Daily Reading Practice · Nonfiction passage
Any word, any time — right from this page.
Deserts are some of the harshest environmentsharsh environmentPlaces with extremely difficult conditions for life.≈ Synonym: extreme environments🇺🇿UZ: eng og'ir sharoitlar🇷🇺RU: суровейшие условия on Earth. They cover about one-fifth of the planet's land surfaceland surfaceThe dry, solid part of the Earth's surface.≈ Synonym: land area🇺🇿UZ: yer yuzasi🇷🇺RU: земная поверхность and receivereceive (verb)To get something.≈ Synonym: get🇺🇿UZ: olmoq🇷🇺RU: получать very little rainfallrainfall (noun)The amount of rain that falls in a place.≈ Synonym: precipitation🇺🇿UZ: yog'ingarchilik🇷🇺RU: количество осадков, sometimes less than 25 centimeters a year. Despite the extreme heatextreme heatVery high, intense temperatures.≈ Synonym: intense heat🇺🇿UZ: haddan tashqari issiqlik🇷🇺RU: сильная жара during the day and the surprisinglysurprisingly (adv)In a way that is not expected.≈ Synonym: unexpectedly🇺🇿UZ: kutilmaganda, ajablanarli darajada🇷🇺RU: удивительно cold nights, a wide range of plants and animals have found remarkableremarkable (adj)Worthy of attention because it is unusual or impressive.≈ Synonym: extraordinary🇺🇿UZ: ajoyib🇷🇺RU: замечательный ways to survive there.
Desert plants, such as cacticactus (noun)Desert plants with thick stems that store water, usually with spines.≈ Synonym: desert succulents🇺🇿UZ: kaktuslar🇷🇺RU: кактусы, have adaptedadapt (verb)Changed over time to survive better in an environment.≈ Synonym: became suited🇺🇿UZ: moslashgan🇷🇺RU: приспособились to storestore (verb)To keep something to use later.≈ Synonym: keep🇺🇿UZ: saqlamoq🇷🇺RU: хранить water for long periods of droughtdrought (noun)A long period of little or no rain.≈ Synonym: dry spell🇺🇿UZ: qurg'oqchilik🇷🇺RU: засуха. A cactus has a thick, waxy skinwaxy skinA smooth, water-resistant outer layer, like wax.≈ Synonym: wax-like coating🇺🇿UZ: mumsimon po'st🇷🇺RU: восковая кожица that reduces water losswater lossThe reduction of water content in something over time.≈ Synonym: loss of moisture🇺🇿UZ: suv yo'qotilishi🇷🇺RU: потеря воды, and its wide, shallow rootsshallow rootRoots that grow close to the surface rather than deep underground.≈ Synonym: surface-level roots🇺🇿UZ: sayoz ildizlar🇷🇺RU: поверхностные корни quickly soak upsoak up (phrasal)To take in liquid.≈ Synonym: absorb🇺🇿UZ: shimib olmoq🇷🇺RU: впитывать any rain before it evaporatesevaporate (verb)Turns from liquid into vapor and disappears into the air.≈ Synonym: turns to vapor🇺🇿UZ: bug'lanadi🇷🇺RU: испаряется. Instead of leaves, many cacti have sharpsharp (adj)Having a thin edge or point that can cut.≈ Synonym: pointed🇺🇿UZ: o'tkir🇷🇺RU: острый spinesspine (noun)Sharp, needle-like growths on some plants.≈ Synonym: sharp needles🇺🇿UZ: tikanlar🇷🇺RU: колючки, which protect the plant from thirstythirsty (adj)Feeling a need to drink water.≈ Synonym: dehydrated🇺🇿UZ: chanqagan🇷🇺RU: испытывающий жажду animals and reduce water lost through evaporationevaporation (noun)The process of a liquid turning into vapor.≈ Synonym: vaporization🇺🇿UZ: bug'lanish🇷🇺RU: испарение.
