DESERTS
TEST 1
Choose the word which has the underlined part pronounced differently
from the rest.
1. a. grasses b. stretches c. comprises d. potatoes
2. a. lie b. wide c. circle d. comprise
3. a. compound b. route c. house d. south
4. a. dune b. hummock c. shrub d. buffalo
5. a. west b. between c. growth d. which
Choose a, b, c, or d that best completes each unfinished sentence,
substitutes the underlined part, or has a close meaning to the original
one.
6. ________ Sahara of ________ Africa is the world's largest desert.
a. Ø / the b. The / Ø c. A / an d. The / an
7. Deserts can be defined as areas that receive ________ average annual
precipitation of less than 250 mm.
a. a b. an c. the d. Ø
8. The Sahara contains complex linear dunes that are ________ by almost
6 kilometers.
a. developed b. separated c. lay d. located
9. A _______ is a landscape or region that receives very little precipitation.
a. dune b. desert c. sandy area d. shrub land
10. Deserts are often composed of ________ and rocky surfaces.
a. water b. trees c. oil d. sand
11. Three great stretches of sandy deserts almost circle the center of
Australia.
a. dunes b. valleys c. lands d. areas
12. Deserts are also classified by their ________ location and dominant
weather pattern.
a. geographical b. aerial c. sandy d. facial
13. Thanks to pictures taken by satellites, deserts have not ________ a

c. however little education d. such little education
24. That small car, ________, is advertised in many current magazines.
a. so inexpensive and comfortable
b. however inexpensive and comfortable
c. inexpensive but comfortable
d. and inexpensive but comfortable
25. We live in the same building ________ we have hardly seen each other
a. and b. therefore c. but d. so
26. I went to buy a Rolling Stones CD ________ the shop didn't have it.
a. and b. but c. therefore d. so
27. Anna needed some money, ________, she took a part-time job.
a. furthermore b. moreover c. however d. therefore
28. Julie has a guitar ________ she plays it really well.
a. and b. so c. but d. therefore
29. My fingers were injured ________ my sister had to write the note for me.
a. and b. however c. so d. but
30. The concert was cancelled ________ we went to a nightclub instead.
a. so b. however c. so on d. but
Error Identification.
31. Desert is a large area of land that has very little water however very few
A B C
plants growing on it. (and)
D
32. Rain falls occasionally in deserts so desert storms are often violent.
A B (but) C D
33. The Nile River, the Colorado River, but the Yellow River flow through
A (and) B
deserts to deliver their sediments to the sea.
C D
34. Deserts may have underground springs, rivers, or reservoirs they lie

deserts.
36. The text is about ________.
a. troubles that human beings have to face in a desert
b. desert storms and desert inhabitants
c. hot deserts and cold deserts in the United States
d. desert hospitality and environment
37. Which is not a problem for an unprepared man in a hot desert?
a. sandstorm b. loss of water c. irrigation d. heatstroke
38. Sandstorms ________.
a. do no harm to machinery
b. have effects only on the eyes
c. never lasts more than one hour
d. have bad effects on both human beings and machinery
39. Which sentence is true?
a. No one can survive in both hot and cold deserts.
b. Modern technology makes deserts more hospitable.
c. In the United States, all deserts are quite uninhabited.
d. There are no deserts in Israel.
40. Which is not a problem in cold deserts?
a. Starvation b. Hypothermia c. Frostbite d. Body heat
Fill in each numbered blank with one suitable word or phrase.
Desert biomes are the (41) _____ of all the biomes. In fact, the most
important characteristic of a desert is that it receives very little (42) _____.
Most deserts receive less than 300 mm a year compared (43) __ rainforests,
which receive over 2,000 mm. That means that the desert only gets 10
percent of the rain that a rainforest gets! The temperature in the desert can
(44) _____ drastically from day to night because the air is. (45) _____ dry
that heat escapes rapidly at night. The daytime temperature averages 38°C
(46) _____ in some deserts it can get down to -4°C at night. The temperature
also varies greatly depending on the (47) _____ of the desert.

