Class 12 English - KARNATAKA
Supplementary: Journey to the End of the Earth
Supplementary: Journey to the End of the Earth by Tishani Doshi recounts her expedition to Antarctica aboard the Russian research vessel Akademik Shokalskiy. The chapter serves as a stark reminder of the threats posed by global warming and climate change. It highlights the significance of Antarctica as the only place on Earth that holds the key to understanding the planet's past, present, and future. For Karnataka (KSEEB) Class 12 board exams, this chapter is crucial for testing reading comprehension, environmental awareness, and the ability to extract central themes from travelogues.
Start Learning FreeKey Concepts
Gondwana Supercontinent
A giant landmass that existed 650 million years ago, centered roughly around present-day Antarctica, before it broke apart into the continents and countries we know today.
Significance of Antarctica
Antarctica is pristine and unblemished by human presence, preserving half-million-year-old carbon records trapped in ice layers, making it vital for studying Earth's climate history.
Phytoplankton
Single-celled microscopic grasses of the Southern Ocean that nourish and sustain the entire southern ocean's food chain and rely heavily on the ozone layer.
Students on Ice Programme
An educational journey initiated by Canadian Geoff Green that takes high school students to the ends of the world to foster a new understanding and respect for our planet.
Geological Epoch - Holocene
The current geological epoch characterized by a relatively warm and stable climate, which has now been disrupted by human interventions and anthropogenic activities.
Important Formulas
Board Exam Info
In the Karnataka (KSEEB) Class 12 English exams, this chapter regularly features in the supplementary reading section. It typically carries about 4 to 6 marks, appearing as long-answer questions (5 marks) requiring critical analysis or short-answer questions (2-3 marks) focusing on the author's experiences, the role of students on ice, and ecological significance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Antarctica the best place to study Earth's past and future?
Antarctica holds ice cores half a million years old trapped in its snow layers and remains largely pristine, providing an undisturbed record of the Earth's climatic history and future warming trends.
What was the objective of the 'Students on Ice' programme?
The programme aimed to take high school students to Antarctica to provide them with inspiring educational opportunities, making them realize the alarming scale of global warming and turning them into policy-makers of tomorrow.
How do small changes in phytoplankton affect the environment?
Phytoplankton are microscopic marine plants that use sun energy to assimilate carbon and synthesize organic compounds. Depletion of the ozone layer directly affects their activities, which in turn disrupts the entire food chain of marine animals and birds of the region.
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