Journey to the end of the Earth Reading with insight

Question 1.
How do geological phenomena help us to know about the history of humankind?
Answer:
Geological phenomena such as the drifting of land masses and their separating into
countries help us to know about the history of humankind. A visit to Antarctica
around which Gondwana once existed, is like going back to past as it gives us an
understanding of evolution and extinction, ozone and carbon, where humankind
came from, and where it is headed.

Question 2.
What are the indications for the future of humankind?
Answer:
All thoughtless activities of humankind such as increasing cities and megacities,
cutting forests and turning those to concrete jungles, careless burning of fossil fuel,
depleting ozone and increasing carbon dioxide, and global warming, melting ice caps
and shields, our battle with other species for limited resources and other similar
reckless activities point to a grim future for humankind. If concrete steps are not
taken immediately, these drastic changes may lead to the end of the world.

Journey To The End Of The Earth Reading with Insight

Question 1.
‘The world’s geological history is trapped in Antarctica’. How is the study of this
region useful to us?
Answer:
Antarctica holds half a million-year-old carbon track records in its layers of ice. It
gives us an understanding of evolution and extinction, ozone and carbon. A visit to
Antarctica, around which Gondwana once existed, is like going back to the past.
Witnessing the geological phenomena, such as the drifting of land masses and their
spreading into countries, help us to know about the history of humankind. These are
visible signs of where humankind came from and it gives us a clear understanding of
where human life is headed if we do not take care of the environment. Actually
seeing with our own eyes all these changes, make us understand that global
warming is a real threat.

Question 2.
What are Geoff Green’s reasons for including high school students in the Students
on Ice Expedition?
Answer:
Geoff Green feels that students are the future generation of policy-makers. They
should be provided an opportunity to have this life-changing experience at a young
age in order to foster a new understanding and respect for our planet. It would help
them to absorb, learn and act for the benefit of the planet. The youngsters still have
the idealism to save the world and they need to understand that it belongs to them.
So, to sensitize them, it is important to provide them the visible life changing
experience.
Question 3.
‘Take care of the small things and the big things will take care of themselves.’ What
is the relevance of the statement in the context of the Antarctica environment?
Ans. This statement means that if small things are taken care of, big things will take
their own care. There are tall grasses, called phytoplankton, in the southern oceans
that use the sun’s energy to assimilate • carbon and synthesize organic compounds
by photosynthesis. Marine life and birds in the region sustain themselves on these
tall grasses. Any disturbance in the environment in Antarctica might affect the
activities of the phytoplankton, which, in turn, might affect the existence of the other
life forms that depend on them. Small things like the phytoplankton are important in
the food chain.

Question 4.
Why is Antarctica the place to go to understand the Earth’s present, past and future?
Answer:
The author states that to understand the earth’s present, past and future, Antarctica
is the right place to go. Antarctica is relatively untouched in this respect as it has
never had human population. It is relatively pristine. It holds in its ice cores half a
million-year-old carbon records, trapped in the layers of ice. It embodies all that is
pre-historic: cordilleran folds, pre-Cambrian granite shields ozone and carbon:
evolution and extinction. The simple eco system and lack of biodiversity indicate how
little changes in the environment can have big repercussions.

A visit to Antarctica and witnessing the geological phenomena, such as the drifting of
land masses, glaciers receding and ice shelves collapsing makes us understand that
global warming is a real threat. Hence, to study the earth’s past, present and future,
these factors make Antarctica the best place to go.

Journey To The End Of The Earth Extra Questions and Answers

Question 1.
When did the author start her journey to Antarctica and what had she to pass
through?
Answer:
The author started her journey 13.09 degrees north of the Equator in Madras—she
was on board a Russian research vessel—the Akademik Shokalskiy. She had to
pass through nine time zones, six checkpoints, three bodies of water and at least as
many ecospheres. After travelling over hundred hours in combination of a car, an
aeroplane and a ship, she reached Antarctica.

Question 2.
What emotions did the author experience when she reached Antarctica at last?
Answer:
The author finally set foot on the Antarctica continent after travelling over 100 hours
in combination of car, aeroplane and ship. Her first emotion on seeing the vast
expansive white landscape and the blue horizon was of relief. She experienced the
emotion of wonder at its immensity and isolation and its strange relationship with
India.

Question 3.
How would you describe Gondwana?
Answer:
Gondwana was a giant amalgamated southern supercontinent, centering around
present-day Antarctica. Humans had not arrived on the global scene. The climate
was much warmer. There was a huge variety of flora and fauna. Gondwana thrived
for 500 million years. When the age of the mammals got underway, the landmass
was forced to separate into countries. Antarctica separated from the whole landmass
shaping the globe as we know it today.

Question 4.
What is that thing that can happen in a million years and would be mind-boggling?
Answer:
The author says that in a million years India may push northwards, jamming against
Asia. It will buckle its crust and form the Himalayas – South America may drift off to
join North America. The Drake Passage may open up to create a cold circumpolar
current. Antarctica may remain frigid, desolate and at the bottom of the world.

