III. READING

a. Fill in each blank with one appropriate word in the box.

deserts temperature rainfall emerging

nocturnal cacti shortage continent

Deserts cover about one fifth of the earth‘s land are a. The desert is a harsh environment with very little (36) ________and extreme temperatures. Desert plants like (37) ___________ are not abundant; neither is animal life. Deserts are very dry regions with limited plant and animal life.

Some deserts get both very hot during the day and very cold during the night, when (38) __________ can drop well below freezing point. Some deserts, however, are always cold, for example the Gobi Desert in Asia, and the desert on the (39) ___________ of Antarctica

Different animals live in the different types of (40) _____________ Animals that live in the desert have adaptations to cope with the lack of water, the extreme temperatures, and the (41) _____________ of food. To avoid daytime heat, many desert animals are (42) __________. They burrow beneath the surface or hide in the shade during the day, (43) __________ at night to eat. Many desert animals do not have to drink at all; they get all the water they need from their food. Most desert animals are small.

One well-known desert plant is the _______, which has thick stems covered in spines but without leaves.