2. Look at the world map and match the deserts with their correct locations

4. 1.The Gobi Desert 2.The Great Sandy Desert 3.The Mojave Desert 4.The Sahara Desert A. California (America) B. Africa C. Mongolia (Asia) D. Australia

5. 1.The Gobi Desert 2.The Great Sandy Desert 3.The Mojave Desert 4.The Sahara Desert A. California (America) B. Africa C. Mongolia (Asia) D. Australia

6. Work with a partner and say whether the following statements about deserts are TRUE or FALSE TRUE FALSE 1. There is no water in a desert.   2. Some desert can be very cold for most   of the year. 3. Camels, the most popular desert animals,   can be found in all deserts. 4. The humps on camels’ backs hold water.   5. Cacti are the most well-known desert plants.  

7. expand (v): to become or make sth greater in size, number or importance A tyre becomes larger when you pump air into it. It expands.  expansion (n)  expansive (adj)

8. aware about sb/sth, that … : having knowledge of sb/sth, realizing sth Do you know what time it is? Are you aware of the time? She was too busy to realize that the baby was crying. She wasn’t aware that the baby was crying.

9. victim (n): a person, an animal or a thing that is injured, killed or destroyed as the result of crime, bad luck, an accident, etc. Many people were killed and injured in the earthquake in China last year. They are the victims of this earthquake.

10. herd (n) a number of animals, esp cattle, feeding or staying together A herd of buffaloes is a group of buffaloes which live together.

11. Affect / Effect affect (v): to have an influence on effect (n): a result or an influence It’s not safe to drink and drive because alcohol affects the drivers’ concentration. Alcohol has a very bad effect on drivers.

12. fix (v) 1. to fasten sth firmly to sth 2. to repair or mend sth Somebody has fixed the picture of Monet to the wall. My clock doesn’t work. It needs fixing.  fixed (adj): already arranged and decided. Ex: The plan is fixed. You cannot change it anymore.  fixation (n)

13. advance (v): 1. to move forward, often in an aggressive or threatening way Ex: The climbers have advanced two miles from the base camp. 2. to make progress Ex: He has advanced much in his study.  advance (n): 1. [C] a forward movement 2. [U] progress through time  advanced (adj): involving or capable of a more difficult level of work: advanced level, advanced students

14. threat (n):1. an expression of one’s intention to punish or harm sb, esp if they do not do as one wishes Ex: They do not carry out their threat to cut off the water supply. 2. a person or thing likely to cause trouble, danger, etc. Ex: Terrorism is a threat to the whole country  threaten (v) He threatened to fire me if I continued to come to work late.

15. temporary (adj): lasting or meant to last for a limited time only, not permanent Ex: This arrangement is only temporary. It will have to be changed in the future. constant (adj): going on all the time, happening again and again. Ex: I can’t stand her constant complaints any more. She just keeps complaining all days and nights.

16. eat up cut down catch up turn into wash away eat sth up: to use sth in large quantities Ex: This car consumes too much petrol. It really eats up petrol.

17. eat up cut down catch up turn into wash away cut sth down: to make sth fall down by cutting it at the base cut sth down; cut down (on sth): to reduce the amount or quantity of sth Ex: The doctor told him not to smoke too much. He was told to cut down on his smoking.

18. eat up cut down catch up turn into wash away turn (sth) into: to change or cause sth to change into a completely new state Ex: After being kissed, the frog turned into a handsome prince.

19. eat up cut down catch up turn into wash away catch up sth: hold or retain sth. Ex: Clay soil retains water. It catches up water. catch up (with sb): to reach sb who is ahead, eg. in a race; to reach the same stage as sb Ex: After missing a term through illness, he had to work up to keep up with others.

20. eat up cut down catch up turn into wash away wash away: (of water) to remove or carry sb/sth away to another place Ex: The footprints were washed away by the rain.

21. Answer the following questions? 1.What may be the causes of desert expansion? 2.What is “dune fixation”? 3.In what way can Beijing be affected by the Gobi Desert? 4.Which method of stopping desert expansion is harmful to the environment?

22. Complete the following summary of the reading text, using no more than three words for each blank. In many parts of the world, people are suffering desert (1)…………… They have made a lot of (2)…………… to solve the problem. The first way is (3)…………… sand dunes to prevent sand from moving by planting trees or (4)…………… fences. Another measure is (5)…………… for fuel. The third way is (6)…………… on the sand so that water can be retained. Some other (7)…………… methods include building (8)…………… to water dry areas and making stone lines to catch up rainwater.

23. Discuss in groups and answer the questions below. Do you think some part in Vietnam may become a desert in the future? Why or why not?