Vocabulary Test 56

  The camel is the oldest of domestic animals. It has been used for thousands of years by the desert people of 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 the market. In the desert itself, they are still almost the only means of transport. They supply food 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 100 litres of water in ten minutes. The camel has broad, soft feet to form a steady grip in the sand. A thick skin protects it from  the fierce day time sun and bitterly cold nights. The camel's eyes have three eyelids to help protect them from sand; its ears and nose are also adapted to keep out sand storms.
  Camels stand about two meters 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 16 kilometers a day.Camels eat grass, dates, and grain when available. Deep in the desert, they survive on dry leaves, seeds, and bones.