NCERT Solutions Class 6 English honeysuckle Chapter 9 Desert Animals

Working with the text :-

Qus. 1 Talk to your partner and say whether the following statements are true or false.

1. No animal can survive without water.
2. Deserts are endless sand dunes.
3. Most snakes are harmless.
4. Snakes cannot hear, but they can feel vibrations through the ground.
5. Camels store water in their humps.

Ans.

1. No animal can survive without water.  True
2. Deserts are endless sand dunes. False
3. Most snakes are harmless. True
4. Snakes cannot hear, but they can feel vibrations through the ground. True
5. Camels store water in their humps. False

2. Answer the following questions.

(i) How do desert animals survive without water?

Ans. Desert animals cannot survive without water. They find different ways of coping with the harsh desert conditions. For example, gerbils spend the hottest part of the day in cool burrows. And darkling beetles catch moisture on their legs and then lift them into the air till the drops trickle down into their mouths.

(ii) How do mongooses kill snakes?

Ans. A Mongoose kills a snake by dodging each time the snake strikes. They continually make a nuisance of themselves, until, after a while, when the snake gets tired, it quickly dives in for the kill.

(iii) How does the hump of the camels help them to survive when there is no water?

Ans. When there is no water, the hump of a camel helps it by acting as a storage container.

Qus B. Read the words/phrases in the box. With your partner find their meaning in the dictionary.

Fill in the blanks in the following passage with the above words/phrases.

All animals in forests and deserts struggle to ________________in ______________. Though most of the animals are _____________, some are dangerous when ___________. If an _______ is noticed, they attack or bite to save themselves. They struggle ____________ for food and water. Some animals are called _____because they _______ on other animals.

Ans.  All animals in forests and deserts struggle to survive in harsh conditions. Though most of the animals are harmless, some are dangerous when threatened. If an intruder is noticed, they attack or bite to save themselves. They struggle continually for food and water. Some animals are called predators because they prey on other animals.

Thinking About Language

A. Look at these sentences.

• Most snakes are quite harmless, but a few are poisonous.
• Most snakes lay eggs, but the rattlesnake gives birth to its young.

Now write five sentences like these using ‘most’ and the clues below.

1. (90% of) people are honest (10%) are dishonest.
____________________________

2. (Lots of) fruit have plenty of sugar, (some) citrus fruit are low in sugar.
_____________________________

3. (Every soft drink except this one) has lots of ‘empty calories’.
___________________________

4. (The majority of) films are romances, (a few) are on other topics.
____________________________

5. (A majority of) people agree that he is a good leader, (just a few) disagree.

Ans.

1. Most people are honest, but about ten percent are dishonest.
2. Most fruits have plenty of sugar, but some citrus fruits have less sugar.
3. Most soft drinks have lots of ‘empty calories’, but this one does not have ‘empty calories’.
4. Most films are romances, but a few are on other topics.
5. Most people agree that he is a good leader, but a few disagree.

Qus B. Look at these sentences.

• Animals cannot survive for long without water.
• So desert animals have to find different ways of coping.

The first sentence says what cannot happen or be done; the second tells us what must, therefore, be done, what it is necessary to do.
Complete these sentences using cannot and have to/has to.

1. You __________________ reach the island by land or air; you _______________ go by boat.
2. We ___________ see bacteria with our eyes; we ___________ look at them through a microscope.
3. He__________have a new bicycle now; he____________ wait till next year.
4. Old people often _________hear very well; they _________use a hearing aid.
5. Road users __________do what they wish; they _____follow the traffic rules.
6. She _________accept this decision; she__________________question  it.
7. You ____________ believe everything you hear; you _______ use your own judgement.

Ans.

1. You cannot reach the island by land or air; you have to go by boat.
2. We cannot see bacteria with our eyes; we have to look at them through a microscope.
3. He cannot have a new bicycle now; he has to wait till next year.
4. Old people often cannot hear very well; they have to use a hearing aid.
5. Road users cannot do what they wish; they have to follow the traffic rules.
6. She has to accept this decision; she cannot question it.
7. You cannot believe everything you hear; you have to use your own judgement.