单项选择题

阅读下面的短文，文中有15处空白，每处空白给出了4个选项。
The Animals in Desert Some desert animals can survive the very strong summer heat and dryness because they have very unusual characteristics. The camel, for example, can (1) an increase in the temperature of its body and its blood of 9~℃. In addition, it can drink an enormous (2) water at one time, then store sufficient water in its red blood cells and other parts of its body to supply its needs for two weeks or more. The kangaroo rat, on the other hand, (3) all the water it needs from water that it produces during respiration. However, most animals need to (4) a fairly constant body temperature, and will die if it rises more than 5 ℃. (5) , they need to find some way to avoid the strong sunrays. Nor can many animals either store or produce water in their bodies, as the camel and kangaroo rat (6) . So they must find ways to (7) water loss from their bodies to the lowest degree. Because very few desert animals can survive the strong rays, the temperature, and the evaporation rate (8) a typical summer’s day, most of them are active during the night. Only (9) the sun has set does the desert come fully to life. The night is relatively cool, and the darkness provides (10) , not only from the sun, but also from other animals and from the birds. So the coming of darkness is the signal (11) the large majority of animals and insects to continue their search for water and food. When morning comes, most of them seek (12) again. Many go underground; nearly all find somewhere shady where they can avoid the sunrays. For many kinds of insects, living in the desert is (13) than for animals. Like many desert plants, they have a waterproof skin which (14) water loss by evaporation. In addition, some insects spend all or most of their life below ground. Here, for most of the year at least, there is (15) wetness, and it is generally cooler than on the surface. 1. A. carry B. bear C. effect D. delay 2. A. amount B. number C. level D. sum 3. A. obtains B. consumes C. brings D. replaces 4. A. raise B. reject C. maintain D. regulate 5. A. However B. Again C. Instead D. Therefore 6. A. can B. may C. must D. need 7. A. quicken B. reduce C. lighten D. keep 8. A. in B. to C. of D. through 9. A. after B. since C. until D. before 10. A. prevention B. protection C. possession D. permission 11. A. for B. with C. from D. among 12. A. food B. shelter C. water D. work 13. A. easier B. better C. safer D. harder 14. A. causes B. changes C. prevents D. suffers 15.

A. little	B. plentiful
C. thorough	D. some