Here is a comprehensive guide to Chapter 3, “Journey to the End of the Earth,” from the VISTAS textbook, created to help you prepare thoroughly for your upcoming AHSEC Class 12 exams. This guide includes a summary, complete textual answers, previous years’ AHSEC questions, and other important questions.
Chapter 3:
Journey to the End of the Earth
by Tishani Doshi
Summary Note
“Journey to the End of the Earth” is a travelogue by Tishani Doshi detailing her expedition to Antarctica on a Russian research vessel. The trip is part of the ‘Students on Ice’ program, which aims to educate high school students about climate change and the planet’s ecosystem. Doshi explains that Antarctica, once the heart of the ancient supercontinent Gondwana, is crucial for understanding Earth’s history. It holds half-million-year-old carbon records in its ice, which are vital for studying climate change.
The author reflects on the destructive impact of human civilization in a very short period. She argues that experiencing Antarctica firsthand—seeing glaciers retreat and ice shelves collapse—makes the threat of global warming undeniably real. The program’s goal is to create a new generation of environmentally conscious leaders. The most profound moment for the author is walking on the frozen ocean, which makes her realize the deep interconnectedness of all life on Earth. The story is a powerful call to action, urging us to care for the small things to preserve the planet’s delicate balance.
Complete Textual Question and Answer
1. ‘The world’s geological history is trapped in Antarctica.’ How is the study of this region useful to us?
Answer: The study of Antarctica is useful to us because it provides a unique insight into the Earth’s geological past. The continent was once the center of the supercontinent Gondwana, and by studying it, we can understand how the world’s landmasses formed. More importantly, Antarctica’s ice layers hold half-million-year-old carbon records, which act as a frozen time capsule. By examining these ice cores, scientists can learn about the planet’s past climate and atmosphere, which is essential for understanding the causes and effects of present-day global warming and for predicting future climate changes.
2. What are Geoff Green’s reasons for including high school students in the ‘Students on Ice’ expedition?
Answer: Geoff Green includes high school students in the expedition because he believes they are the policy-makers of the future. He feels that it is the right age for them to absorb the realities of climate change and be inspired to act. Unlike older tourists who may not have the same capacity to effect change, young students are at a point in their lives where a life-changing experience like visiting Antarctica can shape their future careers and decisions. The goal is to create a new generation of leaders who are aware of environmental issues and motivated to protect the planet.
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: This statement is highly relevant in the context of the Antarctic environment because it highlights the principle of interconnectedness in an ecosystem. The author uses the example of the microscopic phytoplankton, which are tiny, single-celled plants. Although they are small, they form the base of the entire Southern Ocean’s food chain and play a crucial role in the global carbon cycle. A small negative impact on the phytoplankton, such as from ozone depletion, could have massive, catastrophic consequences for the entire marine ecosystem. This shows that the health of the entire planet (the big thing) depends on the well-being of its smallest organisms (the small things).
4. Why is Antarctica the place to go to, to understand the earth’s present, past and future?
Answer: Antarctica is the perfect place to understand the Earth’s present, past, and future because it is a relatively untouched continent that holds crucial geological records. Firstly, it has never had a significant human population, so it remains ‘pristine’ and shows us what the world was like before human impact. Secondly, its ice sheets contain half-million-year-old carbon records trapped in layers. These records allow scientists to study past climate patterns, understand the impact of current human activities on the environment, and create models to predict the future of our planet under the threat of climate change.
Previous Year AHSEC Question Answers (2015-2025)
Short Answer Questions (2 Marks)
1. What is Gondwana? (AHSEC 2015, 2018)
Answer: Gondwana was a giant, amalgamated southern supercontinent that existed about 650 million years ago. It was centered around the area of present-day Antarctica and included the landmasses of South America, Africa, Australia, and India, which later broke apart and drifted to form the continents we know today.
2. What is the ‘Students on Ice’ programme? (AHSEC 2016, 2019, 2022)
Answer: ‘Students on Ice’ is an educational expedition program headed by Canadian Geoff Green. It takes high school students to polar regions like Antarctica to give them a direct, hands-on learning experience about the planet’s ecosystem and the effects of climate change, aiming to inspire them to become environmentally conscious leaders.
