CBSE Class 12 English HOTs Journey to the End of the Earth Set 03

Question. How do geological phenomena help us to know about the history of humankind?
Answer: It is the geological phenomena that truly lets us know about the history of humankind, as they present before us how things were and how they evolved and many went to extinction. 650 million years ago a giant southern super continent Gondwana existed. It centered roughly around present day Antarctica. Human beings hadn't arrived on the global scene. There was a huge variety of flora and fauna. After 500 million years, the landmass was forced to separate into countries as they exist today.

Question. What are the indications for the future of humankind?
Answer: Keeping the present condition in mind, the future of humankind is in dark and a matter of grave concern. Rapid growth of human population, limited resources and depletion of ozone layer due to disturbed global carbon cycle are severe warnings for humans as well as sea animals and birds of the region. There are many reasons responsible for the present condition but severe and immediate attention can probably reduce the disaster if not cure it.

Question. 'The world's geological history is trapped in Antarctica'. How is the study of this region useful to us?
Answer: Six hundred and fifty million years ago, Antarctica was a giant amalgamated landmass Gondwana. This southern supercontinent surrounded Antarctica. Human life was non-existent then. Our civilization is merely 12000 years old. The climate then was quite warm and the landmass was covered with a large variety of flora and fauna. At a later stage, when the dinosaurs got wiped off and mammals began to appear, the landmass disintegrated and countries like, India the Himalayas and the South America were formed and got fixed in their present position. This left Antarctica cold and desolate at the bottom of the earth. Today, Antarctica holds key to the significance of Cordilleran folds and pre-Cambrian granite shields, ozone and carbon layers as well as evolution and extinction. It can help us understand the formation of continents and mountains like the Himalayas as we find them in the modern world. Its ice-cores hold over half-million-year old carbon records which are crucial for the study of the Earth's past, present and future. Thus, Antarctica is the place to go to understand, the Earth's past, present and future.

Question. What are Geoff Green's reasons for including high school students in the Students on Ice expedition?
Answer: Growing children are the future and that is the reason why Geoff Green decided to include high school students in the expedition. At this stage, it would be easier for them to grasp things and realize the impact of nature in a more demonstrative manner. The idea is to foster a new understanding and respect for our planet. Inspiring educational opportunities could be discovered by them. Antarctica provided young students a perfect place to study the changes in the environment as these changes can have big repercussions. The entire expedition was a life changing experience for the young learners where they were taught to learn, absorb and act.

Question. 'Take care of small things and the big things will take care of themselves.' What is the relevance of this statement in the context of the Antarctica environment?
Answer: Phytoplanktons are single-celled plants that nourish and sustain the entire Southern Ocean's food chain. Scientists are of the view that a further depletion in the ozone layer will affect the activities of phytoplankton. This will adversely affect the lives of all the marine animals and birds of the region, and the global carbon cycle. These grasses give us a very insightful lesson, i.e., it is important to take care of small things to save big things.

Question. Why is Antarctica the place to go to, to understand the Earth's present, past and future?
Answer: Around six hundred and fifty million years ago, the present day Antarctica was the part of a giant amalgamated southern supercontinent called Gondwana. At this time, human beings had not yet evolved and the climate was warm. A huge variety of flora and fauna adorned the earth. For 500 million years, Gondwana existed but soon the landmass was forced to disintegrate into countries like India with the Himalayas, the roof of the world. South America drifted towards North America which resulted in Antarctica moving down below to the South Pole. Today, Antarctica is to unlock the mystery behind the formation of Cordilleran folds and pre-Cambirian granite shields. It can help us understand the carbon and ozone layers possibly in a better way. All mindless talk about evolution and extinction can come to a standstill because Antarctica has witnessed all this. This part of the Earth remains relatively 'pristine', it has never sustained a human settlement. Its ice-cores hold half-million year-old carbon records trapped in innumerable layers of ice. These can give us the much needed headway to study and examine the Earth's past, present and future. This is why Tishani Doshi belives that Antarctica is the place where we could 'get a grasp of where we have come from and where we could possibly be heading'.

SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Question. What was the objective of the "Students on Ice programme?"
Answer: The objective of this programme was to offer the future generation of policy makers a life changing experience at an early age. At this age the students were willing to learn absorb the information and most importantly act. Mr Geoff Green provided high school students an opportunity to understand and develop a respect for our planet.

Question. How did Antarctica amaze the writer when she first saw it?
Answer: The writer was amazed to see the vastness and isolation of Antarctica. The white beauty of the place left her wonder struck. She wondered how there could have been a time when India and Antarctica were part of the same landmass - Gondwana.

