byNormanStevensCover,©PUNCHSTOCK;p.3,©PhotoDisc;p.4,©SimonFraser/PhotoResearchers,Inc.;p.6,©ron&pattythomas/Taxi/GettyImages;p.7,©MarkChappell/AnimalsAnimals;p.8,©MICHAEL&PATRICIAFOGDEN/MindenPictures;p.9,©Zssd/MindenPictures;p.10,©Corbis/PunchStock;p.11,©GerdLudwig/NationalGeographicImageCollection;p.12,©GeorgeH.H.Huey/CORBIS;p.13,©CraigAurness/CORBIS;p.14,©agefotostock/SuperStock.Cartography,p.5,JoeLeMonnierCopyright©byHarcourt,Inc.Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthispublicationmaybereproducedortransmittedinanyformorbyanymeans,electronicormechanical,includingphotocopy,recording,oranyinformationstorageandretrievalsystem,withoutpermissioninwritingfromthepublisher.RequestsforpermissiontomakecopiesofanypartoftheworkshouldbeaddressedtoSchoolPermissionsandCopyrights,Harcourt,Inc.,6277SeaHarborDrive,Orlando,Florida32887-6777.Fax:407-345-2418.HARCOURTandtheHarcourtLogoaretrademarksofHarcourt,Inc.,registeredintheUnitedStatesofAmericaand/orotherjurisdictions.PrintedinChinaISBN10:0-15-350684-9ISBN13:978-0-15-350684-0OrderingOptionsISBN10:0-15-350600-8(Grade3On-LevelCollection)ISBN13:978-0-15-350600-0(Grade3On-LevelCollection)ISBN10:0-15-357905-6(packageof5)ISBN13:978-0-15-357905-9(packageof5)Ifyouhavereceivedthesematerialsasexaminationcopiesfreeofcharge,HarcourtSchoolPublishersretainstitletothematerialsandtheymaynotberesold.Resaleofexaminationcopiesisstrictlyprohibitedandisillegal.Possessionofthispublicationinprintformatdoesnotentitleuserstoconvertthispublication,oranyportionofit,intoelectronicformat.1234567891098512111009080706byNormanStevensYoulookoutacrossthedesert,andtheskyisblueandclear.Itmaybemonthsbeforetheskycloudsover,anditbeginstorain.TheMojave[mo¯hä´ve¯]Desertisoneofthedriestplacesonearth.Itcanbehot,too.Onthissummermorning,itisalreadymorethan90°Fahrenheit(32°C),anditwillclimbto115°Fahrenheit(46°C)latertoday.3Asyoulookacrossthedesert,nothingismoving.Thegroundlooksroughandrugged,andthefewplantsyouseelookdead.Thedesertlooksasifnothingcouldlivehere.Y...