Previous Year Questions: Journey to the End of the Earth - Class 10 PDF Download

Extract-Based Questions

Extract 1: The rapid increase of human populations has left us battling with other species for limited resources, and the unmitigated burning of the fossil fuels has now created a blanket of carbon dioxide around the world, which is slowly but surely increasing the average global temperature. Climate change is one of the most hotly contested environmental debates of our time. Will the west Antarctic ice sheet melt entirely? Will the Gulf stream ocean current be disrupted? Will be the end of the world as we know it?

(i) List one way in which the increasing human population is affecting other species.

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​Ans: The increasing human population is battling with other species for limited resources, leading to competition and depletion of habitats and resources essential for their survival.

(ii) Choose the correct option that best reflects the tone of the writer in the last line of the extract. 
(A) happy and excited 
(B) encouraging and optimistic 
(C) anxious and concerned 
(D) spiteful and bitter

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​Ans: (C) anxious and concerned

(iii) Choose the correct option: ‘unmitigated burning of fossil fuels’ reflects the ______ (avaricious/furious) streak in man’s nature.

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​Ans: avaricious

(iv) In the above extract, what message is the author giving to mankind?

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​Ans: The author warns mankind about the dire consequences of unchecked population growth and fossil fuel use, urging action to address climate change to prevent catastrophic environmental impacts.

Extract 2: My Antarctic experience was full of such epiphanies, but the best occurred just short of the Antarctic Circle at 65.55 degrees south. The Shokalskiy had managed to wedge herself into a thick white stretch of ice between the peninsula and Tadpole Island which was preventing us from going any further. The Captain decided we were going to turn around and head back north, but before we did, we were all instructed to climb down the gangplank and walk on the ocean. So there we were, all 52 of us, kitted out in Gore-Tex and glares, walking on a stark whiteness that seemed to spread out forever. Underneath our feet was a metre-thick ice pack, In the periphery Crabeater seals were stretching and sunning themselves much like stray dogs.... It was nothing short of a revelation.

(i) Complete the following suitably. The passage suggests that the author’s Antarctic experience was ________.

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​Ans: The passage suggests that the author’s Antarctic experience was transformative and awe-inspiring.

(ii) Choose the correct option: The Shokalskiy was wedged in a thick stretch of ice. As a result the captain 
(a) felt frustrated by the obstacles 
(b) decided to surge ahead 
(c) remained there till the ice melted 
(d) decided to turn around

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Ans: (d) decided to turn around

(iii) What did the Captain instruct the team to do?

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​Ans: The Captain instructed the team to climb down the gangplank and walk on the ocean’s ice pack before turning back north.

(iv) Why does the writer describe what happens as an epiphany?

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​Ans: The writer describes walking on the ocean as an epiphany because the surreal experience of standing on a vast, frozen sea, surrounded by nature’s stark beauty, profoundly deepened her understanding of Antarctica’s pristine environment.

Extract 3: Six hundred and fifty million years ago, a giant amalgamated southern supercontinent Gondwana did indeed exist, centred roughly around the present-day Antarctica. Things were quite different then: humans hadn’t arrived on the global scene, and the climate was much warmer, hosting a huge variety of flora and fauna. For 500 million years Gondwana thrived, but around the time when the dinosaurs were wiped out and the age of mammals got under way, the landmass was forced to separate into countries, shaping the globe much as we know it today.

(i) What was the climate like in Antarctica before the humans arrived on the global scene?

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​Ans: Before humans arrived, Antarctica’s climate was much warmer, supporting a diverse variety of flora and fauna as part of the Gondwana supercontinent.

(ii) Gondwana existed nearly ________.

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​Ans: Gondwana existed nearly 650 million years ago.

(iii) Select the suitable option to complete the following: Gondwana, separating into countries, contributes to the reader’s understanding of the 
(a) complexity of geological processes 
(b) simplicity of continental formation 
(c) speed of geological changes 
(d) stability of ancient landmasses

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Ans: (a) complexity of geological processes

(iv) What difference does the author draw between then and now?

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​Ans: The author contrasts the warm, biodiverse Gondwana era, free of humans, with today’s colder Antarctica, highlighting how human presence and activities have significantly altered the global environment.

Extract 4: My journey began 13.09 degrees north of the Equator in Madras, and involved crossing nine time zones, six checkpoints, three bodies of water, and at least as many ecospheres. By the time I actually set foot on the Antarctic continent I had been travelling over 100 hours in combination of a car, an aeroplane, and a ship; so, my first emotion on facing Antarctica’s expansive white landscape and uninterrupted blue horizon was relief, followed up with an immediate and profound wonder.

