TUTORIALS BY DR SEEMA RANI A Journey to

TUTORIALS BY DR. SEEMA RANI

A Journey to the End of the Earth Written by : Tishani Doshi

INTRODUCTION Poet, writer and dancer Tishani Doshi was born in Madras, India, to welsh and Gujarati parents. She is a freelance Journalist and her work has appeared in newspaper and Journals such as The Guardian, The National and The Hindu. She writes a regular column for New Indian Express. Her poetry books are Countries of the Body, Everything begins Elsewhere and Girls are coming. Her novels are The Pleasure Seekers, Fountainville, Small Days and Nights etc. The Lesson 'A Journey to the End of the Earth’ revolves around the World's most preserved place, Antarctica. This lesson is about her experience when she goes in a Journey to Antarctica on the Russian Vessel. Geoff Green leads it who takes interest in taking students on educational trips. Through this Journey the students will be helpful to discover the end of the earth. Thus the author goes Antarctica for educational purpose to learn more and more about the place. This study tour turns out to be very insightful as the students learn about the impact to global warming and how a little step can impact the environment greatly. In addition they also learn about the ice sheets of West Antarctica and if they will melt or not. It is the best Journey to know the past present and future of the planet earth.

Short Summary * The author started her journey in a Russian research Vessel, Akademik Shokalskiy' bound for Antarctica. Her Journey began 13. 09 degrees north of the Equator in Madras. * She travelled over 100 hours in combination of car, aeroplane and ship before she sat foot on Antarctica continent. * She stayed there for two weeks to know about Antarctica. * 40 percent of the Earth's total ice volumes stores here. It has no trees or buildings. Silence pervades everywhere. * Tishani Doshi wondered how these could have been time when India and Antarctica were part of the same landmass. * Geological Phenomena help us to know about the history of humankind. Six hundred and fifty million years ago, a giant supercontinent Gondwang - did exist. It was centred roughly around present day Antarctica.

* The climate was much warmer then. There were a variety of flora and fauna. Human had not arrived on the global scene yet. • Gondwana thrived for 500 million years. Then came the time when the dinosaurs were wiped out and the age of mammals began. * At that time, the landmass was forced to separate into countries, shaping the globe much as we know it today. * A visit to Antarctica gave the writer a deeper understanding of fold mountains, the earth's history, ecology and environment. * 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 have also affected Antarctica.

* Antarctica, though unpopulated, has been affected and these are concerns for its half a million years old carbon records trapped under the ice sheets. • ‘The students on Ice’ programme helps students to attain an understanding of ecosystem and biodiversity of our planet. * An amazing display of the food chain of the Southern Ocean helps in the understanding the further the depletion of the Ozone layer. * The simple truth is, take care of the small things and the bigger ones will automatically be taken care of. * Reaching home the writer wonders whether Antarctica will ever be warm again. If it happens, the results can be dangerous. How much a difference a million years can make and, that each day makes a difference. Antarctica is the perfect place to go to and understand the earth's persent , past and future.

Word Meaning Boarded Heading towards Continent Time Zones Check Point Landmass Giant Super continent Flora Fauna Thrived Shields Depletion Ice Floes Ice cap - Stepped onto a ship Moving towards A large mass of land surrounded by sea 24 areas of the world, each has its own time. Place on the boarders where officials check people and vehicles Large area of land Huge Greater than a continent Vegetation Birds and animals Prospered Protective plates Reduction in the quantity Ice floating in sea Permanent covering of Ice

SHORT-ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS Q. 1 How does Tishani Doshi describe her journey from Madras to the world’s coldest, driest and windiest continent? Ans. Doshi says that the journey began 13. 09 degrees north of the Equator in Madras. It involved crossing nine time zones, six checkpoints, three bodies of water and at least three ecospheres. She had to travel aver 100 lour in combination of car, aeroplane and ship. Q. 2 What do you know about ‘phytoplankton’ ? Ans. photosynthesis, they supply food and oxygen for all the marine animals and birds of the region. But global warming can affect the activities of these plants and the life of all creatures depending on them.

Q. 2 How did the author feel when she first set foot on Antarctic continent? Or How did Antarctica amaze the writer when she first saw it ? Ans. Antarctica’s expansive white landscape and uninterrupted blue horizon. Then she was amazed at its immensity and isolation. She wondered how there could have been a time when India and Antarctica were part of the same Landmass. Q. 3 What information does the author give about Gondwana? Ans. Six hundred and fifty million years ago, Gondwana was the southern supercontinent. It centered roughly around present-day Antarctica. Humans had not yet arrived on the global scene. The climate was much warmer. There was a huge variety of flora and fauna. Q. 4 For how long did Gondwana thrive, and when did it separate into various countries ? Ans. time when the dinosaur disappeared from the earth. It was when mammals had begun to appear.

Q. 5 What is Drake Passage ? How was in formed ? Ans. cold circumpolar current that goes round Antarctica. It was formed when India and South America separated from Gondwana and drifted northward. Q. 6 How were the Himalayas formed? Ans. Gondwana. Somehow it was pushed northward. It jammed against Asia, Its crust got buckled and thus the Himalayas were formed. Q. 7 What does the author say about the life of human civilizations? Ans. this time comes to a few seconds only. However, in this short time, man has created much ruckus. He has dominated nature.

