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Chapter Analysis
Intermediate5 pages • EnglishQuick Summary
The chapter 'Journey to the end of the Earth' by Tishani Doshi describes an enlightening expedition to Antarctica aboard the Russian research vessel, Akademik Shokalskiy. It portrays Antarctica’s pristine landscape as a critical site for understanding Earth’s geological history and the potential future impacts of climate change. The narrative emphasizes the significance of the Students on Ice program, which aims to educate and inspire young people regarding environmental stewardship. The chapter highlights the interconnectedness of Earth's systems and the urgent need to address the challenges posed by global warming.
Key Topics
- •Antarctica's geological history
- •Impact of climate change
- •Students on Ice program
- •Global warming evidence
- •Human influence on nature
- •Phytoplankton role
- •Geological evolution
- •Environmental stewardship
Learning Objectives
- ✓Understand the significance of Antarctica in studying Earth's history.
- ✓Explore the impact of climate change through direct observation in Antarctica.
- ✓Analyze the role of educational programs in environmental awareness.
- ✓Discuss the interconnectedness of Earth's ecosystems.
- ✓Evaluate the evidence of human impact on polar regions.
- ✓Reflect on the importance of proactive environmental actions.
Questions in Chapter
‘The world's geological history is trapped in Antarctica.’ How is the study of this region useful to us?
Answer: Antarctica holds in its ice-cores half-million-year-old carbon records trapped in its layers of ice, useful for studying Earth's past, present, and future.
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What are Geoff Green’s reasons for including high school students in the Students on Ice expedition?
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‘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?
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Why is Antarctica the place to go to, to understand the earth’s present, past and future?
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Additional Practice Questions
Explain how climate change is evidenced by the conditions in Antarctica.
mediumAnswer: In Antarctica, visible signs such as retreating glaciers and collapsing ice shelves provide tangible evidence of global warming, highlighting the critical impact of human activities on climate change.
Discuss the role of the Students on Ice program in shaping future environmental policy makers.
mediumAnswer: The Students on Ice program provides young students with firsthand experience of the Antarctic environment, aiming to inspire a new generation of policy-makers to take action on climate change by witnessing the effects of global warming.
Why are phytoplankton important to the Antarctic ecosystem?
easyAnswer: Phytoplankton, as single-celled plants, form the base of the Southern Ocean's food chain by assimilating carbon through photosynthesis, thereby supporting marine life and contributing to the global carbon cycle.
What can the history of Gondwana tell us about the current geographical distribution of continents?
hardAnswer: Gondwana, a supercontinent from which today's continents originated, illustrates the dynamic nature of Earth's crust and tectonic movements, shaping our current geographical layout and helping us understand evolutionary processes.
How does human activity contribute to changes in Antarctica’s environment?
mediumAnswer: Human activities, such as burning fossil fuels, have increased atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, causing global warming that threatens to melt polar ice caps and disrupt the ecological balance in Antarctica.