a. a b. an c. the d. Ø
8. In the northern part of the Simpson Desert, the dunes are separated by
________ of low, open shrubland.
a. streets b. ways c. corridors d. lines
9. San Francisco is built on 40 hills and some are very ________.
a. short b. steep c. plain d. stable
10. A ________ is a small raised area of ground, like a very small hill.
a. slope b. hummock c. dune d. shrub
11. We used to climb up the crest of the hill to get a good view of the
surroundings.
a. top b. foot c. middle d. face
12. To ________ a desert is a danger activity which requires careful
preparation for risks.
a. comprise b. circle c. remain d. explore
13. Scientific ________ help to explore some places and discover more and
more remote parts of the world.
a. survey b. lead c. research d. expedition
14. The wind that blows in the desert comes ________ far away waters.
a. for b. with c. in d. from
15. Some sand dunes may be over 200 meters ________ height.
a. with b. at c. on d. in
16. If you look on a map you will see that there is a desert next ________ the
Rocky Mountains in the United States.
a. of b. to c. with d. for
17. ________ is the process by which a piece of land becomes dry, empty,
and unsuitable for growing trees or crops on.
a. desert b. deserted c. desertify d. desertification
18. Several ________ advanced countries have had plans to make desert
more hospitable.
a. science b. scientific c. scientifically d. scientist

one.
31. Slippery as the roads were, they managed to complete the race.
a. The roads were so slippery that they could hardly complete the race.
b. The roads were slippery but they managed to complete the race.
c. The roads were slippery so they could hardly complete the race.
d. The roads were so slippery; therefore, they could hardly complete the
race.
32. They decided to go for a picnic though it was very cold.
a. Because it was very cold, they decided to go for a picnic.
b. However cold it was, they decided to go for a picnic.
c. If it had been cold, they would not have gone for a picnic.
d. It was very cold so they decided to go for a picnic.
33. Both Peter and Mary enjoy scientific expedition.
a. It is not Peter, but Mary, that enjoys scientific expedition.
b. Peter enjoys scientific expedition. Therefore, does Mary.
c. However Peter enjoys scientific expedition and Mary does.
d. Peter enjoys scientific expedition, and so does Mary.
34. Because it was an interesting novel, I stayed up all night to finish it.
a. I stayed up all night to finish the novel, therefore, it was interesting.
b. Unless it were an interesting novel, I would stay up all night to finish it.
c. Though it was an interesting novel, I stayed up all night to finish it.
d. So interesting was the novel that I stayed up all night to finish it.
35. He cannot afford a new computer.
a. The new computer is so expensive that he cannot buy it.
b. Therefore, he would buy a new computer.
c. So, he would buy a new computer.
d. The new computer is so expensive but he can buy it
Read the passage carefully and choose the correct answer.
Approximately one-third of the Earth's land surface is desert, arid land
with meager rainfall that supports only sparse vegetation and a limited

37. The word They refers to ________.
a. deserts b. natural laboratories c. planets d. mineral deposits
38. Which is not true about deserts?
a. arid b. hot c. humid d. dry
39. According to the second paragraph, ________.
a. we should use desert land properly to avoid serious problems
b. we can exploit as much fossil as possible in deserts
c. there are no erosion in deserts
d. deserts are ideal places for growing land
40. The last paragraph expresses that ________.
a. none of animals can survive in deserts
b. hunting and tourists cause the decreasing of addaxes in the
Sahara Desert.
c. snakes in deserts need more water than any other species
d. addaxes are the most populous species in deserts
Fill in each numbered blank with one suitable word or phrase.
Most traditional human life in deserts is nomadic. It (41) ______ in hot
deserts on finding water, and on following infrequent rains to (42) ______
grazing for livestock. In cold deserts, it depends on finding good hunting and
fishing grounds, on sheltering from blizzards and winter (43) ______, and on
storing enough food for winter. Permanent settlement in both kinds of deserts
requires permanent water, food sources and adequate shelter, or the
technology and energy sources to (44) ______ it.
Many deserts are flat and featureless, lacking landmarks, or composed
of repeating landforms such as sand (45) ______ or the jumbled ice-fields of
glaciers. Advanced skills or devices are required to navigate through such
landscapes and (46) _____ travelers may die when supplies run (47) ______
after becoming lost. In addition, sandstorms or blizzards may cause
disorientation in severely-reduced visibility.
The (48) ______ represented by wild animals in deserts has featured in

