Very Short Answer Type Questions
- What is the most popular definition of a desert?
Ans. A stretch of land with little or no water and vegetation is called a desert.
- When can one come across a beautiful and rewarding sight in the desert?
Ans. One comes across a rewarding sight in the desert whenever it rains. Though rare, during rains desert flowers bloom and the desert looks no less than a tropical garden.
- Do you think a desert is only a flat, unchanging wasteland of dry sand?
Ans. No, a desert is not only a flat, unchanging wasteland of dry sand. It also has other natural elements like mountains, hills and oasis.
- What is an oasis?
Ans. An oasis is a small patch of land in the middle of the desert which has a spring of water. It allows plants and trees to grow better.
- What are ‘sand dunes’?
Ans, In deserts where there is no water at all strong winds blow piling heaps of sand. Such piles or mounds where sand gets deposited are called ‘sand dunes’.
- Give an example each of a hot and a cold desert.
Ans. The ‘Thar’ is an example of a hot desert and ‘Ladakh’ is an example of a cold desert.
Short Answer Type Questions
- Discuss a unique feature of the desert plants and animals.
Ans. The desert plants and animals have the ability to require less water. Unlike the plants and animals in humid or other climates, the desert plants and animals have adapted themselves to the climatic conditions and the scarcity of water in the deserts, thereby surviving in adverse conditions.
- Why do human beings sweat?
Ans. The human beings sweat in order to keep their body temperature constant. In hot climates, they are unable to stand the high body temperature, and thus sweat. This cools their body and regulates their temperature. This is also one of the reasons why human being’s need for water is much more.
- How do the cactus plants manage to sustain itself in the desert?
Ans. Cactus plants manage to store water in their thick stems. Their roots lie very close to the surface of the ground and are quick to absorb moisture from the rains that occasionally occur in the deserts. Cactus plants have thus, adapted themselves to the dry weather in the deserts.
Long Answer Type Question
How do the desert plants and animals combat the scarcity of water in deserts?
Ans. The desert plants and animals learn to adapt themselves to the climatic conditions of the desert and thereby require less water than most plants and animals. Some plants have the capacity to store in their stems, roots and other parts excess water. Also, they constantly suck moisture from the ground. The desert animals, too, are able to consume and store more water. Animals like camels can survive without water for days. The smaller animals, on the other hand, face this adversity by not exposing themselves to heat during the day. Also, they eat other smaller animals from whose meat they could gather moisture.
Value Based Question
Why do you think deserts are an important part of nature’s great plan?
Ans. A large portion of the Earth is covered by deserts. The dry patches of land with no water or vegetation too have a purpose to serve. If nothing else, deserts remind us of the beauty of other places with which God has blessed human beings.
Just like it is impossible to understand the significance of light in the absence of darkness, similarly the beauty of nature could be appreciated by understanding barrenness as another alternative.
Nonetheless, the natural landscapes of deserts too are a thing of beauty.