CBSE Class 6 English Honeysuckle Chapter 9: Desert Animals NCERT Solutions

NCERT Solutions PDF Class 6 PDF

This resource provides comprehensive NCERT Solutions for Class 6 English, Chapter 9, 'Desert Animals'. It covers key concepts related to the adaptations and survival strategies of animals living in desert environments. The solutions explain how animals like camels, gerbils, and beetles cope with extreme heat and lack of water, detailing their unique methods for finding moisture and regulating body temperature. It also addresses common misconceptions about deserts and their inhabitants, such as snakes and camel humps. The exercises encourage critical thinking about animal behavior and vocabulary related to survival in harsh conditions. These solutions are designed to help students understand the chapter thoroughly and prepare effectively for their exams by clarifying complex ideas and providing clear answers to all questions.

Quick info

BoardCBSE
ClassClass 6
SubjectEnglish
Session2026
LanguageEnglish
TypeNCERT Solutions
ChapterHoneysuckle - Chapter 9 Desert Animals

Chapter summary

NCERT Solutions for Class 6 English 'Desert Animals' focuses on the unique adaptations that enable animals to survive in arid environments. It clarifies how desert creatures find water, manage heat, and protect themselves from predators. The solutions address specific animal behaviors, debunk myths about desert life, and reinforce vocabulary related to survival and environmental challenges. This chapter's exercises help students understand the text and develop critical thinking skills about ecological adaptations.

Learning outcomes

  • Understand the challenges faced by animals in desert environments.
  • Identify and explain the survival strategies of various desert animals.
  • Differentiate between true and false statements about desert life.
  • Define and use vocabulary related to harsh conditions and animal interactions.
  • Explain the functions of animal adaptations, such as camel humps and burrowing.
  • Answer comprehension questions based on the text about desert animals.

Topics covered

Paper topics

  • Desert environment
  • Animal adaptations
  • Survival strategies
  • Camel biology
  • Snake behavior
  • Mongoose behavior
  • Moisture conservation
  • Vocabulary: harsh conditions, survive, predators, prey
  • True/False statements
  • Comprehension questions
  • Comparative adjectives
  • Animal facts

Important topics

  • Camel's adaptation for survival
  • How desert animals find water/moisture
  • Predator-prey relationships in deserts
  • Understanding vocabulary related to survival
  • Debunking myths about desert life

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Questions and Solutions

Working With the Text (Page 117)

A.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.
Solution: Here are the answers to the true or false statements:
  1. False. While water is essential, many desert animals have adaptations to survive for extended periods without drinking directly.
  2. False. Deserts are characterized by extreme dryness and heat, but they are not exclusively endless sand dunes; they can also include rocky plains and mountains.
  3. True. The passage mentions that most snakes are quite harmless, although a few are poisonous.
  4. True. Snakes lack external ears and cannot hear sounds in the way humans do, but they are sensitive to vibrations transmitted through the ground.
  5. False. A camel's hump stores fat, not water. This fat can be metabolized to provide energy and water when food and water are scarce.

2. Answer the following questions.

  1. How do desert animals survive without water?
  2. How do mongooses kill snakes?
  3. How does the hump of the camels help them to survive when there is no water?
Solution:
  1. Desert animals have developed remarkable ways to survive for long periods without drinking water. For instance, gerbils stay cool by living in underground burrows, which are much cooler than the desert surface. Some beetles have a unique method of collecting drops of moisture on their legs. Camels, on the other hand, obtain the moisture they need from the desert plants they eat.
  2. Mongooses are known for their ability to kill snakes, even venomous ones. They possess very swift reactions, allowing them to dodge the snake's strikes effectively. They persistently trouble the snake, using their agility to wear it down until it becomes tired. Once the snake is exhausted, the mongoose attacks and kills it, usually without sustaining any injuries itself.
  3. The hump of a camel is not for storing water, but rather for storing fat. This stored fat serves as a crucial energy reserve. When food and water are scarce in the desert, the camel's body can break down this fat, which provides nourishment and also produces water as a byproduct through metabolic processes. This helps the camel survive for extended periods without needing to drink.

