What serious event involving his father is mentioned?

• A. Dad tried to kill himself and then ended up in psychiatric hospital
• B. Dad died while mountaineering
• C. Dad became a doctor
• D. Dad became a political figure

Answer: (A)

This item tests recalling a specific biographical detail about Chris McCandless’s family. The serious event mentioned is that his father attempted suicide and then ended up in a psychiatric hospital. This fact is presented to illustrate the troubled family background that shaped Chris’s attitudes toward safety, authority, and societal expectations. The other scenarios—dying while mountaineering, becoming a doctor, or becoming a political figure—are not described as events involving his father in the source material, so they don’t fit the context.