Daily Reading Practice · Nonfiction passage
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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 receive 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 surprisingly 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 store 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 up 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 sharp 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 drink up to 100 liters of water in one sitting and store fat 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 warning. 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 empty 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 tough 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.