JOURNEY TO THE END OF THE EARTH

INTRODUCTION 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.

THEME OF THE LESSON In 'Journey to the End of the Earth' aims at the exploration of the landmass
covered by ice-cap of Antarctica will surely reveal vital information about the birth and evaluation of
the earth. And the sub-theme is the need of saving the planet Earth from total annihilation
(destruction) and the role the school students can play in this gigantic task.

MESSAGE OF THE LESSON The author gives us the message that rarely visited regions of the earth
(North and South Poles) are a store house of information and we can learn a lot about the earth’s
past, present and future if we dig deep into them. It also warns man against too much interference
with nature and excessive encroachment on and dominance over Nature which is injurious to the
future of mankind and that ‘the threat of global warming is very real’.

TITLE OF THE LESSON The title of the story 'Journey to the End of the Earth' is an account of author’s
personal experience to the journey to Antarctica with a group of high school students on board
‘Akademik Shokalskiy. We know the earth is round and if at all, ends are to be found they are either
at the bottom (the South pole) or the top of the earth (the North pole) the word ‘End’ used in the
title is very forceful and meaningful, because the scientists continually warn us against the
catastrophic effects of the excessive “depletion of ozone layer”. So, judicious use of natural resources
is a must if we want to escape ‘End’ of the earth. Thus, the title is most appropriate and true to its
meaning.

Answer the following questions in 30 to 40 words.

1. What is ‘Students on Ice?

Ans. ‘Students on Ice’ is an educational expedition to Antarctica. It takes high school students to
show them the terrifying impacts of human activities in Antarctica so that, the students will realise
that the end of the earth is quite near and therefore something should be done to save the planet.

2. Why did Geoff Green decide to take high school students to Antarctica?

Ans. Geoff Green didn’t find any good in taking curious celebrities to Antarctica until he thought of
taking high school students. He believed that the high school students are the real future policy
makers of the earth and the young enthusiasm in them would easily understand the seriousness of
the threat that poses the earth by visiting Antarctica and they would act their bit to save the planet
from further deterioration.

3. Why is Students on Ice programme a success?

Ans. When one stands in the midst of the calving ice-sheets, retreating glaciers and melting icebergs,
one realises that the threats to the earth are real. It is different and way more pragmatic from talking
about Antarctica from the comfort zones of our warm countries and therefore being in Antarctica is a
shocking realisation.

4. Why are the youngsters called the future policy makers of the earth?
Ans. The youngsters according to Geoff Green are the future policy-makers because it is them who
will bring substantial changes as they grow up. More than that, the more educated youth of today is
the hope for the earth as many students are more informed and more aware of the weakening
strength of the planet.

5. How do geological phenomena help us to know about the history of humankind?

Ans. Geological phenomena certainly helps us to know about the history of humankind. A giant
southern supercontinent- Gondwana did exist 650 million years ago. The climate was much warmer.
It had a huge variety of flora and fauna. Gondwana thrived for 500 million years. Finally, it broke in
to separate countries as they exist today. It was the stage when dinosaurs were wiped out and the
age of mammals started.

6. What are the indications for the future of humankind?

Ans. 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
the ozone layer and global warming are the real and immediate dangers for mankind. They will affect
the lives of all the marine animals and the birds of the region.

7.What advantages does a visit to the Antarctica give?

A visit to the Antarctica will give a grasp of where we have come from and where we could possibly
be heading. It will suggest the future possibilities through a study about the future climate change
easily and more effectively, make us witness and realise repercussions of environmental changes. So,
if one wants to study and examine the earth’s past in order to reason out the present problems and
to extend the scope of living for the future, one has to go to the Antarctica.

8. How long was the journey of Tishani Doshi to Antarctica?

The journey to Antarctica involves crossing nine time zones, six checkpoints, three bodies of
water and as many ecospheres. It is a journey of over a hundred hours in combination of a car an
aeroplane and a ship.

9. What were the emotions of Tishani Doshi on reaching Antarctica?

The open wide white landscape with an uninterrupted blue horizon gave her relief immediately
because it ended a long journey. Then she was filled with wonder at its immensity and isolation
making her wonder at how India and Antarctica were part of the same landmass. It wass a
chilling and mind boggling experience.

