The Author Tishani Doshi is a writer and dancer of Welsh-Gujarati origin. She was born in Madras, India, in 1975. She studied Business Administration and Communications at Queens College, Charlotte, North Carolina and gained a Masters degree in the Writing Seminars at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore. She moved to London in 1999, becoming assistant to the advertising department of Harper’s and Queen magazine. In 2001, she returned to India where she became a dancer with the choreographer Chandralekha. She also works as a freelance journalist, contributing to various newspapers such as The Guardian, The International Herald Tribune, The New Indian Express and The National. She has published six books of poetry and fiction. Her essays, poems and short stories have been widely anthologized. She currently lives on a beach between two fishing villages in Tamil Nadu with her husband and three dogs.
Introduction
‘Journey to the End of the Earth’ is a travelogue. The narrator gives an account of her journey to Antarctica under the programme ‘Students on Ice’ led by Geoff Green in the Russian vessel ‘Academic Shokalskiy’. Under this programme, high school students are taken to the ends of the world and provided inspiring educational opportunities which will help them to encourage in developing a new understanding and respect for our planet. It provides the students an ample opportunity to understand how global temperature can be a big threat to human existence. It inculcates a new understanding in them. Geoff Green thinks that high school students are the future policy makers. He offers the future generations a life-changing experience at an age when they are ready to absorb, learn, and most importantly, act and can help in saving the earth from ecological dangers and the effects of global warming.
The narrator says if we want to understand the earth’s past, present and future, Antartica is the place to go. The study of this region is useful to us because the world’s geological history is trapped in Antarctica.
Summary
The author started her journey in a Russian research vessel, ‘Akademik Shokalskiy’ bound for Antarctica. Her journey began 13.09 degrees north of the Equator in Madras. She travelled over 100 hours in combination of car, aeroplane and ship before she set foot on the Antarctic continent.
The purpose of the visit was to know more about Antarctica. The author stayed there for two weeks. It is a place which stores 90 per cent of the Earth’s total ice volumes. It has no trees, billboards or buildings. The visual scene ranges from the microscopic to the mighty. Days go on and on in 24-hour austral summer light. Silence pervades everywhere. It is broken only by an avalanche or calving ice-sheet.
She wondered how there could have been a time when India and Antarctica were part of the same landmass. Geological phenomena help us to know about the history of humankind. Six hundred and fifty million years ago, a giant southern supercontinent—Gondwana—did exist. It was centred roughly around present-day Antarctica. The climate was much warmer then. There were a variety of flora and fauna. Humans had not arrived on the global scene yet. Gondwana thrived for 500 million years. Then came the time when the dinosaurs were wiped out and the age of mammals began. At that time, the landmass was forced to separate into countries, shaping the globe much as we know it today.
Climate change is one of the most hotly contested environmental debates of our time. The most hotly contested debate of our time is whether West Antarctica Ice sheets will melt entirely or not. If we want to study the earth’s past, present and future, Antarctica is the place to go as it holds half-million-year-old carbon records trapped in its layers of ice.
Antarctica has a simple eco-system and lacks of biodiversity. It is the perfect place to study how little changes in the environment can have big repercussions. Scientists warn that a further depletion of the ozone layer will affect the lives of the sea-animals and birds of the region. It will also affect the global carbon cycle. The burning of fossil fuels has polluted the atmosphere. It has created a blanket of carbon dioxide around the world. It is increasing the global temperature which is visible at Antarctica when we see ice bergs melting away. It shows how minor changes in the atmosphere can cause huge effect. If the global temperature keeps on increasing, the human race may be in peril.
The author gives us an example of phytoplankton to show how small changes in the atmosphere can be threatening. The microscopic phytoplankton are single celled plants. They nourish the entire Southern Ocean’s food chain. They use the sun’s energy to assimilate carbon and supply oxygen. Any further depletion in the ozone layer may affect this functioning and indirectly affect the lives of all marine animals.
When the author returned, she was still wondering about the beauty of balance in play on our planet. Walk on the Ocean was the most thrilling experience of the visit. All the 52 persons on board put on breathable waterproof clothing and sun-glasses. They climbed down the gangplank and walked on the ocean. They were walking on a meter-thick ice-pack. Under the ice pack there was 180 meters of living, breathing, salt water. Seals were enjoying themselves in the sun on ice. The narrator was wondering about the beauty of the place. He wished it would become a warm place again as it used to be millions of years ago. If it happens, the results can be catastrophic.
Textual Questions
Q1. ‘The world’s geological history is trapped in Antarctica: How is the study of this region useful to us?
Ans. The study of this region gives us an insight into the world’s geological history. It shows that India and Antarctica were part of a supercontinent named Gondwana. This supercontinent exists 650 million years ago. The climate of Gondwana was much warmer. It fostered a huge variety of flora and fauna. Then about 150 million years ago, dinosaurs were wiped out. The age of mammals started. Gondwana was forced to separate into countries and continents. The globe was shaped much as we know it today. It shows how slight changes in the climate can change the shape of the region. It gives the explanation how the climatic conditions of the earth were not favourable for life before and how slowly rising temperature made earth a place to sustain life. All secrets are embedded in the layers of ice in the form of half million year old carbon records.
