The camel is the oldest of domestic ‘animals. It has been used for thousands of years, by the desert people of Africa and Asia to supply many of their needs. On the fertile edges of the desert, camels pull ploughs, turn wheels to irrigate the fields and carry goods to market. In the desert itself, they are still almost the only means of transport. They supply food, milk and clothing in the form of wool and leather.
This useful animal is well adapted to life in harsh, arid lands. The Arabian camel has one hump; the Bactrian camel has two. The hump is, in fact, a store of fat which is used as a source of energy when food and water are scarce. When it does drink, the camel can take up to 100 litres of water in ten minutes.
The camel has broad, soft feet for a steady grip in the sand. A thick skin protects it from the fierce daytime sun and bitterly cold nights. The camel's eyes have three eyelids to help keep out sand; its ears and nose are also adapted to keep out sand storms. Camels stand about two metres high at the shoulder and weigh 500-800 kilos. Often called The ships of the desert', they can carry loads of 200 kilos and more, travelling up to 60 kilometres a day.
Camels eat grass, dates and grain when available. Deep in the desert they survive on dry leaves, seeds and bones.
Questions:
1. In what two ways can the camel help us in Agriculture?
(a) ___________
(b) ___________
2. What does the camel's hump contain ?
3. How many humps does the Bactrian camel has?
4. What purpose does the camel's hump serve ?
5. Give a suitable title for the passage.
6. Fill in the blanks with appropriate words/phrases.
(a) Three eyelids help to _________.
(b) Thick skin protects the camel from ________.
7. What does the camel eat in the desert?
Answers
Answer:
1.(a)camels pull ploughs
(b)and turn wheels to irrigate the field
2.Camels hump contains fats which provides energy in the time of food and water scarcity.
3.The bactrian camel has two humps.
4.The hump of camel serves as the store of energy in the time of food and water scarcity.
5.All about Camels
6.(a)keep out sand
(b)fierce daytime sun and bitterly cold nights
7.Camel eats dry leaves,seed sand bones in the desert.
Answer:
- a) They turn wheels to irrigate the fields.
b) They carry goods to market.
2. The hump is a store of fat which is
used as a source of energy when food and
water are scarce.
3. Bactrian Camel has 2 humps.
4. The camel's hump gives the camel an
ability to take upto 100 litres of water in 10
minutes.
5. 'The Ship Of Desert - Camel'
6. a) keep the sand out of reach of eyes.
b) fierce daylight and cold nights.
7. Camels eat grass, dates and grain when
available. Deep in the desert they survive on
dry leaves, seeds and bones.