Question 5.
In what respect, Tishani Doshni’s encounter with Antarctica is a chilling prospect?
Answer:
The author remained there for two weeks. For a sun worshipper South Indian, being
face to face with ninety per cent of earth’s total ice volume was a mind-boggling and
chilling prospect. It was also a chilling experience for circulatory and metabolic
functions and for imagination. It is like walking into a giant ping-pong ball with no
human markers such as trees, billboards, and buildings.

Question 6.
What is the visual experience in Antarctica?
Answer:
In Antarctica the visual scale ranges from the microscopic to the mighty midgets and
mites to blue whales and icebergs as big as countries. The writer refers to it as
walking into a giant ping-pong ball devoid of any human markers, without trees,
billboards, buildings. Days go on in 24 hours austral summer light. A ubiquitous
silence, interrupted only by an occasional avalanche or calving ice sheet
consecrates the place.

Question 7.
How, according to the author, has mankind etched its dominance over nature?
Answer:
According to the author, though civilizations have been around for barely a few
seconds on the geological clock, yet they have created a ruckus by their various
activities like exploiting the limited resources and careless burning of fossil fuels. In
the short span of existence on the earth, they have already created a blanket of
carbon dioxide and increased the average global temperature.
Question 8.
How has Antarctica sustained itself and managed to remain pristine?
Answer:
Antarctica, on account of being the coldest, windiest and driest continent in the
world, has never sustained a human population and has thus managed to remain
pristine. This has prevented man from being able to create ruckus in this part of the
world by his thoughtless exploitation of the natural resources.

Question 9.
How is global temperature increasing? What are the immediate fears due to it?
Answer:
Global temperature is increasing due to the increasing burning of fossil fuels. It has
now created a blanket of carbon dioxide around the world. This has given birth to
questions like: Will the West Antarctica ice sheet melt entirely? Will the Gulf Stream
Ocean current be disrupted? Will it be the end of the world as we know of? It may
be. It may not be.

Question 10.
How is Antarctica a crucial element in the debate of climate change?
Answer:
Antarctica is a crucial element not because it has no human population but because
it holds in its ice cores half a million year old carbon records. They are trapped in its
layers of. ice. It will open up areas of knowledge about the past, present and future
of the earth.

Question 11.
What are the reasons for the success of the Students on Ice programme?
Answer:
Sitting distant in the comfort zone of our houses, any talk about global warming looks
so unreal and one can be unconcerned. But the visible experience of seeing glaciers
retreating, ice caps melting and ice shelves collapsing makes one understand and
realize what global warming is all about. The indications for the future of humankind
become clear when one actually witnesses the geological phenomena.

Question 12.
The author says that her Antarctica experience was full of such epiphanies. What
was that best epiphany that occurred there?
Answer:
The Akademik Shokalskiy got wedged into a thick white sheet of ice. The captain
decided to turn around and asked the passengers to walk on the ocean. Underneath
their feet they saw 180 metres of living, breathing salt water. Crab eater seals were
stretching and sunning themselves on ice floes much like stray dogs under a banyan
tree. It was a great epiphany, a revelation.

Question 13.
What is that beauty of balance that a trip to Antarctica unfolded to the author?
Answer:
The author was wonderstruck by the beauty of balance in play on our planet.
Travelling across nine time zones, three bodies of water and as many ecospheres
was an experience that unfolded a wide range of climate, geographical features, and
flora and fauna. It was also a visible experience of the varied geographical
phenomena.

Question 14.
Why does the author conclude the chapter by saying that a lot can happen in a
million years, but what a difference a day makes?
Answer:
The author concludes the chapter by saying that much more can really happen in a
million years as it happened in the case of Antarctica. But in this long period,
changes even in a day make a great difference because global climate is changing.
It is posing a threat to the beauty of balance on the earth.

Question 15.
What are phytoplanktons? What is their importance?
Answer:
Phytoplanktons, the grasses of the sea, are single-celled organisms living in the
southern ocean. They nourish and sustain the entire ocean’s food chin, being first
link in the food chain of ocean. Using sun’s energy, they assimilate carbon and
synthesize organic compounds.
The diminishing number of these organisms due to the depletion of ozone layers
affects other organisms of the ocean, finally leading to the extinction of life on earth.

Question 16.
Why does the author feel that the prognosis for the human beings is not healthy?
Answer:
The world is battling an ever increasing population, leading to burning of fossil fuels.
This has created a blanket of carbon dioxide around the world thereby increasing
global temperatures. All this is hazardous and life threatening for all flora and fauna.
Hence the future of mankind in fact, all life on earth, is bleak. So, the author is
correct in saying that the prognosis for man is not encouraging and healthy. . , j

Question 17.
Why is it necessary to remain fully equipped while walking on ice?
Answer:
While walking on ice, the troupe was fully kitted out in Gore-Tex (type of spiked
boots that help in walking on ice) and glares. The spiked boots protect them from
falling down on ice which might result in injury and the glares protect the eyes
because the sunglasses can injure their eyes, particularly the ratina.

