PSAT Writing and Language Practice Question 237

Question: 237

The Himalayan mountain range lies between the border of Nepal and Tibet and is home to the tallest mountain peak in the (23) world Mount Everest. Standing at 29,029 feet, or just short of five and a half miles in the northern direction, the air surrounding the mountain peak is simply too thin to fly in. To reach the globe's most (24) renowned vantage point, one must climb the mountain.
(25) At face value, a five-mile journey doesn't seem all that intimidating. However, the risk factors and critical details of climbing Mount Everest put the reality of accomplishing the task into perspective. There needs to be a sensible amount of physical training, (26) along with permit and equipment investment. Before beginning the journey, climbers must reach Base Camp. This is a (27) jurney requiring a flight to the Lukla airport in the Himalayas, a few days walk to a staging area of Himalayan climbs titled Namche Bazar, and another week long expedition to arrive at Base Camp. Through all of this, the journey will need extra days to allow the human body to acclimate to the change in altitude. (28)
(29) This is all before beginning the climb. During the climb, a Sherpa, or mountain guide hired to lead your expedition will help you navigate the pass. Although climbing Everest does not require climbers to have a Sherpa, any sensible person will understand the risk that exists even with one. (30) Hundreds of climbers, and (31) Sherpa's, have died atop the mountain due to known climbing risks, but also unpredictably fatal weather. Even so, reaching the mountain peak is not impossible. Two men (32) is the first to accomplish the task in 1953. Since then, over three thousand people have completed the journey.

Why should the author add the following sentence at this point in the passage?

"The difference in pressure and oxygen availability is tough on the body, and medically makes it impossible to complete the trip without doing so."

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