A desert is a special region where only certain
kinds of plants and animals can survive. All deserts
have very ___1___
water. This means that only animals and plants that
can ___2___
without water for long ___3___
of time can exist in the desert.
Plants in the deserts are particularly adapted ___4___
the dry and hot environment.
___5___ well-known desert plant is the
cactus. ___6___
many desert plants, this plant has very tiny leaves.
As plants lose most of their water ___7___
their leaves, the small leaves of the cactus help to
cut ___8___
water evaporation. There are ___9___
desert plants that do not have leaves at all.
Some desert plants survive ___10___
avoiding the dry season altogether. ___11___
the dry season, this plant remains as a seed and
does not emerge ___12___
the soil at all. When the rains come, this seed
would grow very quickly ___13___
a plant. It would bloom rapidly ___14___
then scatter its seeds before the dry season ___15___.
Desert animals have also learnt to adapt ___16___
to life in this region. The camel, for ___17___
, survives well in the desert because water can be ___18___
in its body. Other desert animals ___19___
rodents such as mice. These animals need very little
water as they can get ___20___
the water they require from their food.
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