Desert animals have their own clever survival strategiessurvival strategyMethods living things use to stay alive in difficult conditions.≈ Synonym: survival methods🇺🇿UZ: omon qolish strategiyalari🇷🇺RU: стратегии выживания. Camels, often called "ships of the desertships of the desertA nickname for camels because they carry loads across the desert.≈ Synonym: desert nickname for camels🇺🇿UZ: cho'l kemalari🇷🇺RU: корабли пустыни," can drinkdrink (verb)To take liquid into your mouth and swallow it.🇺🇿UZ: ichmoq🇷🇺RU: пить up to 100 liters of water in one sitting and store fatfat (noun)An oily substance in the body or in food.🇺🇿UZ: yog'🇷🇺RU: жир in their humpshump (noun)The raised, rounded parts on a camel's back.≈ Synonym: camel's back bumps🇺🇿UZ: o'rkachlar🇷🇺RU: горбы for energy when food is scarcescarce (adj)Not enough of something; hard to find.≈ Synonym: limited🇺🇿UZ: kam, tanqis🇷🇺RU: дефицитный. Many smaller creatures, like the fennec foxfennec foxA small desert fox with very large ears.≈ Synonym: small desert fox🇺🇿UZ: fenek tulkisi🇷🇺RU: фенек and various rodentsrodent (noun)Small mammals such as mice and rats that gnaw with front teeth.≈ Synonym: small gnawing mammals🇺🇿UZ: kemiruvchilar🇷🇺RU: грызуны, avoid the punishingpunishing (adj)Extremely harsh and difficult to bear.≈ Synonym: harsh🇺🇿UZ: azob beruvchi, og'ir🇷🇺RU: изнуряющий daytime heat entirely by staying in burrowsburrow (noun)Holes or tunnels dug by animals in the ground for shelter.≈ Synonym: underground dens🇺🇿UZ: inlar🇷🇺RU: норы and only coming out at night.
Surviving in the desert is not easy, however. Finding enough food and water remains a constant challengeconstant challengeA difficulty that continues without stopping.≈ Synonym: ongoing difficulty🇺🇿UZ: doimiy qiyinchilik🇷🇺RU: постоянная трудность, and sudden sandstormssandstorm (noun)Strong winds that carry large amounts of sand through the air.≈ Synonym: dust storms🇺🇿UZ: qum bo'ronlari🇷🇺RU: песчаные бури can appear with little warningwarning (noun)Something that tells you about danger.≈ Synonym: alert🇺🇿UZ: ogohlantirish🇷🇺RU: предупреждение. Extreme temperature swingstemperature swingLarge changes between hot and cold temperatures.≈ Synonym: temperature changes🇺🇿UZ: harorat o'zgarishlari🇷🇺RU: перепады температур, from scorchingscorching (adj)Extremely hot.≈ Synonym: blazing hot🇺🇿UZ: kuydiruvchi, juda issiq🇷🇺RU: знойный afternoons to freezing nights, put constant stress on the bodies of desert creatures, forcing them to conserve energyconserve energyTo use as little energy as possible in order to save it.≈ Synonym: save energy🇺🇿UZ: energiyani tejash🇷🇺RU: экономить энергию whenever possible.
Deserts may look emptyempty (adj)With nothing or nobody inside.🇺🇿UZ: bo'sh🇷🇺RU: пустой and lifeless at first glance, but they actually support surprisingly diverse ecosystemsdiverse ecosystemCommunities of living things that include many different species.≈ Synonym: varied ecosystems🇺🇿UZ: xilma-xil ekotizimlar🇷🇺RU: разнообразные экосистемы. Scientists continue to study these toughtough (adj)Strong; able to deal with hard conditions.≈ Synonym: strong🇺🇿UZ: chidamli, bardoshli🇷🇺RU: выносливый, крепкий plants and animals, hoping to better understand how life can adapt to survive in even the most extreme conditionsextreme conditionVery harsh and difficult environmental circumstances.≈ Synonym: harsh conditions🇺🇿UZ: og'ir sharoitlar🇷🇺RU: экстремальные условия on our planet.
In your own words, write a short summary of what you just read (70–100 words). Don't copy sentences — explain the main ideas.
