10. Чтение: понимание основного содержания текста: #253141

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1. What is a desert?
2. Smart desert plants
3. The land of treasure
4. How do deserts form?
5. The desert statistics
6. The symbol of deserts 
7. A unique white habitat
8. Deserts are dangerous

A. Although the typical idea of a desert is a vast sandy place with little water, a desert is more than that. It is actually classified as any area of land that has not received any rain for a minimum of 12 straight months or a very dry area that receives less than 10 inches of rain every year. The reason for dryness in a desert is also connected with high evaporation and transpiration rates. The ground loses much water through a high evaporation rate. Plants lose their water through a high transpiration rate.

B. The plants that grow in the desert include various forms of cacti, low-lying plants like yucca and agave, and trees like palms and Joshua trees. While classified differently, these plants share characteristics that help them survive in the rough desert climate. They have a reduction of leaves and alternate water storage options. Many of the plants use extremely long “tap” roots as a mode of adaptation, while others stay close to the surface so they have a better chance to absorb the water before it evaporates.

C. Cactus is one of the plants most associated with deserts. Recognizable by their protective spikes, some species grow flowers and edible fruits. The cactus has adapted exceptionally well to desert conditions. To conserve water, most cacti have a fine root structure in which the roots grow near the surface. Over time they have changed their shape so that their external surface is reduced in relation to their volume. In many types of cacti, the stems have become round or flat and are used instead of green leaves.

D. Deserts are the primary source of table salt, borates, potassium and sodium nitrates and gypsum. Soda, nitrates and boron are the most common minerals that appear only in deserts. Approximately half of the world’s stores of fossil fuels come from desert lands, including oil and natural gas, and about half of the world’s diamonds, copper, gold, iron ore and uranium ore come from the desert as well. Besides, deserts are important because they provide corridors for migration for a number of bird species.

E. Several causes can be attributed to deserts, including the Earth’s air circulation, the rain shadow effect, the distance from the ocean and the proximity of cold ocean currents. The air circulation pattern is one cause that can be explained by the fact that warm air holds more moisture than cold air. This results in the evaporation of water and the formation of deserts. The rain shadow effect occurs to land between two mountain ranges. The rain falls on the other side of the mountains, leaving the land in-between dry.

F. There are 33 major deserts in the world, or 71 when subdivided into smaller deserts. Of those 71, 12 are in Africa, one is Antarctica, three are in the Arctic basin, 26 are in Asia, including the Middle East, 10 are in Australia and New Zealand, 10 are in Europe, four are in North America, and five are in South America. Having less than 10 inches of rain annually, Antarctica is not only classified as a desert, but it is the largest desert. The Sahara in Africa is the largest hot desert.

G. Cold deserts are deserts that experience low temperatures and long winters. They occur in the Arctic, the Antarctic and Greenland, as well as above the tree lines of mountain ranges. Cold deserts tend to have higher precipitation levels than hot deserts, and snowfall is common during winter. Average annual rainfall ranges from 6 to 10 inches. Vegetation is scattered due to poor soil quality, and plants tend to have needle-like leaves that reduce water loss. Native animals include rabbits, pocket mice and foxes.