10 What is Gondwana? What kind of lives existed there?

Six hundred and fifty million years ago there was a southern supercontinent. This region, named
Gondwana, was around the present day Antarctica. Human beings were not there. There was a
huge variety of flora and fauna. Then Dinosaurs became extinct and mammals came to live.
Continental Shift forced the landmass to separate and gave it the present shape.

11How did Antarctica become an isolated landmass?

Due to continental shift that lasted over a million years, India pushed northwards, jamming
against Asia to buckle its crust and form the Himalayas. Then South America drifted off to join
North America and while doing so created the Drake Passage and a cold circumpolar current. All
this made Antarctica a frigid, desolate spot at the bottom of the world.
12. How does one lose the sense of perspective and time at the Antarctica?

One loses his sense of perspective and time sensing the Austral Summer. The visual scale is large.
You can see from the microscopic to the mighty, i.e., the smallest to the biggest. One can find
midges and mites (the small ones) to the blue whales and huge icebergs (the mighty ones). The
omnipresent silence is often interrupted by an occasional avalanche.

13 How has man made mayhem after his arrival on the planet?

Man came on the scene of Earth only a brief while ago, if we consider the age of the Earth in
hours. In this short period he has made a rumpus, creating villages to mega cities. The resources
available are limited but the growing human population has been anarchic. The complete
burning of the fossil fuels has created a blanket of carbon dioxide around the world. This has
increased the average global temperature.

14 What two conditions make Antarctica important for the future of mankind?

Antarctica is a crucial element when we talk about the future or the end of the Earth. There are
two reasons for it. Firstly, it has not sustained any human population. So the witnesses of the
past history have not been tampered with. The region has remained relatively pristine. Secondly
the half-millionyear-old carbon records are safe under the layers of ice.

15. What is “students on ice”? What are its objectives?

“Students on Ice” is a programme headed by a Canadian Geoff Green. Initially, Geoff Green was
escorting celebrities to the ends of the word. Since the celebrities were going there for the fun of
it, there were no gains for mankind. They could give back only in terms of money. So, Green
decided to take high school students, who are the future policy makers at an age when they are
ready to absorb learn and act. The trip hopes to provide them with inspiring educational
opportunities. These opportunities will help them develop a new understanding and respect for
our planet.

16 Why has the programme “Students on Ice” been successful?

The programme “Students on Ice” has been taking high school students to the ends of the world
at an age when they are ready to absorb learn and act. Moreover, it is easy to sit and talk about
environmental changes sitting comfortably in the classrooms. But when a student goes and sees
the poles he is definitely affected by the glaciers retreating and ice shelves collapsing.

17. Why does the narrator say “Take care of small things, the big things will fall into place”?
Phytoplankton is the grass of the sea. It is a single celled plant. It nourishes and sustains the
entire Southern Ocean’s food chain. They assimilate carbon and synthsise organic compounds
through photosynthesis. If there is a further depletion of the ozone layer, the process of
photosynthesis will be affected and phytoplankton will become extinct and put an end to the
food cycle of the Southern Ocean. It will also affect the global carbon cycle and lead to
catastrophe.

18. Why did Geoff Green decide not to take celebrities to the poles?

Geoff Green decided not to take celebrities to the poles because they could give back “very
little” in the form of monetary benefits only. They are past their prime and have less time and
energy to work for the betterment of the environment which is a major concern. On the other
 hand, it will make way for students as they can give much more. Students are the future of our
planet who have the will and power to act for a better world

Answer the following questions in 100 to 120 words.

1. How is the study of Antarctica useful to us?

Ans. The world’s geological history is trapped in Antarctica. Therefore, the study of Antarctica shows
that India and Antarctica were part of a supercontinent named Gondwana. This supercontinent
existed 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. The globe was shaped much as
we know it today. A cold circumpolar current was created. It made Antarctica frigid.

2. What lessons can be learnt from an expedition to Antarctica?

Ans. While in Antarctica, one can witness the ice-sheets breaking, water level rising, seals taking sun
bath on the ice floes. One can also walk on the thin layers of ice and feel the life under ones feet.
One can see icebergs as big as a small country. And earlier these ice sheets were many times bigger
than their present size. One can see a green patch of phytoplankton – a microscopic grass that feeds
the entire marine life. Lastly, if one can get a chance to dig a bit, one can be lucky to see the fossils of
half a million years old animals, plants and birds that got killed in the previous ice-age. This way one
can learn the lesson of the slow impending death of the planet earth and therefore take some
constructive actions to save it from its doom.