Q. 8. What has been the result of rapid increase of human populations ? Ans. Therapidincreaseofhumanpopulationshasresultedinmanyproblems. Naturalresourceshave become limited. Thus a battle with other species has started. Limitless burning of fossil fuels has created a blanket of carbon dioxide around the world It has increased the average global temperature. Q. 9 Why is a visit to Antarctica important to realise the effect of global warming? Ans. A visit to Antarctica can show us the reality of receding glaciers and collapsing ice shelves. They can give us an indication of the horrible future. They can tell us how real the threat of global warming is. Q. 10 What is one of the most hotly contested environmental debates of our time and why? Ans. gradually. It is growing warmer and warmer. As a result, the polar ice caps will start melting. The danger of floods will thus increase.

Q. 11 How can a visit to Antarctica be an enlightening experience? Ans. how there was a time when India and South America used to be a part of the southern continent. Thus a visit to Antarctica can be an enlightening experience. Q. 12 How is Antarctica a crucial element in the debate on climate change? Ans. Antarctica that is going to determine the future of the earth. The polar ice caps will start melting and there will be floods everywhere. Thus Antarctica is a crucial element in the debate on climate change. Q. 13 What is unique and typical about Antarctica? Ans. remains pristine in this respect. Secondly, it holds half-million-year-old carbon records. They lie trapped in its layers of ice.

Q. 14 What was the objective of the "Students on Ice programme ? Ans. educational opportunities. Through their experiences, they could develop a new understanding and respect for their planet. Thus as future policy-makers, they could help to save the planet from the present dangers. Q. 15 What are the indications for the future of humankind? Ans. slowly but surely increasing. The threat of global warming is very real. These grave indications don't augur well for the future of humankind. Q. 16 Why is Antarctica and its understanding important for the survival of the world ? Ans. warming. glaciers are receding If this continues, the polar ice caps will start melting and there will be floods everywhere. This will bring about the end of the world. Thus Antarctica and its understanding is important for the survival of the world.

Q. 17 How do geological phenomena help us to know about the history of humankind? Ans. possibly heading. They tell us how the different continents were formed. Similarly, the melting of the polar caps can tell us where possibly we are heading. Q. 18 In a short span of twelve thousand years, man has managed to create a ruckus on this earth. Ans. sea. He has explored all the mineral wealth of the earth. Thus it is quite appropriate to say that man has managed to create a ruckus on this earth. Q. 19 How can you say that the "Students on Ice' programme has been successful ? The Ans. warming. Those who visited Antarctica under this programme, saw for themselves glaciers retreating and ice shelves collapsing. Thus they realized that the threat of global warming was very real.

LONG-ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS Q. 1 The world's geological history in trapped in Antarctica. How is the study of the region useful to us? Or How can we say that Antarctica is the best place to study and understand about Earth's present, past and future? Answer with reference to Journey to the End of the Earth.

dy The. Ans. how there was a time when India and South America used to be a pan of the southern supercontinent-Gondwana. Then about a million year ago, India pushed northward and jammed against Asia. Its crust buckled and formed the Himalayas. South America drifted off to join North America The study of Antarctica also tells us that it is the only place in the world that never had any human populations. It remains relatively pristine in this respect. It has in its ice cores half million-year-old carbon records. They are all trapped in its lavers of ice. Thus if we want to study and examine the Earths past, present and future. Antarctica is the place to go to. Its receding glaciers and collapsing ice shelves will tell us how real the threat of global warming is Thus the study of the region can be very useful to us. It can help us to learn from our mistakes.

Q. 2 What are Geoff Green's reasons for including high school students in the "Student on Ice expedition ? Ans. generation. They are our future policy makers. They have the ability to absorb, learn and act. That was why he included high school students in his expedition. By their visit to Antarctica, they could see for themselves how real the danger of global warming is. Receding glaciers and collapsing ice shelves could tell them how the danger of floods was increasing day by day: Thus they could develop a new understanding and respect for their planet. And when they grow up, they will take steps to stop the harms that are being done to the earth. They will take steps to fight such problems as the rapid increase of human populations and unmitigated burning of fossil fuels. They will take steps to ensure that life continues to exist on this planet. It was for these educational reasons that Geoff Green included high school students in the "Students an ice expedition.

Q. 3. "Take care of small things and the big things will take care of themselves. " What is the relevance of this statement in the content of the Antarctic environment? Ans. glaciers and collapsing ice shelves. But the danger of global warming starts from what appears to be a small thing It stars from the burning of fossil fuels. No harm can come if we make a wise and judicious use of these fuels. But we have started using them carelessly. Their overuse has disturbed the global carbon cycle. The ozone layer has been affected the very life on this globe has come in the danger of extinction. In other words, the neglect of small thing has resulted in a terrible danger. This big danger can be averted only if we become careful about mall things like the burning of fossil fuels and fast increase of population. The writer gives the example of phytoplankton whish are single-celled plants. They are grasses of the sea. These tiny plants form the food chain for all the marine animals and birds of the region. Thus the writer shows how big thing will take care of themselves if we take cure of small things. If we take care of phytoplankton, all marine life of the Southern Ocean will take care of itself.

Q. 4. What are phytoplankton ? How are they important to our ecosystem ? es copic ytoplankton are. Ans. Southern Ocean’s marine life. These single celled plants use the sun's energy to assimilate carbon dioxide through the wonderful process called photosynthesis. Scientists warn us that a further depletion in the ozone layer will affect the activities of phytoplankton. The harmful rays of the sun will enter the earth’s atmosphere and harm these single-celled plants. Their destruction will, in turn, affect the lives of all marine animals and binds of the region. Thus the phytoplankton grasses are very important to our ecosystem. By assimilating the atmospheric carbon dioxide, they serve a very useful purpose. Without them, the carbon dioxide level would increase to a harmful extent for all living things on the earth. Also a big source of food for marine life will disappear from the seas.

THANKS.