Joy English · Level B1 · Nature and parksjoy-english.com
Death Valley: land, plants and animals
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Read an excerpt from a VOA Learning English report about the land, wildlife and early people of Death Valley National Park.
Life in Death Valley National Park
In other parts of Death Valley, there are lines in the rock. The lines are evidence of the past presence of water. The area was deep under an ocean for many thousands of years.
Much of Death Valley is flat and extremely dry. In fact, scientists believe it is the driest place in the United States. In some areas the ground is nothing but salt. Nothing is able to grow in this salty ground.
However, it would be wrong to think that nothing lives in Death Valley. The valley is full of life. Wildflowers grow very quickly after even a small amount of rain. Some desert plants can send their roots down more than 18 meters to reach water deep in the ground.
Several kinds of birds live in Death Valley, as do mammals and reptiles. Visitors might see the dog-like animal called the coyote, or wild bighorn sheep, or other animals like the desert jackrabbit, the desert tortoise, and a large reptile called a chuckwalla. Many different snakes live there too. Some are dangerous, like the one sidewinder rattlesnake. It is an extremely poisonous snake with long sharp teeth, or fangs.
Throughout history, Native Americans found ways to survive in Death Valley. Rock art and other remains show that humans lived in the valley as far back as 9,000 years ago.
Death Valley is a huge place. It extends more than 225 kilometers across the southern part of California into the neighboring state of Nevada. The valley is part of the Mojave Desert.
Understand the text
Read the text. Choose the correct answer.
- What do the lines in the rock show?
- What do scientists believe about Death Valley?
- Plants cannot grow in the salty ground.
- What happens to wildflowers after even a small amount of rain?
- Why do some desert plants have very long roots?
- Which animal does the text describe as extremely poisonous?
- How long ago did humans live in the valley, according to the evidence?
- Death Valley is completely inside the state of California.
Words in context
Choose the best answer, or type one word from the text.
- "The valley is full of life." This means that ...
- A coyote is described as a dog-like animal. This means it ...
- Fangs are long, sharp ___.
- Rock art and other ___ show that people lived in the valley long ago.
- "It extends more than 225 kilometers." Extends means ...
- Death Valley is part of the Mojave ___.
Answer key
Understand the text
- b) That there was water there in the pastThe text says the lines are evidence of the past presence of water: the area was once under an ocean.
- c) It is the driest place in the United States.The text says: scientists believe it is the driest place in the United States.
- a) TrueThe text says: Nothing is able to grow in this salty ground.
- a) They grow very quickly.Wildflowers grow very quickly after even a small amount of rain.
- b) To reach water deep in the groundSome plants send their roots down more than 18 meters to reach water deep in the ground.
- c) The sidewinder rattlesnakeThe sidewinder rattlesnake is an extremely poisonous snake with long sharp teeth.
- c) As far back as 9,000 years agoRock art and other remains show that humans lived there as far back as 9,000 years ago.
- b) FalseThe valley extends across the southern part of California into the neighbouring state of Nevada.
Words in context
- b) many plants and animals live thereThe writer explains that wildflowers, desert plants, birds, mammals and reptiles all live in the valley.
- b) looks similar to a dogThe ending -like means similar to. A dog-like animal looks like a dog.
- teethThe text explains the word: long sharp teeth, or fangs.
- remainsRemains are the things that are left after a long time, like old tools or buildings.
- a) stretchesExtend here means to stretch or reach over a distance.
- DesertThe last sentence says: The valley is part of the Mojave Desert.