CLASS 12 ENGLISH A JOURNEY TO THE END OF THE EARTH

BY Tishani Doshi

In ‘Journey to the End of the Earth’ Tishani Doshi describes the journey to the coldest, driest and
windiest continent in the world: Antarctica. The world’s geological history is trapped in Antarctica.
Geoff Green’s ‘Students on Ice’ programme aims at taking high school students to the ends of the
world. Doshi thinks that Antarctica is the place to go and understand the earth’s present, past and
future.
Beginning of Journey- The narrator boarded a Russian research ship-The 'Akademik Shokalskiy'. It
was heading towards the coldest, driest and the windiest continent in the world, Antarctica. Her
journey began 13.09 degrees north of the Equator in Madras (Chennai). She crossed nine time
zones, six checkpoints, three bodies of water and at least three ecospheres. She travelled over 100
hours in car, aeroplane and ship to reach there.
Southern Supercontinent(Gondwana)- Six hundred and fifty million years ago a giant southern
supercontinent Gondwana did indeed exist. It centered roughly around present-day Antarctica.
Human beings hadn't arrived on the global scene. The climate at that time was much warmer. It
supported a huge variety of flora and fauna. When the dinosaurs became totally extinct and the age
of mammals began, the landmass was forced to separate into countries as they exist today.
Study of Antarctica-The purpose of the visit was to know more about Antarctica. It is to
understand the significance of Cordilleran folds and pre-Cambrian granite shields; ozone and carbon;
evolution and extinction. Ninety per cent of the earth's total ice volumes are stored in Antarctica.
Icebergs are as big as countries. Days go on and on in 24-hour austral summer light.
Human Impact- The most hotly contested debate of our time is whether West Antarctica Ice sheet
will melt entirely or no. If we want to study the earth's past, present and future, Antarctica is the
place (for us) to go. 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 (results).
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.
“Students on ice” is a programme which 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. They can help in
saving the earth from ecological dangers and the effects of global warming.
Effect of Climatic Change- The author gives us an example to show how small changes in the
atmosphere can be threatening. The microscopic phytoplanktons 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.
Walk on the Ocean-It was the most thrilling experience of the visit. They climbed down the
gangplank and walked on the ocean. They were 52 persons. 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. She wished
it would not become a warm place as it used to be millions of years ago. If it happens, the results
can be ruinous.
EXTRA QUESTIONS

VISIT TO ANTARCTICA

1. How did the author reach Antarctica? What hurdles did she have to cross?
2. Describe author’s experiences during the journey to the Antarctica, “A Journey to The end of
the world”.
3. What was the purpose of the visit to Antarctica?
4. What was the first emotion of the narrator on facing Antarctica?
5. What can we see or visualise on the sub-continent of Antarctica?
6. How does one lose all earthly sense of perspective and time in Antarctica?
7. Why does Tishani Doshi write that she felt as if she was walking into a giant ping-pong ball?
8. Is the title ‘A Journey to the End of the Earth’ justified?

GONDWANA (Southern supercontinent)

1. What is Gondwana? What happened to it?

2. Describe Gondwana and how did the globe acquire the present shape.
3. When did India and other countries form the part of Antarctica?
4. What is the Drake Passage and how was it found?
5. Why is Antarctica frigid and desolate at the bottom of the world?
6. How do geological phenomena help us to know about the history of humankind? How is
Antarctica a part of that human history?
7. What do you learn about the history of the earth by reading “Journey to the End of the
Earth?”
8. In your opinion, what could be the reason for the disintegration of Gondwana?

ANTARCTICA - A USEFUL STUDY

1. Why is Antarctica the place to go to understand the earth’s past, present and future?
2. How can a visit to Antarctica be an enlightening experience?
3. Why is Antarctica the perfect place to study changes in environment that can have big
repercussions? As described in the lesson “Journey to the End of the Earth”.
4. “The world’s geological history is trapped in Antarctica.” How is the study of this region useful
to us?

