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Read the extract and answer the following questions.
Extract:
Nine time zones, six checkpoints, three bodies of water and many ecospheres later, I was still wondering about the beauty of balance in play on our planet. How would it be if Antarctica were to become the warm place that it once used to be? Will we be around to see it, or would we have gone the way of the dinosaurs, mammoths and woolly rhinos? Who’s to say? But after spending two weeks with a bunch of teenagers who still have the idealism to save the world, all I can say is that a lot can happen in a million years, but what a difference a day makes!
(Journey to the end of the Earth)
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Question (i)
How many time zones did the author cross during his expedition to Antarctica?
- Three
- Six
- Nine
- Twelve
Answer:
Answer as written by the student:
(c) Nine
Step-by-step explanation: 🧐
- The author crossed nine time zones during his expedition to Antarctica.
- This is stated in the first sentence of the extract, where the author says "Nine time zones, six checkpoints, three bodies of water and many ecospheres later".
- A time zone is a region of the Earth that has a uniform standard time for legal, commercial, and social purposes.
- Antarctica itself has several time zones, depending on the location of the research stations and the countries that operate them.
Question (ii)
What does the author mean by "the beauty of balance in play on our planet" in the extract?
- The harmony and diversity of nature and its ecosystems
- The stability and equilibrium of climate and its cycles
- The symmetry and proportion of geography and its features
- The fairness and justice of society and its systems
Answer:
Answer as written by the student:
(b) The stability and equilibrium of climate and its cycles
Step-by-step explanation: 🤓
- The author means the stability and equilibrium of climate and its cycles by "the beauty of balance in play on our planet" i n the extract.
- This is implied by the context of the extract, which is about Antarctica and its role in global ecology and climate.
- The author wonders about how Antarctica used to be a warm place in the past, and how it might change again in the future.
- The author also implies that Antarctica is a crucial element in maintaining the balance of climate on Earth , as it influences the ocean currents, atmospheric circulation, and carbon cycle.
Question (iii)
Fill in the blank with an appropriate word.
The author spent two weeks with a bunch of ___________ who still have the idealism to save the world.
Answer:
Answer as written by the student:
teenagers
Step-by-step explanation: 🙃
- The word that fits in the blank is teenagers, which are young people between the ages of 13 and 19.
- The author spent two weeks with a bunch of teenagers who still have the idealism to save the world.
- This is stated in the last sentence of the extract, where the author reflects on his experience with Students on Ice, a programme that takes high school students to Antarctica and other polar regions.
- The author implies that these teenagers are motivated and inspired to learn about Antarctica and its issues, and to act on what they learned.
Question (iv)
Explain what the author means by "what a difference a day makes" in the last sentence of the extract.
Answer:
Answer as written by the student:
The author means that a single day can have a significant impact or change on someone's life or perspective.
Step-by-step explanation: 😊
- The author says "what a difference a day makes" in the last sentence of the extract as a contrast to his previous statement about a million years.
- The author suggests that while a lot can happen in a long span of time, such as geological and biological events, a single day can also have a profound effect on someone's personal experience.
- The author implies that his expedition to Antarctica was such an experience, as it made him wonder about the beauty of balance on Earth, and appreciate the idealism of the students he was with.