Every highlighted word from this story with its meaning in Uzbek 🇺🇿 and Russian 🇷🇺, and an example. Tap 🇬🇧 or 🇺🇸 to hear the word or the sentence in a British or American accent.
| # | 🇬🇧 | 🇺🇿 | 🇷🇺 | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | harsh environment | eng og'ir sharoitlar | суровейшие условия | Only a few plants can survive in such a harsh environment. |
| 2 | land surface | yer yuzasi | земная поверхность | Forests cover about a third of the Earth's land surface. |
| 3 | receiveverb | olmoq | получать | Did you receive my message? |
| 4 | rainfallnoun | yog'ingarchilik | количество осадков | This year's rainfall was lower than usual. |
| 5 | extreme heat | haddan tashqari issiqlik | сильная жара | Schools closed early because of the extreme heat. |
| 6 | surprisinglyadverb | kutilmaganda, ajablanarli darajada | удивительно | The test was surprisingly easy. |
| 7 | remarkableadjective | ajoyib | замечательный | The doctor did a remarkable job. |
| 8 | cactusnoun | kaktuslar | кактусы | My grandmother keeps a small cactus on her windowsill. |
| 9 | adaptverb | moslashgan | приспособились | It took me a few months to adapt to life in a new city. |
| 10 | storeverb | saqlamoq | хранить | We store potatoes in a cool, dark room. |
| 11 | droughtnoun | qurg'oqchilik | засуха | The drought destroyed most of the farmers' crops. |
| 12 | waxy skin | mumsimon po'st | восковая кожица | Some fruits have a waxy skin that keeps them fresh. |
| 13 | water loss | suv yo'qotilishi | потеря воды | Cover the soil to prevent water loss in summer. |
| 14 | shallow root | sayoz ildizlar | поверхностные корни | Grass has shallow roots, so it dries out quickly. |
| 15 | soak upphrasal verb | shimib olmoq | впитывать | Use bread to soak up the sauce. |
| 16 | evaporateverb | bug'lanadi | испаряется | The puddles evaporated in the afternoon sun. |
| 17 | sharpadjective | o'tkir | острый | Be careful — this knife is very sharp. |
| 18 | spinenoun | tikanlar | колючки | Be careful — the plant has sharp spines. |
| 19 | thirstyadjective | chanqagan | испытывающий жажду | I'm so thirsty — can I have some water? |
| 20 | evaporationnoun | bug'lanish | испарение | Evaporation is faster on hot, windy days. |
| 21 | survival strategy | omon qolish strategiyalari | стратегии выживания | Sleeping through winter is a survival strategy for bears. |
| 22 | ships of the desert | cho'l kemalari | корабли пустыни | Camels are known as the ships of the desert. |
| 23 | drinkverb | ichmoq | пить | You should drink eight glasses of water a day. |
| 24 | fatnoun | yog' | жир | This meat has too much fat. |
| 25 | humpnoun | o'rkachlar | горбы | This camel has two humps. |
| 26 | scarceadjective | kam, tanqis | дефицитный | Jobs are scarce in small villages. |
| 27 | fennec fox | fenek tulkisi | фенек | The fennec fox has very large ears. |
| 28 | rodentnoun | kemiruvchilar | грызуны | Mice and rats are rodents. |
| 29 | punishingadjective | azob beruvchi, og'ir | изнуряющий | The team trained in punishing heat. |
| 30 | burrownoun | inlar | норы | The rabbit ran into its burrow. |
| 31 | constant challenge | doimiy qiyinchilik | постоянная трудность | Finding parking in the city is a constant challenge. |
| 32 | sandstormnoun | qum bo'ronlari | песчаные бури | The sandstorm turned the sky orange. |
| 33 | warningnoun | ogohlantirish | предупреждение | The storm came without any warning. |
| 34 | temperature swing | harorat o'zgarishlari | перепады температур | Big temperature swings can make people ill. |
| 35 | scorchingadjective | kuydiruvchi, juda issiq | знойный | It was a scorching day in July — 45 degrees! |
| 36 | conserve energy | energiyani tejash | экономить энергию | Turn off the lights to conserve energy. |
| 37 | emptyadjective | bo'sh | пустой | The classroom was empty after the lesson. |
| 38 | diverse ecosystem | xilma-xil ekotizimlar | разнообразные экосистемы | Mountain lakes have surprisingly diverse ecosystems. |
| 39 | toughadjective | chidamli, bardoshli | выносливый, крепкий | Desert plants are very tough. |
| 40 | extreme condition | og'ir sharoitlar | экстремальные условия | The team worked in extreme conditions in Antarctica. |