B. Read the words/phrases in the box. With your partner find their meanings 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____ in____ .

Though most of the animals are ______, some are dangerous when

_____ is noticed, they attack or bite to save

themselves. They struggle ______ for food and water. Some animals

are called______ because they_____ on other animals.

Solution: Here is the completed passage with the words from the box:

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.

Speaking (Page 118)

Look at these sentences.

  • Deserts are the driest places on earth.
  • Gerbils spend the hottest part of the day in cool underground burrows.

Now form pairs. Ask questions using a suitable form of the word in brackets. Try to answer the questions too.

Do you know

  1. Which animal is the_____(tall)?
  2. Which animal runs the_____ (fast)?
  3. Which place on earth is the_____ (hot) or the____ (cold)?
  4. Which animal is the _____ (large)?
  5. Which is the _____ (tall) mountain in the world?
  6. Which is the _____ (rainy) place on earth?
  7. Which is the _____ (old) living animal?

Can you add some questions of your own?

Solution: Here are the answers to the questions using comparative and superlative adjectives:
  1. The tallest animal is the Giraffe.
  2. The animal that runs the fastest is the Cheetah.
  3. The hottest place on Earth is Aziza, Libya, and the coldest place is Verkhoyansk, Russia.
  4. The largest animal is the Blue Whale.
  5. The tallest mountain in the world is Mount Everest.
  6. The rainiest place on Earth is Mawsynram, Meghalaya.
  7. The oldest living animal is the Giant Tortoise.

Thinking about Language (Page 118)

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.
Solution: Here are five sentences following the pattern using 'most' and 'a few' or similar contrasting phrases:
  1. Most people are honest, but a few are dishonest.
  2. Most fruits have plenty of sugar, but some citrus fruits are low in sugar.
  3. Most soft drinks have lots of 'empty calories', but this one does not.
  4. Most films are romances, but a few are on other topics.
  5. Most people agree that he is a good leader, but just a few disagree.

Common mistakes

  • Confusing the function of a camel's hump (storing fat, not water).
  • Assuming all snakes are dangerous.
  • Believing deserts consist only of sand dunes.
  • Underestimating the ability of desert animals to survive without direct water sources.

Revision tips

  • Focus on understanding the specific adaptations of each animal mentioned.
  • Pay close attention to the true/false statements to reinforce factual knowledge.
  • Review the vocabulary section to ensure a strong grasp of related terms.
  • Practice answering the comprehension questions without referring to the text initially.
  • Discuss the survival strategies with a study partner to solidify understanding.

Practice MCQs

Q1. Which of the following is a FALSE statement about desert animals?

Q2. How do mongooses typically defeat snakes?

Q3. What is the primary function of a camel's hump according to the text?

Q4. Which of these is NOT a way desert animals survive without water?

Q5. The word 'predators' in the context of the passage refers to animals that:

Frequently asked questions

What is the main topic of Chapter 9, 'Desert Animals'?

Chapter 9, 'Desert Animals', focuses on the unique adaptations and survival strategies of animals living in desert environments, explaining how they cope with extreme conditions like lack of water and heat.

How do camels survive in the desert according to the NCERT Solutions?

The NCERT Solutions explain that camels survive by storing fat in their humps, which provides nourishment and helps meet their water needs when resources are scarce. They also get moisture from desert plants.

Are all snakes dangerous?

No, the solutions clarify that while some snakes are poisonous, most snakes are harmless. However, even harmless snakes can bite if they feel threatened.

What is the purpose of these NCERT Solutions for Class 6 English?

These solutions provide clear, step-by-step answers to the questions in Chapter 9, helping students understand the text better, clarify doubts, and prepare effectively for their English exams.

How do animals like gerbils and beetles survive in the desert?

Gerbils survive by staying cool in underground burrows during the hottest parts of the day. Beetles have adapted to catch tiny drops of moisture on their legs.

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