(i) No animal can survive without water.
► True
(ii) Deserts are endless sand dunes.
► False
(iii) Most snakes are harmless.
► True
(iv) Snakes cannot hear, but they can feel vibrations through the ground.
► True
(v) Camels store water in their humps.
► False
2. Answer the following questions.
(i) How do desert animals survive without water? (1)
Answer
Desert animals cannot survive without water. They find different ways of coping with the harsh desert conditions. For example, gerbils spend the hottest part of the day in cool underground
burrows. And darkling beetles catch moisture on their legs and then lift them into the air till the drops trickle down into their mouths.
(ii) How do mongooses kill snakes? (6)
Answer
Mongooses kill snakes without getting hurt themselves. Their reactions are so fast that they dodge each time the snake strikes. They continually make a nuisance of themselves, and after a while, when the snake gets tired, they quickly dive in for the kill.
(iii) How does the hump of the camels help them to survive when there is no water? (9)
Answer
The humps of the camels help the animal to survive in the desert, by acting as storage containers. The hump is full of fat that nourishes the camel when food is scarce. If they have nothing to eat for
several days, their humps shrink as the fat is used up.
B. Read the words/phrases in the box. With your partner find their meaning in the dictionary.
Harsh conditions harmless survive intruder threatened predators prey continually
Fill in the blanks in the following passage with the above words/phrases.
All animals in forests and deserts struggle to ______ in ______.
Though most of the animals are ______, some are dangerous when ______. If an ______ is noticed, they attack or bite to save themselves. They struggle ______ for food and water. Some animals are called ______ because they ______ on other animals.
Answer
All animals in forests and deserts struggle to survivein harsh conditions. Though most of the animals are harmless, some are dangerous when threatened. If an intruderis noticed, they attack or bite to save themselves. They struggle continuallyfor food and water. Some animals are called predatorsbecause they preyon other animals.