. Both Tibet and Nepal require permits to climb the mountain. Plus, the gear an individual needs for a safe and successful climb adds up.
(5) In the end, Hillary and Norgay spent only about 15 minutes on the summit of Everest. To some, risking one's life and spending two months on a mountain is too great a cost for getting a scenic view for only 15 minutes. Others, however, point to the fact that Hillary's and Norgay's names will live on for centuries and think that is worth the risk. As Sir Edmund Hillary might tell you, "nothing ventured, nothing gained."
1
Which sentence would best conclude paragraph 2?
A.
There are no photographs of Hillary on the summit because Norgay did not know how to operate a camera.
B.
Even though they reached the top first, some people thought that it should not count because they used oxygen tanks.
C.
Indeed, the expedition of Hillary and Norgay would prove to be one of the most incredible feats in the 20th century.