(i) Complete the following suitably. The passage suggests that the author’s journey to Antarctica was ________.

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​Ans: The passage suggests that the author’s journey to Antarctica was arduous and extensive.

(ii) Select the correct option from those given in brackets to fill in the blank: The author highlights the numerous challenges and difficulties to emphasise the (remoteness/proximity) of Antarctica.

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​Ans: remoteness

(iii) How does the mention of crossing multiple time zones, checkpoints and bodies of water impact the writer? 
(a) is excited by the adventure of travel 
(B) feels indifferent towards the journey 
(c) is surprised by the number of obstacles 
(d) feels overwhelmed by the logistical challenges

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Ans: (d) feels overwhelmed by the logistical challenges

(iv) How does the description of the journey reflect the author’s initial emotions upon arriving in Antarctica?

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​Ans: The description of the long, complex journey reflects the author’s initial relief at reaching Antarctica, followed by profound wonder at its vast, pristine landscape, highlighting the contrast between the effort and the reward.

Short Answer Questions (40-50 words)

Q1: ‘Students on Ice Programme’ proves Geoff Green’s farsightedness. Explain with reference to the text of "Journey to the End of the Earth".

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​Ans: Geoff Green’s ‘Students on Ice Programme’ shows his farsightedness by educating young minds about climate change through direct exposure to Antarctica’s fragile ecosystem, fostering environmental awareness and inspiring future generations to act responsibly towards preserving the planet.

Q2: Why did Geoff Green start the ‘Students on Ice Programme’?

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​Ans: Geoff Green started the ‘Students on Ice Programme’ to educate students about climate change by providing hands-on experiences in Antarctica, helping them understand the planet’s ecological history and the urgent need to protect its environment.

Q3: What could be the reason for the disintegration of Gondwana?

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​Ans: The disintegration of Gondwana was likely caused by tectonic forces that shifted the Earth’s plates, breaking the supercontinent apart around the time dinosaurs went extinct, leading to the formation of modern continents.

Q4: Why is the microscopic phytoplankton of great importance in the Antarctica?

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​Ans: Microscopic phytoplankton in Antarctica are crucial as they form the base of the marine food chain, supporting diverse ecosystems, and play a significant role in carbon absorption, helping regulate global climate.

Q5: How have human beings contributed in the paltry amount of time they have been on this Earth?

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​Ans: In their short time on Earth, humans have caused significant environmental disruption through population growth, resource depletion, and fossil fuel burning, creating a carbon dioxide blanket that drives climate change.

Q6: Why did Geoff Green get tired of carting celebrities and the retired?

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​Ans: Geoff Green grew tired of escorting celebrities and retirees because they lacked the curiosity and engagement of students, who were more receptive to learning about Antarctica’s environmental challenges through the ‘Students on Ice Programme’.

Q7: What makes Tishani Doshi write that she felt as if she was walking into a giant ping-pong ball?

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​Ans: Tishani Doshi compares walking on Antarctica’s ice to a ping-pong ball due to the vast, stark white landscape and uninterrupted blue horizon, creating a surreal, spherical, and otherworldly visual experience.

Q8: "In that short time, we’ve managed to create quite a ruckus." What does Tishani Doshi refer to by "ruckus"?

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Ans: By “ruckus,” Tishani Doshi refers to the environmental havoc caused by humans through rapid population growth, resource exploitation, and fossil fuel burning, leading to climate change and ecological disruption.

Long Answer Questions (120-150 words)

Q1: How did Tishani Doshi’s visit to Antarctica as part of the Students on Ice Programme make her realise the importance of preserving the Earth?

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​Ans: Tishani Doshi’s visit to Antarctica through the Students on Ice Programme profoundly highlighted the urgency of preserving the Earth. Experiencing Antarctica’s pristine, fragile ecosystem firsthand, she witnessed the stark beauty and vulnerability of the region, learning about its geological history from Gondwana’s era to the present. The programme’s exposure to climate change impacts, like the potential melting of the West Antarctic ice sheet and phytoplankton’s role in carbon regulation, underscored humanity’s role in environmental degradation. Walking on the ice and observing wildlife, like Crabeater seals, brought epiphanies about the interconnectedness of ecosystems. Doshi realized that human actions, such as fossil fuel burning, threaten this delicate balance, emphasizing the need for collective action to mitigate climate change and protect the planet for future generations.