Chapter 3 Journey to the end of the Earth Solutions
Question - 21 : - What are phytoplanktons? What is their importance?
Answer - 21 : -
Phytoplanktons, the grasses of the sea, are single-celled organisms living in the southern ocean. They nourish and sustain the entire ocean’s food chin, being first link in the food chain of ocean. Using sun’s energy, they assimilate carbon and synthesize organic compounds.
The diminishing number of these organisms due to the depletion of ozone layers affects other organisms of the ocean, finally leading to the extinction of life on earth.
Question - 22 : - Why does the author feel that the prognosis for the human beings is not healthy?
Answer - 22 : -
The world is battling an ever increasing population, leading to burning of fossil fuels. This has created a blanket of carbon dioxide around the world thereby increasing global temperatures. All this is hazardous and life threatening for all flora and fauna. Hence the future of mankind in fact, all life on earth, is bleak. So, the author is correct in saying that the prognosis for man is not encouraging and healthy. . , j
Question - 23 : - Why is it necessary to remain fully equipped while walking on ice?
Answer - 23 : -
While walking on ice, the troupe was fully kitted out in Gore-Tex (type of spiked boots that help in walking on ice) and glares. The spiked boots protect them from falling down on ice which might result in injury and the glares protect the eyes because the sunglasses can injure their eyes, particularly the ratina.
Question - 24 : - Do you think that programmes like the Students on Ice do more harm than good? Support your answer.
Answer - 24 : -
I personally feel that such trips do more harm than good. We have ruined the earth as much as we could and as wide as we could go, because Antarctica was far away and extremely cold. But now we have so many reasons to go to this pristine continent. Let’s not encourage such trips. After all, what else do we have to learn about the earth than the fact that we have been running a business, not a service. Please spare Antarctica.
Student on Ice is an educational journey to Antarctica. It took high school students to Antarctica where they understood the seriousness of the threat that the end of the earth is quite near. By visiting Antarctica they would act their bit to save the planet from further deterioration. The educational youth of today is the hope for the earth and if they are more informed and more aware of the weakening strength of the earth, they will be able to steer the government machinery of their countries as they grow up.
Question - 25 : - Does the study of the lesson give you a feeling that man is his own great enemy?
Answer - 25 : -
In his 12000-year-long stint on the earth so far man has caused untold harm to the planet, its environment and biodiversity. His activities in the name of development have spelt doom for the flora and fauna and his own existence is in danger. Man is to blame for all the havoc and ruckus created on earth. Thus it is quite right that man is his own great enemy.
Question - 26 : - What is the significance of the title ‘Journey to the End of the Earth’?
Answer - 26 : -
The title ‘Journey to the End of the Earth’, has more than one meaning. It describes an educational journey to Antarctica undertaken by a group of high school students. To learn more about the real impact of global warming and future of the earth 52 students went to the coldest, driest, windiest continent in the world called Antarctica in Russian research vessel, the Akademik Shokalskiy.
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 as many 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 the earth, was 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 of the earth; the earth is journeying to its end.
Question - 27 : - The author says, ‘It was nothing short of a revelation: everything does connect.’What does it mean?
Answer - 27 : -
Antarctica is a perfect place to study how little changes in the environment can have big repercussions as far as Antarctica is concerned. Various human activities like exploiting the limited resources and careless burning of fossil fuel have already created a blanket of carbon dioxide, increased the average global temperatures and caused the retreating of glaciers, melting of ice caps and collapse of ice shelves as far as Antarctica. Global warming does not only change the geographical features, but also cause depletion in the ozone layer which will affect the activities of the phytoplanktons, the tall grasses which support the lives of marine animals and birds of the region. Hence, the author says everything does connect and all human activities are interlinked with the geological phenomena, whatever be the geological distance.
Question - 28 : - By whom and with what objective was Students on Ice programme started? How far has it achieved its goals?
Answer - 28 : -
The Students on Ice programme was started by Canadian Geoff Green. He felt students are the future generation of policy-makers. They should be provided an opportunity to have this life¬changing experience at a young age in order to foster a new understanding and respect for our planet. It would help them to absorb, learn and, more importantly, act for the benefit of the planet.
Geoff Green was tired of taking celebrities and retired rich curiosity seekers who could only give back in a limited way. It means Geoff wanted something in return from his passengers to solve the problems relating to climate changes due to environmental pollution. It is difficult to imagine or be affected by the polar ice caps melting while sitting in our living rooms and so this visible life changing expence is important. Hence, this programme made the children learn that to save big things, small . things must be cared for.
Question - 29 : - What makes Antarctica an ideal subject of study?
Answer - 29 : -
Antarctica is the only place in the world which has never sustained a human population. It thus remains relatively pristine in this respect. But, more importantly, it holds in its ice core, half a million- year-old carbon records trapped in its layers of life. Antarctica has a simple ecosystem and lack of biodiversity. It is, therefore, a perfect place to study how little changes in the environment can have big repercussions. Visiting Antarctica means knowing where we have come from and where we could possibly be heading. This place holds the key to know the geological evolution and it shall reveal the earth’s past, present and future.
Question - 30 : - The author states that her Antarctic experience was full of epiphanies, but the best occurred just short of the Antarctic Circle of 65-55 degrees south? Explain.
Answer - 30 : -
Epiphanies is a Christian festival that celebrates the revelation or enlightenment. Here epiphanies are used metaphorically to suggest moments when the author suddenly becomes conscious of something that is very important to her.
The author experienced the rare of the rarest experiences there in Antarctica both in relation to beauty, wonder, and geological phenomena. Such masterly geological epiphany was experienced by her when the Akademik Shokalskiy got wedged into a thick white stretch of ice between the peninsula and Tadpole Island. The captain decided to turn around and asked the passengers to walk on the ocean. They kitted out in Gore-Tex and glares, walking on a white sheet of ice. Underneath their feet was a metre-thick ice pack. And underneath that, 180 metres of living breathing, saltwater lay before them. In the periphery, crabeater seals were stretching and sunning themselves on ice floes. They were doing so like stray clogs will do under the shade of a banyan tree. It was nothing short of revelation. The author saw in it that everything does indeed connect. This really proved to be the most wonderful experience of all experiences of Antarctica.