Deserts

This passage is about some of the unknown wonders of deserts.

Lexile Level: 1320L

Categories: People & Places Science & Technology

When most people visualize a desert, they probably envision pristine sand dunes stretching as far as the eye can see, sweltering hot conditions, and a severe lack of vegetation, but each of these assumptions is a misconception about deserts. A desert is generally defined as an area that receives less than 10 inches of annual rainfall. Antarctica gets snow, not rain, so it is considered a cold desert and is actually the largest desert in the world. Hot deserts, like the Sahara, which is in northern Africa, become extremely cold at night because the air holds so little moisture that when the sun sets, the air temperature plummets dramatically. Most deserts have diverse and underappreciated plant and animal populations. Some plants have adapted to having minimal access to water, like the cacti that bloom as soon as there is any hint of moisture in the air. Deserts are busy places if you know how to look at them.