Desert Animals — CBSE Class 6 English Unit 9

What the Chapter Teaches

'Desert Animals' explains how life survives in a desert — a place with very little water, blazing daytime heat, and freezing nights. The camel is called the 'ship of the desert' because it carries loads and people across sand just like a ship carries cargo across the sea; it can go many days without water because it stores fat (not water!) in its hump, has thick eyelashes to keep out sand, and broad feet that don't sink in soft sand. Other animals like the desert fox have huge ears to release body heat, while snakes and scorpions stay under sand during the day and hunt at night to avoid the sun. The chapter's main idea is adaptation — the special features an animal develops over time to survive in its environment. Reading this text carefully means noticing why each feature exists, not just what it is, since exam questions usually ask 'why' or 'how'.

Key Vocabulary from the Chapter

Desert

A dry region that receives very little rainfall, often covered with sand and having extreme temperatures.

Adaptation

A special feature or behaviour that helps a living thing survive better in its environment.

Arid

Extremely dry, having little or no rain; used to describe desert climate.

Hump

The raised part on a camel's back where fat is stored, used as an energy reserve, not water.

Nocturnal

Active mainly at night; many desert animals like scorpions and owls are nocturnal to avoid daytime heat.

Camouflage

A colour or pattern that helps an animal blend into its surroundings and hide from predators.

Oasis

A fertile spot in the desert where water is found, often with trees and plants growing around it.

How to Answer Comprehension Questions Step by Step

1. Step 1: Read the question carefully — Identify what is actually being asked — is it a 'what' question (fact), a 'why' question (reason/adaptation), or a 'how' question (process)? For example, 'Why can a camel survive without water for many days?' is a 'why' question needing a reason.
2. Step 2: Scan the passage for keywords — Look for the exact words from the question in the text — e.g., 'hump', 'water', 'fat' — and read the sentences around them carefully instead of guessing from memory.
3. Step 3: Frame the answer in your own words — Do not copy the whole paragraph. Pick the relevant fact and rewrite it as a complete sentence: 'A camel can survive without water for many days because it stores fat in its hump, which its body uses for energy.'
4. Step 4: Check the answer covers the full question — Re-read your answer against the question — make sure you have answered completely (both the 'what' and the 'why' if asked) and used correct grammar and full stops.

Common Mistakes Students Make

• Writing 'camel stores water in hump' — this is WRONG; the camel stores FAT in its hump, which gives energy and indirectly helps it survive without water.
• Copying entire lines from the text instead of writing a short, complete answer in one's own words.
• Confusing 'desert' (dry sandy land) with 'dessert' (a sweet food) — a very common spelling mix-up in exams.
• Forgetting to use adjectives correctly when describing animals, e.g., saying 'camel is a big animal' instead of more precise words like 'camel is a tall, sturdy animal'.
• Not giving reasons when a question asks 'why' — many students just restate the fact without explaining the cause.

Practice Questions with Solutions

• Q: Why is the camel called the 'ship of the desert'?
  A: Step 1: Recall that a ship carries goods and people across the sea.
  Step 2: The camel carries loads, goods, and people across the sandy desert in the same way.
  Step 3: Because of this similarity in function, it earns the title.
  Final answer: The camel is called the 'ship of the desert' because, just like a ship transports people and goods across the sea, the camel transports them across the desert sand.

• Q: How does a camel's body help it survive in the desert? Give at least three features.
  A: Step 1: List body features mentioned in the text — hump, eyelashes, feet.
  Step 2: Explain the function of each: the hump stores fat for energy, thick eyelashes protect eyes from sand and dust, broad feet prevent sinking into soft sand.
  Step 3: Combine these into one answer.
  Final answer: A camel survives in the desert because its hump stores fat that provides energy for many days, its thick eyelashes protect its eyes from blowing sand, and its broad, flat feet stop it from sinking into the soft desert sand.

• Q: Why do many desert animals like scorpions and snakes come out mainly at night?
  A: Step 1: Recall that deserts are extremely hot during the day.
  Step 2: Staying underground or hidden during the day helps these animals avoid the harsh heat and loss of body water.
  Step 3: At night, the desert cools down, making it safer for them to search for food.
  Final answer: Desert animals like scorpions and snakes are nocturnal because the daytime heat in the desert is too harsh and dries out their bodies quickly; coming out at night, when it is cooler, helps them hunt safely and conserve water.

• Q: What is meant by 'adaptation'? Give one example from the chapter.
  A: Step 1: Define the term using the chapter's context.
  Step 2: Adaptation means a special feature or habit an animal develops to survive better in its own environment.
  Step 3: Choose a clear example, such as the desert fox's large ears.
  Final answer: Adaptation means a special body feature or behaviour that helps a living thing survive in its surroundings. For example, the desert fox has unusually large ears that help release excess body heat, allowing it to stay cool in the hot desert.

• Q: Fill in the blanks with suitable adjectives from the chapter: The camel has _______ eyelashes and _______ feet that help it walk on sand.
  A: Step 1: Identify describing words used for these body parts in the text — 'thick' for eyelashes and 'broad'/'flat' for feet.
  Step 2: Place them correctly in the sentence.
  Final answer: The camel has thick eyelashes and broad (flat) feet that help it walk on sand.

• Q: Write two sentences using the words 'arid' and 'oasis' correctly.
  A: Step 1: Recall meanings — arid means extremely dry; oasis means a fertile watery spot in the desert.
  Step 2: Frame grammatically correct sentences using each word.
  Final answer: 1) The Thar Desert is an arid region that receives very little rainfall throughout the year. 2) Weary travellers stopped to rest near the oasis, where date palms grew around a small pool of water.

Exam Tip: Score Full Marks in Comprehension

In CBSE exams, comprehension answers are marked for both content (correct fact) and language (complete, grammatically correct sentence). Always answer in full sentences, never in single words or phrases, even if the question seems simple. When a question uses 'why' or 'how', make sure your answer clearly states the reason or process — this is where most marks are lost. Also double-check tricky spellings like 'desert' vs 'dessert' and 'adaptation', since spelling errors can cost marks in written exams.

Frequently Asked Questions