3. Why is a visit to Antarctica important to realise the effect of global warming? (AHSEC 2017, 2020)
Answer: A visit to Antarctica is important because it makes the threat of global warming tangible and real. Instead of just reading about climate change, one can visibly see its effects, such as retreating glaciers and collapsing ice shelves. This direct observation provides a powerful and unforgettable understanding of the planet’s fragility.
4. How did the author travel to Antarctica? (AHSEC 2023)
Answer: The author undertook a long journey of over 100 hours to reach Antarctica. Her travel involved using a combination of a car, an aeroplane, and finally, a Russian research ship named the Akademik Shokalskiy. During her journey, she crossed nine time zones, six checkpoints, and three bodies of water.
Long Answer Questions (5-7 Marks)
1. How can a visit to Antarctica be an enlightening experience? Discuss. (AHSEC 2017)
Answer: A visit to Antarctica can be an enlightening experience as it offers a profound perspective on Earth’s history and our place in it. The continent’s immense, white landscape and isolation make you lose all earthly sense of time and perspective, forcing you to think on a geological scale. It allows you to understand the concept of the supercontinent Gondwana and how the world map was formed. Most importantly, it provides a stark visualization of climate change. Witnessing glaciers retreating and ice shelves collapsing firsthand is a shocking and motivating experience. The simplicity of its ecosystem, where a microscopic organism like phytoplankton supports the entire food chain, teaches a powerful lesson about interconnectedness. This journey transforms one’s understanding of our planet’s fragility and instills a sense of responsibility to protect it.
2. Describe the author’s journey to the end of the earth. (AHSEC 2019)
Answer: The author’s journey to the “end of the earth”—Antarctica—was an extensive expedition that took over 100 hours. Starting from Madras, India, her journey involved multiple modes of transport, including a car, an aeroplane, and a ship. She traveled across nine time zones, six checkpoints, and three oceans before finally reaching her destination aboard the Russian research vessel, the Akademik Shokalskiy. Upon arrival, she was struck with a profound sense of wonder at the continent’s vastness, isolation, and stark beauty. The journey was not just a physical one but also a journey back in time, allowing her to contemplate the Earth’s geological history and the ancient supercontinent of Gondwana.
Most Important Question Answers
1. What were the author’s feelings on reaching Antarctica?
Answer: Upon reaching Antarctica after her long journey, the author’s primary feeling was one of profound wonder. She was overwhelmed by the continent’s immense, white landscape and its stark isolation. She was also filled with a sense of curiosity and amazement, particularly at the thought that India and Antarctica were once part of the same landmass. This initial impression set the stage for the deep ecological and philosophical reflections that followed.
2. What is phytoplankton and what is its importance?
Answer: Phytoplankton are microscopic, single-celled plants that live in the ocean and are described as the “grasses of the sea.” Their importance is immense as they form the foundation of the entire Southern Ocean’s food chain, sustaining all marine life in the region. Through photosynthesis, they also play a critical role in the global carbon cycle. The author uses them as an example to show that even the smallest organisms are vital to the planet’s health.
3. Describe the “walk on the ocean” experience.
Answer: The “walk on the ocean” was a unique and memorable experience for the author. When their ship got stuck in the ice, the captain instructed all 52 passengers to get down and walk on the frozen surface of the ocean. They were walking on a metre-thick ice pack, beneath which lay 180 metres of living salt water. This surreal experience, surrounded by seals sunning themselves on ice floes, gave the author a profound realization that everything in nature is interconnected.
4. Why does the author say that for humans, “the prognosis isn’t good”?
Answer: The author says “the prognosis isn’t good” for humans because of the rapid and extensive damage we have caused to the environment in a very short span of geological time. In just 12,000 years, human activities like the burning of fossil fuels have created a blanket of carbon dioxide, leading to global warming. This has resulted in the domination of nature, conflict with other species for limited resources, and the destabilization of the planet’s climate, posing a significant threat to our own future.