Q2. What are Geoff Green’s reasons for including high school students in the Students on Ice expedition?
Ans. Geoff Green took the high school students to one end of the world, to provide them the opportunity to develop respect and understanding for the earth. He wanted to make the future policy-makers to experience how difficult it would have been for the earth to sustain life by rising its temperature. He wanted them to understand that any interference in nature can cause drastic mishappenings in the future when the students see the ice shelves melting and collapsing, they can estimate the kind of environmental troubles ahead in their future.
Q3. ‘Take care of the small things and the big things will take care of themselves.’ What is the relevance of this statement in the context of the Antarctic environment?
Ans. Antarctica has simple ecosystem and it lacks biodiversity. Due to these two factors it is the perfect place to study how little changes in the environment can have big consequences. The author gives the example of very small, single-celled plants called phytoplankton. These grasses of the sea nourish and sustain the entire Southern Ocean’s food chain. The phytoplanktons use the sun’s energy to absorb carbon. They also synthesise various organic compounds through photosynthesis.
Scientists warn that a further depletion in the ozone layer will affect the activities of phytoplankton. It will have a chain-reaction. The lives of all the marine animals and birds of the region will be affected. The global carbon cycle will be disturbed. So if we want the world to go on properly we must take care of the small things. Then the big things will fall into place.
Q4. Why is Antarctica the place to go to, to understand the earth’s present, past and future?
Ans. Antarctica gives us an idea, how the earth would have been like millions of years ago and how it got divided into various earth masses. The melting and colliding ice masses also give us an insight into how our future is going to be, if we continue with interference in the working of the nature. Moreover, Antarctica holds into the depths of its ice half-million year old carbon records, which are helpful in understanding the past, present and future of the earth. Therefore, Antarctica is the place which reveals our past, shows our present and visualizes our future.
MCQ Questions for Class 12 English Vistas Chapter 3 Journey to the End of the Earth with Answers
Question 1.
How does visit to Antartica help to understand the effect of global warming?
(a) here one can see quickly melting glaciers and collapsing ice-shelves
(b) it is filled with snow
(c) it is away from urban rush
(d) it has hidden treasures.
Answer
Answer: (a) here one can see quickly melting glaciers and collapsing ice-shelves
Question 2.
The geographical phenomena is going to help us to know the history of mankind_________
(a) by showing the global warming
(b) by showing the imapacts of global warming
(c) by telling the age of existence of human beings on the earth
(d) by exploring the world of ice
Answer
Answer: (c) by telling the age of existence of human beings on the earth
Question 3.
Who is the author of the lesson Journey to the end of the Earth?
(a) Tishani Doshi
(b) Kamla Das
(c) Jane Austen
(d) Chitra Das
Answer
Answer: (a) Tishani Doshi
Question 4.
What is the meaning of ‘epiphany’?
(a) a moment of shock
(b) a moment of great sadness
(c) cacophony
(d) a moment of sudden and great revelation or realization
Answer
Answer: (d) a moment of sudden and great revelation or realization
Question 5.
The name of the programme that takes high school students to the end of the earth is ________.
(a) Students of Ice
(b) Students for Ice
(c) Students above Ice
(d) Students on Ice
Answer
Answer: (d) Students on Ice
Question 6.
What does the author mean by “In that short amount of time, we’ve managed to create quite a ruckus”?
(a) progress made by human race
(b) destruction and disturbance caused by human race
(c) stunning achievements of human race
(d) None of the above
Answer
Answer: (b) destruction and disturbance caused by human race
Question 7.
The synonym of ‘ubiquitous’ is __________.
(a) abstract
(b) complex
(c) omnipresent
(d) simple
Answer
Answer: (c) omnipresent
Question 8.
The Drake Passage was created because of _________.
(a) India drifting northwards
(b) South America drifting off to join North America
(c) North America drifting off to join South America
(d) India’s collision with Asia
Answer
Answer: (b) South America drifting off to join North America
Question 9.
Gondwana existed roughly around ___________.
(a)110 million years ago
(b)450 million years ago
(c)250 million years ago
(d) 650 million years ago
Answer
Answer: (d) 650 million years ago
Question 10.
The narrator was aboard on the ship named ______
(a) World carrier
(b) Academic Discovery
(c) Akademik Shokalskiy
(d) Denim Explorer
Answer
Answer: (c) Akademik Shokalskiy
Question 11.
What was the name of the Southern Super continent?
(a) Asia
(b) Asia Pacific
(c) Northern pole
(d) Gondwana
Answer
Answer: (d) Gondwana
Question 12.
What gives us an insight into the world’s geological history?
(a) Study of Northern Pole
(b) Study of Southern Pole
(c) Study of Antarctica Continent
(d) None
Answer
Answer: (c) Study of Antarctica Continent
Question 13.
Which program was the author a part of?
(a) Tour Program
(b) Research Program
(c) Students on Ice Program
(d) None
Answer
Answer: (c) Students on Ice Program
Question 14.
