Harsh Habitats

Which quotation supports the inference that geography contributes to droughts?

• “Most people think of a dusty, barren wasteland with no sign of life.” (paragraph 1)

• “Plants and animals in the desert biomes experience some of the most extreme living conditions. . . .” (paragraph 2)

• “The Sahara Desert in Africa holds the record for highest temperature at 136 degrees Fahrenheit,. . .” (paragraph 3)

• “These mountains block moisture from nearby oceans, so rainfall is a very rare event.” (paragraph 3)

Part A: Which of the following states a central idea of the passage?

• Snow is a rare occurrence in some polar deserts.

• Finding water is essential for plants and animals in desert biomes. 

• Most people think of deserts as hot and dusty with no plant or animal life.

• The Australian thorny lizard uses its amazing tube like channels to get water.

Part B: Which detail from the passage supports the answer to Part A?

• “It may surprise you to know there is a vast array of life in deserts.” (paragraph 1)

• “Since it is a desert biome, there is very little rainfall, so these snow covered deserts get an average of only two inches of snow per year.” (paragraph 4)

• “This animal uses its body to soak up moisture for survival in the extreme desert heat.” (paragraph 6)

• “Finally, the animal turns its head, and takes in the water with its tongue.” (paragraph 6)

Read the sentence from paragraph 7.

"Desert plants also use unique adaptations for living in their hostile environments."

What does the word hostile mean as it is used in the sentence?

• difficult

• distant

• poor

• secure

Select one phrase from paragraph 6 that provides an example of adaptation by the Australian thorny lizard.

• "This animal uses its body to soak up moisture..."

• "...desert has dew..."

• "...lizard warms itself early in the morning..."

• "...dew becomes water..."

• "...lizard also gets water by burying itself deeply in the sand..."

Select a second phrase from paragraph 6 that provides an example of adaptation by the Australian thorny lizard.

• This animal uses its body to soak up moisture

• desert has dew

• lizard warms itself early in the morning

• dew becomes water

• lizard also gets water by burying itself deeply in the sand

Read the following summary of the passage.

Deserts comprise 20% of Earth and can be very hot or very cold. Some deserts, like the Atacama in South America, are very dry. Polar deserts can reach temperatures as low as -128 degrees. Both types of deserts are home to a large variety of plant and animal life.

Which detail should be added to complete the summary?

• The narwhal whale is the most interesting of the polar desert animal species.

• Animals in hot deserts exhibit a variety of ways to capture enough water to survive.

• Plants in polar deserts are a bizarre sight because of how low they grow to the ground.

• Life for plants and animals in deserts is possible because of their adaptations of body and behavior.

Read the sentence from paragraph 5.

"Sometimes, an animal’s features are appropriate for life in its habitat."

How is this sentence important to the development of ideas in the paragraph?

• It explains the reason for the name of the narwhal whale.

• It explains the reason why some animals are difficult to observe.

• It illustrates that some animals are made to survive difficult environments.

• It illustrates the way an animal responds when it feels like it is threatened.

Choose TWO phrases that explain what the illustration helps the reader to understand about the Atacama Desert.

• the temperature of the air past the mountain

• the types of clouds that cause desert rainfall

• the height of the mountain which prevents rain

• the types of plants which can grow in the desert

• the position of the desert in relation to the ocean

Which paragraph best provides details that support the idea that many people have an inaccurate perception of deserts?

• Paragraph 1

• Paragraph 3

• Paragraph 5

• Paragraph 7