Robert Falcon Scott In the late 1800s, Antarctica was the last continent on Earth that had yet to be explored. Explorers from all over the world planned expeditions to claim what they could of the icy, untouched terrain. The ultimate goal was to be the first to reach the South Pole.
The first man from Great Britain to attempt the feat was a man named Robert Falcon Scott. On his first polar journey from 1901-1904, he fell short of reaching the Pole, but still returned home a hero. Not only had he set a new record for the farthest southern point ever reached, he also had conducted important scientific work along the way.
Three years later, however, a new record was set. Ernest Shackleton, one of the men from Scott's previous expedition, had set out on his own and come even closer to the Pole-though he still did not reach it. Shackleton was made a knight when he returned home to Great Britain. When Scott learned of his colleague's failed attempt, a new fire was lit in him.
Across the North Sea, another explorer by the name of Roald Amundsen was also determined to be the first person to reach the South Pole. Amundsen's dream from the time he was a child was to be the first to reach the North Pole. However, when that dream was shattered when other explorers beat him to it, Amundsen shifted his focus south. Some reports say that he began making plans in secret because he was afraid his government would stop him. Others say it was to avoid increasing British competition.
Both Amundsen and Scott planned carefully and had years of expertise and experience on their side. Their objectives and tactics, however, varied, and ultimately determined who won the race. For example, Scott included a scientist in his crew to conduct experiments, as he had before. To him, this was an important aim of exploration. Alternatively, the only purpose of Amundsen's expedition was to reach the Pole. This exclusive focus gave Amundsen the benefit of being able to put all his energy and resources toward his goal.
Another major difference was the explorers' strategies for crossing the harsh Antarctica terrain. Amundsen used highly trained dogs to pull sleds, which made travel swift and efficient. The Norwegian team was also skilled on skis, which was a significant advantage.
Although Scott's original plan included motorized sleds, these were soon abandoned because of mechanical failures. His team was left to rely on dogs and ponies that were not as well adapted to polar conditions as Amundsen's dogs. As men were forced to return to the base camp with the dogs and ponies, the remaining men pulled the sleds themselves, which was difficult and slow. Scott's choice to use ponies was harmful to the expedition in other ways. This proved detrimental on their return journey.
Scott's push for the South Pole began three weeks later than Amundsen's. While Amundsen had exceptionally good weather for travel, Scott experienced the opposite. He wrote, "Our luck in weather is preposterous." From December 4 to December 8, 1911, Scott and his crew were confined to their tents-forced to wait out a series of howling blizzards. As they ate away their precious rations, time slipped through their hands. By the time Scott's party reached the South Pole on January 17, 1912, the Norwegians had come and gone.
Scott's log records: "This is an awful place and terrible enough for us to have labored to it without reward of priority." They had lost crucial time in reaching the Pole and now faced the grim prospect of heading back to their base camp during the increasingly frigid Antarctic autumn. It was a journey they would never complete.

Which statement is an objective summary of the passage?
Robert Falcon Scott was not the first person to reach the South Pole, but he was the bravest and smartest explorer to try.
Robert Falcon Scott had a perfectly planned expedition to the South Pole that failed because of bad luck.
Robert Falcon Scott attempted to reach the South Pole first, but was beaten there by Roald Amundsen.
Robert Falcon Scott succeeded in reaching the South Pole after he first made a failed attempt.