________ reality deserts often have high biodiversity.
a. a / Ø b. the / the c. a / the d. the / a
8. The hill was so ________ that it took us more than five hours to climb up.
a. sloping b. enormous c. arid d. stable
9. In the northern part of the Simpson Desert, the dunes are parallel.
a. mysterious b. steep c. plenty of sand d. similar in some ways
10. Several deserts are a quite vast and uninhabited ________.
a. plain b. territory c. corridor d. shrub
11. A ________ is a large animal that lives in deserts and is used for
carrying goods and people.
a. slope b. dune c. spinifex d. camel
12. The ________ of a cliff, or mountain, is a vertical surface or side of it.
a. face b. border c. crest d. lake
13. Most deserts are enormous sandy areas.
a. mysterious b. narrow c. immense d. aerial
14. Camels were often used _______ transportation by people of the desert.
a. as b. with c. to d. about
15. Camels have one or two humps used ________ storing water and food.
a. to b. for c. over d. at
16. Many tall and wide mountain ranges do not let much rain get ________
the desert.
a. into b. away c. out d. from
17. I wanted to go a more ________ route across Montana.
a. north b. northerly c. northerner d. northernmost
18. We often enjoy walking barefoot across the damp __ to the water's edge.
a. sand b. sanding c. sandy d. sandily
19. If the deserts are ________ managed, there may be troubles for
scientific expeditions.
a. loose b. loosen c. loosening d. loosely
20. He told me not to do it; ________, I did it.

a. The Arabian Desert, is third-largest in the world, covers nearly 1
million square mile of the Arabian Peninsula. .
b. The Arabian Desert, that is third-largest in the world, covers nearly 1
million square mile of the Arabian Peninsula.
c. The Arabian Desert, third-largest in the world, covers nearly 1
million square mile of the Arabian Peninsula. '
d. The Arabian Desert, third-largest in the world, therefore, covers nearly
1 million square mile of the Arabian Peninsula.
32. It / the sandiest / all deserts / no river / flow through / originate from it.
a. It is the sandiest of all deserts, with no river flows through and
originates from it.
b. It is the sandiest of all deserts. No river flows through or
originates from it.
c. It is the sandiest of all deserts, but no river flows through or originates
from it.
d. It is the sandiest of all deserts. Therefore, no river flows through or
originates from it.
33. Arabia's rainfall / average only 2-5 inches a year / two- year droughts /
not uncommon.
a. Arabia's rainfall averages only 2-5 inches a year, and two-year
droughts are not uncommon.
b. As Arabia's rainfall averages only 2-5 inches a year, and two year
droughts are not uncommon.
c. Arabia's rainfall averages only 2-5 inches a year, which makes two
year droughts are not uncommon.
d. Arabia's rainfall averages only 2-5 inches a year, and however two
year droughts are not uncommon.
34. The desert today / be characterized / 700 - foot - high dunes / giant sand
mountains.
a. The desert today is characterized with 700 - foot - high dunes but giant

Many plants not only survive the harsh conditions of the Sonoran
Desert, but they actually thrive. Many have evolved to have specialized
adaptations to the desert climate. The Sonoran Desert includes such plant
from the agave family, palm family, cactus family, legume family, and many
others. This desert is the only place in the world where the famous saguaro
cactus grows in the wild.
The desert is home to seventeen aboriginal American cultures. The
largest city in the Sonoran Desert is Phoenix, Arizona, the USA. This
metropolitan area in central Arizona is one of the fastest-growing
metropolitan areas in the United States, with a population of 4 million. In the
North Phoenix area, desert is losing ground to development at a rate of
approximately 4,000 m
2
per hour. The next largest cities are Tucson, in
southern Arizona, with a metro area population of around 900,000, and
Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico, whose municipality also has a population of
around 900,000. The municipality of Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico has a
population of around 700,000.
36. There are more rainfalls in the Sonoran Desert than any others.
a. True b. False c. No information
37. Fish cannot survive in the Sonoran Desert.
a. True b. False c. No information
38. No place else in the world has famous saguaro cactus growing in the
wild, but the Sonoran Desert.
a. True b. False c. No information
39. There are a lot of American citizens in the Sonoran Desert.
a. True b. False c. No information
40. The second largest city in the Sonoran Desert is Tucson.
a. True b. False c. No information
Fill in each numbered blank with one suitable word or phrase.

50. a. a b. an c. the d. Ø