Question 18.
Do you think that programmes like the Students on Ice do more harm than good?
Support your answer.
Answer:
I personally feel that such trips do more harm than good. We have ruined the earth
as much as we could and as wide as we could go, because Antarctica was far away
and extremely cold. But now we have so many reasons to go to this pristine
continent. Let’s not encourage such trips. After all, what else do we have to learn
about the earth than the fact that we have been running a business, not a service.
Please spare Antarctica.

Student on Ice is an educational journey to Antarctica. It took high school students to

Question 19.
Does the study of the lesson give you a feeling that man is his own great enemy?
Answer:
In his 12000-year-long stint on the earth so far man has caused untold harm to the
planet, its environment and biodiversity. His activities in the name of development
have spelt doom for the flora and fauna and his own existence is in danger. Man is to
blame for all the havoc and ruckus created on earth. Thus it is quite right that man is
his own great enemy.

Journey To The End Of The Earth Long Questions and Answers

Question 1.
What is the significance of the title ‘Journey to the End of the Earth’?
Answer:
The title ‘Journey to the End of the Earth’, has more than one meaning. It describes
an educational journey to Antarctica undertaken by a group of high school students.
To learn more about the real impact of global warming and future of the earth 52
students went to the coldest, driest, windiest continent in the world called Antarctica
in Russian research vessel, the Akademik Shokalskiy.

The author calls it a journey to the end of the earth because it began 13:09 degrees
North of Equator in Madras, involved crossing nine time zones, six checkpoints,
three oceans and as many ecospheres. She travelled over 100 hours in combination
of a car, an aeroplane and a ship. The journey being to the extreme south of the the
earth, was really towards the end of it. Another meaning of this title is more
significant as the warnings that Antarctica gives are shocking and much concerning
the humanity and the millions of other species on the earth. The changes taking
place in Antarctica are pointing a warning finger at the existence of of the earth; the
earth is journeying to its end.

Question 2.
The author says, ‘It was nothing short of a revelation: everything does connect.’What
does it mean?
Answer:
Antarctica is a perfect place to study how little changes in the environment can have
big repercussions as far as Antarctica is concerned. Various human activities like
exploiting the limited resources and careless burning of fossil fuel have already
created a blanket of carbon dioxide, increased the average global temperatures and
caused the retreating of glaciers, melting of ice caps and collapse of ice shelves as
far as Antarctica. Global warming does not only change the geographical features,
but also cause depletion in the ozone layer which will affect the activities of the
phytoplanktons, the tall grasses which support the lives of marine animals and birds
of the region. Hence, the author says everything does connect and all human
activities are interlinked with the geological phenomena, whatever be the geological
distance.

Question 3.
By whom and with what objective was Students on Ice programme started? How far
has it achieved its goals?
Answer:
The Students on Ice programme was started by Canadian Geoff Green. He felt
students are the future generation of policy-makers. They should be provided an
opportunity to have this life¬changing experience at a young age in order to foster a
new understanding and respect for our planet. It would help them to absorb, learn
and, more importantly, act for the benefit of the planet.

Geoff Green was tired of taking celebrities and retired rich curiosity seekers who
could only give back in a limited way. It means Geoff wanted something in return
from his passengers to solve the problems relating to climate changes due to
environmental pollution. It is difficult to imagine or be affected by the polar ice caps
melting while sitting in our living rooms and so this visible life changing expence is
important. Hence, this programme made the children learn that to save big things,
small . things must be cared for.

Question 4.
What makes Antarctica an ideal subject of study?
Answer:
Antarctica is the only place in the world which has never sustained a human
population. It thus remains relatively pristine in this respect. But, more importantly, it
holds in its ice core, half a million- year-old carbon records trapped in its layers of
life. Antarctica has a simple ecosystem and lack of biodiversity. It is, therefore, a
perfect place to study how little changes in the environment can have big
repercussions. Visiting Antarctica means knowing where we have come from and
where we could possibly be heading. This place holds the key to know the geological
evolution and it shall reveal the earth’s past, present and future.

Question 5.
The author states that her Antarctic experience was full of epiphanies, but the best
occurred just short of the Antarctic Circle of 65-55 degrees south? Explain.
Answer:
Epiphanies is a Christian festival that celebrates the revelation or enlightenment.
Here epiphanies are used metaphorically to suggest moments when the author
suddenly becomes conscious of something that is very important to her.
The author experienced the rare of the rarest experiences there in Antarctica both in
relation to beauty, wonder, and geological phenomena. Such masterly geological
epiphany was experienced by her when the Akademik Shokalskiy got wedged into a
thick white stretch of ice between the peninsula and Tadpole Island. The captain
decided to turn around and asked the passengers to walk on the ocean. They kitted
out in Gore-Tex and glares, walking on a white sheet of ice. Underneath their feet
was a metre-thick ice pack. And underneath that, 180 metres of living breathing,
saltwater lay before them. In the periphery, crabeater seals were stretching and
sunning themselves on ice floes. They were doing so like stray clogs will do under
the shade of a banyan tree. It was nothing short of revelation. The author saw in it
that everything does indeed connect. This really proved to be the most wonderful
experience of all experiences of Antarctica.