Question. What was the Akademik Shokalsky? Where was it headed and why?
Answer: Akademik Shokalsky was a Russian research vessel. It was heading towards the coldest and windiest continent called Antarctica.

Question. What happened to Gondwana 650 million years ago?
Answer: Gondwana was a Southern super continent which existed 650 million years ago. But around the time when the dinosaurs were destroyed and the age of mammal got underway, the landmass was forced to separate into continents shaping the world globe much as we know it today.

Question. Why is Antarctica important in the study of the history of the Earth?
Answer: Antarctica is important in the study of the history of the Earth because it holds in its ice-cores half millon year old carbon records trapped in its layers of ice. If we want to study and examine the Earth's past, present and future, Antarctica is the place to go. Its vast white landscape and blue horizon give scientists a perfect platform to understand the planet's past, present and future.

Question. How Antarctica will play on important role in the survival of the world?
Answer: The study and understanding of Antarctica gives us an insight into how the Earth was like before it was forced to separate into continents and countries. Its understanding can make the students realise the danger of global warming. Besides, Antarctica is the ideal place to know how small changes in the environment can have big repercussions.

Question. How does Antarctica differ from the Earth?
Answer: There has never been a human existence on Antarctica. There is 24 hours austral light on the planet. The visual scale ranges from microscopic to the mighty a different phenomenon. There are no trees, no bill boards, no buildings. Only vast stretches of ice can be seen all around.

Question. How is man responsible for creating a ruckus on this Earth in a short span of 12 thousand years?
Answer: In a short span of human history, man has managed to destroy nature and create villages, towns, cities and megacities. Rapid human population growth and limited resources exert pressure on land. Burning of fossil fuels has only helped in increasing the average global temperature melting of ice-caps depletion of ozone layers and global warming are the real and immediate dangers for making but they have been created by mankind only.

Question. What are phytoplanktons? How are they important for the Earth's survival?
Answer: Phytoplanktons is a single-celled grass that feed the entire Southern ocean's marine life. These micro organisms require a low degree of temperature for their survival. But due to the overheating and depletion of ozone layers, their existence is threatened. The message for the humans is to take care of small things so that bigger issues or problems will fall in place.

LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS 

Question. What is the significance of the title 'Journey to the End of the Earth'?
Answer: The title assumes significance as the author travels to Antarctica, which is the sourthernmost part of Earth and almost appears at the end of it. This chapter is a memoir of the author's journey to Antarctica with high school students on board a Russian vessel. The two poles North and South virtually signify two ends of the planet Earth. The journey takes the author across nine time zones, three water bodies three ecosystems and six check points, which implies that almost the whole of the planet has been travelled before one reaches to the end of it. As Antarctica is at one end of the planet, it is without human existence, there is no bio-diversity, no sign of bill boards or trees. It is a place far-far away from the crowd noise and pollution. Thus 'journey to the End of the Earth' is an apt title.

Question. What impact has human civilisation had on our environment?
Answer: The human civilisation has been around for 12000 years which is just a few seconds on the geological clock. In such a short span of time man has damaged the environment beyond repair. He has spoiled natural beauty of places by putting cemented structures in its place. The peaceful and vibrant atmosphere has been replaced by the noise and clutter as a result of too much human population. Trees have been widely cut by greedy mankind resulting in soil erosion and deserts. The new inventions, creation of new cities, mega cities have directly or indirectly left a damaging impact on environment. The resources which are limited are being consumed at a fast rate due to mega increase in human population. Unstopped burning of fossil fuels due to poverty has now created a blanket of carbon and smog around the world which is gradually increasing the average global temperature. Man is indirectly responsible for the big debate on climate change. Will Antarctica ice sheet melt entirely? Will Gulf-stream ocean current be disrupted? And many more such damages are likely to happen. And for all this humans and humans alone can be held responsible.

Question. What are Phytoplankton? How are they important to our eco-system?
Answer: Phytoplankton are microscopic plants that live in the Southern Ocean. These small plants are very important to the ocean and to the whole planet. These single-celled plants use the sun's energy to assimilate carbon and synthesise organic compounds. They are at the base of food chain. They nourish and sustain the entire Southern ocean's food chain. Many small fish and whales eat them. Then bigger fish eats the small fish etc. The food chain continues and at some point in time we also get joined in this food chain when we eat the fish. So the energy of plankton becomes our energy also. But unfortunately these plants face extinction due to depletion of ozone layer. Scientists warn that a further depletion in the ozone layer will affect the activities of phytoplankton. This will affect the lives of all the marine animals and birds of the region and the global carbon cycle, as a whole. In this context there is no doubt that we have got to “take care of small things and big things will take care of themselves."