CBSE Class 12 English Vistas Journey to the end of the Earth Assignment

JOURNEY TO THE END OF THE EARTH

RELEVANCE OF THE TITLE
The title, ‘Journey to the End of the Earth,’ has more than one meaning. It describes an educational journey to Antarctica undertaken by groups of high school students to learn more about the real impact of Global Warming and the future of the earth. 52 students went to the coldest, driest, windiest continent in the world called Antarctica in a Russian research vessel, the Akademik Shokalsky.
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 three 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 earth, is 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 the earth; the earth is journeying to its end!

NOTES OF THE LESSON
The writer visited Antarctica, the coldest, driest and windiest continent in the world, aboard the Russian research vessel, Akademik Shokalsky.
The journey, beginning at Chennai, passed through many areas, geographical, legal, ecological and temporal.
The writer’s first reaction to the continent was of relief, followed by wonder at its vastness, seclusion and geological history.

Part of History
Before human evolution, Antarctica was part of a huge tropical landmass called the Gondwana land, which flourished 500 million years ago.
Biological (flora and fauna), geological (changing continents) and geographical (climatic)changes occurred and Antarctica separated and moved away evolving into what it is today.

A visit to Antarctica gave the writer a deeper understanding of fold mountains, the earth’s history, ecology and environment.
The writer felt unsettled in two week time not only because she came from a much hotter place, but also because all features of human civilization were absent from an already desolate landscape.

The long summers, the silence broken occasionally by cracking ice sheets and avalanches, the blue whales and ice bergs, all contribute to an ecological implication that the future for humans isn’t good.

Human Impact
Humans, who are known to have existed for a mere 12000 years, have caused tremendous impact and played havoc with nature.
Population explosion, putting a strain on available resources, carbon emissions, fossil fuels and global warming have all resulted in climatic and ecological imbalance that has also affected Antarctica.

Antarctica, though unpopulated, has been affected and there are concerns for its half a million-year-old carbon records trapped under its ice sheets.
The ‘Students on Ice’ programme, an initiative by Canadian adventure educator, Geoff Green takes students on expeditions to Antarctica, to create awareness in them, the future policy makers.

The stark proof of global warming and environmental threats helps students attain an understanding of ecosystems and biodiversity of our planet.
An amazing display of the food chain of the Southern Ocean helps in the understanding that further depletion of the ozone layer, will set off a chain reaction that will affect the global carbon cycle.

The simple truth is, take care of the small things and the bigger ones will automatically be taken care of.

Walk on The Ocean
Before their return, the writer got an opportunity to walk on the ocean at 65.55 degrees south, which made her realize that she was walking on 180 meters of ocean water, a rich kaleidoscope of life.
Reaching home, she wondered whether Antarctica would ever be warm again, how much difference a million years can make and, that each day makes a difference.

GIST OF THE LESSON
• The writer Tishani Doshi was part of a programme called ‘Students on Ice’ and was taken to Antarctica. She shares her experiences and impressions.
• The aim of the expedition was to take high school children to Antarctica, thereby providing them with a unique educational opportunity to see first hand effect of human activities on environment so that these youngsters, when the time comes to act, will take correct decisions regarding conservation of the environment.
• Antarctica is the right place to study about the changes in the environment and its impact on humanity as a whole.
• Antarctica holds the secrets of how earth came to be in its present form. It gives us an insight as to how the present landforms came into existence, why certain animal species became extinct.
• Complete absence of human beings has preserved the carbon records intact.
• Lack of bio-diversity in Antarctica makes it possible to study the effect of small changes in the environment on the animal life and environment. Take care of small things and big things fall into place

SOLVED SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

Question. What were Geoff Green’s reasons for including high school students in the ‘Students on Ice’ expedition?
Answer: Children are more receptive and ready to absorb, learn and most importantly act. Unlike the elderly people who are at the end of their productive life, children can give back to society substantially and practice what they learn and experience. Most importantly, they can take correct decisions and act when the time comes and save the environment.

Question. How does the writer realize that the threat of global warming is very real?
Answer: The writer visits Antarctica and sees for herself the glaciers retreating and ice shelves collapsing. She sees with naked eyes the effect on the food chain when a single celled phytoplankton is removed from food chain. That’s when she realizes that threat of global warming is real.

Question. What revelation did the author have on her visit to Antarctica?
Answer: The writer on her visit to Antarctica noticed the beauty of balance in play on our planet and realizes that everything in the world is inter-connected.

Question. What is phytoplankton? 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 chain. Being the first link in the food chain of the ocean. Using sun’s energy, they assimilate carbon and synthesize organic compounds. The diminishing number of these due to the depletion of ozone layer affects other organisms of the ocean, finally leading to the extinction of life on earth.

LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS

Question. “Take care of small things and the big things will take care of themselves”. What is the relevance of this statement in context of the Antarctic Environment?
Answer: Suggested Value Points: The Statement- greatly relevant in the context of Antarctic Environment – only place not strained by man – remains pristine – carbon records preserved in its folds – simple eco system – lack of bio-diversity - perfect place to study how small changes can have big repercussions – example of phytoplankton – how it uses sun’s energy to synthesize food – process of photosynthesis – Depletion of ozone layer effects phytoplankton – life of small marine animals – in turn the food of large animals – Global warming effect on all animals and plants on earth – evident in Antarctica.

