CHAPTER:3
Journey To The End Of The Earth Tishani
Doshi
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SUMMARY
The chapter tells
us about Tishani Doshi’s journey to the Antarctic Ocean in three parts viz.
Part of History, Human Impact and Walk on the Ocean. The first part describes
that the history of Gondwana region is 650 million years old. The Antarctica
was the part of Gondwana region, which got separated from it due to the
drifting of landmass which resulted in forming of different nations. A visit
to Antarctica makes us understand the significance of Cordilerran folds,
Pre-Cambrian granite shields, ozone, carbon etc.
The second part
leads us to imagine the immensity of damage that human interference in nature
has caused. It is only due to disastrous human activities that the globe is
moving towards the verge of extinction. The programme Students on Ice with
which the narrator is working provides the students with inspiring
educational opportunities. The programme is guided by Geoff Greene, a
Canadian who gets tired of guiding celebrities to such a place and feels that
taking students to the Antarctica will give future generation of
policy-makers a life changing experience.
The last part is a
narration of their walk on the ocean and the thrill the team of 52 had there.
Moreover, it also poses a question, “How would it be if Antarctica were to
become the warm place that it once used to be?
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GLOSSARY
Vessel - Ship,
Boat
Profound - Deep,
Intense
Amalgamated - Blended,
Mixed
Thrive - Prosper,
Flourish
Flora - Vegetation,
Plants
Fauna - Zoology,
Animal kingdom
Mind-boggling - Staggering,
Overwhelming
Desolate - Uninhabited,
Deserted
Buckle - Fasten,
Hook
Frigid - Frozen,
Icy
Crust - Layer,
Covering
Devoid - Lacking,
Free
Surreal - Unrealistic,
Dreamlike
Austral - Related
to south
Ubiquitous - Pervasive,
Ever-present
Consecrates - Sanctifies, Blesses
Calving - Breaking,
Setting loose
Prognosis - Prophesy,
Prediction
Ruckus - Disturbance, Din
Etching - Carving,
Engraving
Unmitigated - Unrelieved, Unabated
Pristine - Original,
Pure
Carting - Carrying
Blase - Indifferent,
Nonchalant
Assimilate - Absorb,
Imbibe
Parable - Story,
Fable
Epiphanies - Manifestation,
Revelation
Wedge - Force,
Thrust
Gangplank - A
ramp used as a removable footway
Gore-Tex - Waterproof
fabric
Floe - Ice
mass
SHORT
ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS
1. How do the geological phenomena help us know about the
history of humankind?
Ans: The geological phenomena tell us about the changes
that are taking place and which have taken place on this planet which is
directly related to the evolution of mankind. By studying the details stored in
geological elements, one can understand the development stages of human being.
2. Why does the writer compare the Antarctic continent with a
giant ping-pong ball?
Ans: The writer compares the Antarctic continent with a
giant ping-pong ball because it is devoid of any human markers- no trees,
billboards, buildings. People lose all earthly sense of perspective and time
there.
3. Why is Antarctica
crucial?
Ans: Antarctica is crucial because it has never sustained
any human population and more importantly it holds in its ice-cores
half-million-year-old carbon records trapped in the layer of ice.
4. Which programme was Tishani Doshi working with? What does it
aim to do?
Ans: Tishani Doshi was working with Students on Ice. It
aims to study the earth’s present, past and future by providing them inspiring
educational opportunities.
5. Why taking students to Antarctica is more important than
taking celebrities?
Ans: Taking students to Antarctica is more
important because celebrities can give back only in a limited way but it can be
a life changing experience for students at an age when they are ready to
absorb, learn, and most importantly act.
6. What does the
parable of phytoplankton suggest?
Ans: The parable of phytoplankton is a great
metaphor of existence. It says that if we take care of small things, the big
things will automatically fall into place.
7. How did the author
reach Antarctica?
Ans: Tishani Doshi reached
Antarctica after travelling over hundred hours. She had to travel by a car, an
airplane and a Russian research ship ‘Akademik Shokalskiy’. Her journey began
13.09 degrees north of Equator in Madras. She crossed nine time zones, six
checkpoints, three oceans and at least as many ecospheres.
8. What were the author’s first emotions on setting foot on the
Antarctic continent?
Ans: Tishani Doshi’s first
emotion on seeing the far flung white landscape and uninterrupted blue horizon
was relief. This was followed by wonder at its vastness and immensity. Itsisolation from
rest of the world created a sense of mystery.
9. How long have the human civilizations been around? How has
it affected the earth and its resources?
Ans: Human civilization has
been around for merely 12000 years. In a very short time, man has left an
indelible mark. Human population battles with other species for limited
resources. The unmitigated burning of fossil fuel has created a blanket of
carbon dioxide which is increasing the
average global temperature.
10. What are
phytoplanktons? How are they useful?
Ans: Phytoplanktons are
microscopic, single-celled plants of the sea. They absorb carbon and synthesize
organic compounds by photosynthesis. They are fed upon by marine animals.
LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTION
1. Why is Antarctica the place to go to, to understand the
earth’s present, past and future?
Ans: Antarctica is one of the places in the world
which has never sustained any human population and therefore remains relatively
pristine in this respect but more importantly it holds in its ice-cores
half-million-year-old carbon records trapped in its layers of ice. Every
developmental change is recorded and preserved in this natural refrigerator
which can be studied any time for detailed analysis of the facts. It can reveal
to us how the things were in the past; why they are so in present and what it
has in store for us.
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