Why is Antarctica completely pure?
(a) Because of ice
(b) because of avalanches
(c) because of melting glaciers
(d) because of non-existence of humans
Answer
Answer: (d) because of non-existence of humans
Question 15.
What used to flourished on Antarctica years back?
(a) Animals
(b) Tigers
(c) Humans
(d) Fauna and flora
Answer
Answer: (d) Fauna and flora
Question 16.
What kind of atmosphere does Antarctica have?
(a) coldest
(b) driest
(c) windiest
(d) All these
Answer
Answer: (d) All these
Question 17.
What was the center of the Gondwana Supercontinent?
(a) Asia
(b) Pacific
(c) Antarctica
(d) All these
Answer
Answer: (c) Antarctica
Question 18.
How were the Himalayas formed?
(a) by a collapse in the Gondwana supercontinent
(b) by evolution
(c) by deforestation
(d) All these
Answer
Answer: (a) by a collapse in the Gondwana supercontinent
Question 19.
How has the man created ruckus on the earth?
(a) by travelling
(b) by encroaching the earth
(c) by visiting the iceland
(d) none
Answer
Answer: (b) by encroaching the earth
Question 20.
What disturbed the silence of the continent?
(a) The birds
(b) the animals
(c) the humans
(d) Avalanches
Answer
Answer: (d) Avalanches
Question 21.
Why was Tishani Doshi filled with relief and wonder when she first set his foot on the continent?
(a) to see its white expanse
(b) to see its vastness and immense white expanse
(c) to see the isolation from the rest of the world
(d) All these
Answer
Answer: (d) All these
Question 22.
What was the objective of the Students on the Ice program?
(a) to make them travel
(b) to make them see snow
(c) to make them see white expanse in the form of ice
(d) to enable them to think differently to save the planet
Answer
Answer: (d) to enable them to think differently to save the planet
Question 23.
What was Gondwana?
(a) An ancient tourist place
(b) an ancient city in Antarctica
(c) An ancient super continent
(d) None
Answer
Answer: (c) An ancient super continent
Question 24.
Who was Geoff Green?
(a) Geoff was a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and The Explorers Club.
(b) A scientist
(c) A traveller
(d) A tourist guide
Answer
Answer: (a) Geoff was a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and The Explorers Club.
Question 25.
Why has the author called her journey as Journey to the End of the Earth’?
(a) because it was too far
(b) because no human race or plants exist
(c) crosses nine time zones, six checkpoints, three water bodies and many ecospheres to reach there.
(d) All these
Answer
Answer: (c) crosses nine time zones, six checkpoints, three water bodies and many ecospheres to reach there.
Question 26.
Why is the Antarctica the right place to understand the past, present and future?
(a) because half million-year-old carbon records are trapped in its layers of ice.
(b) because of layers of ice
(c) because of cold
(d) none
Answer
Answer: (b) because of layers of ice
Question 27.
Which programme aimed to take high school students to the end of the world?
(a) The author’s delight
(b) Teachers delight
(c) School program
(d) Geoff Green’s ‘Students on Ice’ programme
Answer
Answer: (d) Geoff Green’s ‘Students on Ice’ programme
Question 28.
Why is a visit to Antartica important to understand the effect of global warming?
(a) because here one can see quickly melting glaciers and collapsing ice-shelves
(b) because it is filled with snow
(c) because it is away from urban rush
(d) None
Answer
Answer: (a) because here one can see quickly melting glaciers and collapsing ice-shelves
Question 29.
What is the purpose of The Journey to the world’s most preserved place, Antarctica?
(a) to tour the world
(b) to see the beauty of the earth
(c) to know the geography more closely
(d) to sensitize the young minds towards climatic change
Answer
Answer: (d) to sensitize the young minds towards climatic change
Question 30.
Who is the author of the lesson?
(a) Tishani Doshi
(b) Kamla Das
(c) Jane Austen
(d) Chitra Das
Answer
Answer: (a) Tishani Doshi
Question 31.
If we want to know our earth, the human race and its past, present, and future where should we go?
(a) Northern Pole
(b) Southern Pole
(c) Gondwana
(d) Antarctica Continent
Answer
Answer: (d) Antarctica Continent
Question 32.
How does the geographical phenomena help us?
(a) how small changes cause big things to happen
(b) it makes us study
(c) it helps us to watch everything closely
(d) none
Answer
Answer: (a) how small changes cause big things to happen
Question 33.
Which program was a life changing program?
(a) Tour and Travels
(b) Know Antarctica
(c) Know your earth
(d) Students on Ice
Answer
Answer: (d) Students on Ice
Question 34.
Where is the world’s geological history trapped?
(a) on southern pole
(b) On Northern Pole
(c) on Asia Continent
(d) On Antarctica Continent
Answer
Answer: (d) On Antarctica Continent
Question 35.
Where does 90% of earth’s total ice exist?
(a) Pacific region
(b) Southern oceans
(c) Northern pole
(d) Antarctica Continent
Answer
Answer: (d) Antarctica Continent