GLOBAL WARMING

1. What is global warming and how it is caused?

2. What are the reasons for increasing the global temperature?
3. What is the most hotly debated topic in our time? What questions does it raise and what is its
importance?
4. Describe global warming with its impact on the environment. Suggest ways to save our planet
earth.
5. How does the global warming affect Antarctica?
6. How is our survival in danger?
7. What would happen if Antarctica becomes the warm place that it once used to be?

PHYTOPLANKTON
1. What do you know about Phytoplankton?
2. Write down the importance of phytoplankton’s in the eco-system.

3. “Take care of the small things and the big things will take care of themselves.” What is the
relevance of his statement in the context of the Antarctic environment?
4. In what way can the further depletion of the ozone layer disrupt the entire food chain of the
South Sea?

STUDENTS ON ICE
1. What is the aim of ‘Students on Ice’ Programme?
2. What are Geoff Green’s reasons for including high school ‘students on Ice’ Expedition?
3. Why do you think Tishani Doshi considered her programme ‘Students on Ice’ a success?
4. How can you say that man is his own great enemy? Comment with respect to Tishani Doshi’s
article.

WALKING ON THE OCEAN

1. Describe the Author’s experience of walking on the ocean in the Antarctic Circle?

Reading with Insight

Reading with Insight
1. ‘The world’s geological history is trapped in Antarctica.’ How is the study of this region
useful to us?

Answer.

The world’s geological history is indeed trapped in Antarctica. The study of the region of
Antarctica gives us an insight into the world’s geological history. This is because the
current world is battling with the growing population, and the extreme burning of fossil
fuels has formed a blanket of carbon dioxide around the earth, which is the main cause of
global warming. Antarctica is a crucial element in the debate on climate change because it
is relatively ‘pristine’. It is because 650 million years ago, Gondwana land existed in the
southern part of the earth where Antarctica is currently situated. It contained a rich variety
of flora and fauna. For 500 million years, Gondwana flourished, and later the landmass
was forced to separate into countries, shaping the globe much as we know it today. All
secrets are embedded in the layers of the ice in the form of 500-million-year-old carbon
records. Hence, to study the earth’s past, Antarctica is the best place.

2. What are Geoff Green’s reasons for including high school students in the Students on
Ice expedition?

Answer.

Geoff Green’s students on ice expedition aimed at providing high school students
opportunities to develop understanding and respect for the planet.It offered the future
generation policy makers a life changing experience at an age when they are ready to
absorb, learn and act. It would help them understand how difficult our sustenance would
be if temperatures keep rising. It would help them realize that any interference in nature’s
balance can have drastic consequences.They will get ample opportunity to understand
how global temperature can be a big threat to human existence. It will help inculcate a
new understanding in them and realise their role in saving the earth from ecological
dangers and the effects of global warming.

3. ‘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?

Answer.

‘Take care of the small things, and the big things will take care of themselves.’ is a
relevant statement to the Antarctic environment. A small environmental change can give
rise to dramatic developments. Because of its small biodiversity and simple ecosystem,
Antarctica is the best place to study the small changes in the environment that have big
consequences. For example, consider the microscopic phytoplankton — these grasses of
the sea feed and support the entire Southern Ocean’s food chain. These single-celled
plants use the sun’s energy to absorb carbon dioxide and manufacture organic
compounds, and this important process is called photosynthesis. Scientists caution that
more depletion in the ozone layer will affect the activities of phytoplankton, which in turn
affect the marine life’s food chain. From this example of the phytoplankton, there is a
great metaphor for existence: take care of the small things, and the big things will fall into
place.Thus a little carelessness can jeopardize the future of the entire mankind. Humans
definitely need to introspect their actions.
4. Why is Antarctica the place to go to, to understand the earth’s present, past and future?

Answer.

Antarctica is the best place to understand the earth’s present, past, and future because it
holds in its ice cores, half a million-year-old carbon records trapped in its layers of ice. It
gives usAn idea where we came from and where we could possibly be heading.Antarctica
tells us how the earth would have been like millions of years ago and how it formed into
different masses of earth. Antarctica has a vibrant diversity of flora and fauna as a rich
heritage of the past. Antarctica also gives the warning about how the future could be. the
Global Warming would result in constant melting of ice masses if we continue interfering
with the working of nature.Therefore, Antarctica is a place to understand the earth’s
present, past and future.