NCERT Questions (Think as you read)

Question. How does the geological phenomenon help us to know about the history of mankind ?
Answer: Geological phenomena gives one an insight into why and how the present landforms came into being. About six hundred and fifty million years ago, there existed a giant southern supercontinent Gondwana. It thrived for 500 million years and finally it broke into separate countries as they exist today.
By visiting Antarctica we can know from where we have come from and where we are heading to. It also helps us understand the importance of Cordilleran folds and pre-Cambrian Granite shields, ozone and carbon and also about the evolution and extinction. Its ice cores hold more than half –million-year old carbon records which are useful for the study of past.

Question. What are the indication for the future of mankind?
Answer: Future of mankind appears dismal.
Increase in population has led to a ‘population boom’.
Depletion of natural resources - forests and extinction of certain species of wildlife.
Excessive burning of fossil fuels has created a blanket of carbon dioxide around the earth. Antarctic environment has been affected by global warming- this is clear from receding glaciers and collapsing ice shelves.

NCERT QUESTIONS (understanding the text)

Question. How is the study of this region useful to us?
Answer: Antarctica – only place in the world remaining pristine (never sustained human population)
- holds in its ice-cores half million year-old carbon records
- only place to study Earth’s past, present and future
- gives an insight into the formation of earth as we know today
- tells us about repercussions of environmental changes (phytoplanktons)
- enables us to study problems of global warming (glacier retreating, ice-shelves collapsing)
- concept of evolution and extinction
- significance of Cordilleran folds and granite shields; ozone and carbon

Question. What are Geoff Green’s reasons for including high school students on Ice Expedition?
Answer: A visit to Antarctica makes it quite clear and there one can see the ice shelves melting. ‘Students on Ice’ is a programme headed by Canadian Geoff Green. He aims at organizing this programme by taking high school students to the ends of the world. He thinks it most essential to provide the students with inspiring educational opportunities to know more about Antarctica. Through this they will generate a new understanding and respect for our planet. Earlier Geoff Green had organized programme with celebrities and rich people which gave him back only in a limited way. Since the students are young minds and full of adventurous activities they can learn, act and absorb much by visiting Antarctica. They can see through their own eyes glaciers retreating and ice-shelves collapsing. They can realize the future dangers, catastrophic effect of climatic changes and global warming. Antarctica provides the young students a perfect place to study the varied changes occurring in the environment. These little changes can have significant consequences. The students can see those grasses of the sea that flourish, nourish and sustain the entire Southern Ocean’s food chain. Thus the programme provides a lively study of changes and the realities going on in our environment.

Question. Take care of small things and big things will take care of themselves.’ What is the relevance of this statement in the context of the Antarctica’s Environment ?
Answer: Antarctica has a simple ecosystem and lacks biodiversity, it is the best 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 phytoplanktons which nourish and sustain the entire southern ocean’s food chain. The phytoplanktons use the energy to absorb carbon and also synthesize various organic compounds through photosynthesis. Scientists have forewarned that if Ozone layer depletes further it will have a direct impact on the activities of the phytoplankton this will lead to a chain reaction adversely affecting the lives of marine animals and birds of the region which will further result in the disturbance of global carbon cycle.

Question. Why is Antarctica a place to go toto understand Earth’s present, past and future?
Answer: Antarctica is a place to go to, to understand Earth’s present, past and future. Six hundred and fifty million years ago, the present day Antarctica was surrounded by a giant amalgamated Southern supercontinent called Gondwana. Thus, Antarctica belongs to ancient geological era when human beings had not yet evolved, the climate was warm in the continent and supported a huge variety of flora and fauna. Later, the dinosaurs were wiped out and mammals began to evolve. At this juncture Gondwana got separated into countries. So, to visit Antarctica is now to be a part of that history. It is to understand the significance of Cordilleran folds and pre-Cambrian granite shields; ozone and carbon; evolution and extinction. (past)
Since the planet is unravaged by human population and civilization, it remains relatively pristine. Its ice cores hold more than half –million-year old carbon records which are useful for the study of past, present and future of our planet. We can realize the threat of global warming by seeing glaciers melting and ice shelves collapsing. (present)
Antarctica is the best place to study how little changes in the environment can have big repercussions. Phytoplanktons nourish and sustain the entire Southern Ocean’s food chain. Further depletion in the ozone layer would affect the lives of all the marine animals and birds of the region and the global carbon cycle. It could also lead to the end of the world. In this way it suggests future possibilities about our planet. (future)

JOURNEY TO THE END OF THE EARTH

• Antarctica’s Past
– 650 million years ago part of Gondwana, a giant southern subcontinent existed
– higher temperatures
– huge landmass separated into countries
• Antarctica Today
– No human population
– No trees, bill boards, buildings
– Blue whales and icebergs as big as countries
– Silence everywhere
• Human Impact
– Man has disturbed balance in nature
– Dominated nature with villages, towns, cities megacities
– Burning of fossil fuels leads to increase in global temperature.
– Climate Change
– Activities of phytoplankton will be affected
– Marine birds and animals will be affected.
• Students on Ice Programme
– Aims at providing students educational opportunities to foster new understanding and respect for our planet.
– Hope for the Future
– Students can make a significant contribution in saving the earth