Question

cold deserts
snow in the desert? it seems impossible doesnt it? cold or polar deserts are probably the least likely environments to be considered deserts. people may think that snow and ice are certain to preclude moisture to the ecosystem (however). they provide very little. while snow is the primary form of precipitation, a cold desert doesnt get some rain. in these deserts, ice and snow cover some of the frozen ground throughout the year. this makes it difficult for the few plants that live here, like lichen and shrubs, to retrieve new water from any rainfall. animals such as the penguin, polar bear, and tardigrades that permeate the polar regions, must adapt to the extremely cold temperatures.
the importance of deserts
deserts are a whole, encompass approximately one fifth of earths surface. they are extremely important ecosystems for the planet. deserts provide biodiversity in that they are home to various plants and animals. these are plants and animals that have adapted to extreme climates. deserts also are considered to be carbon sinks, which means they absorb and store carbon dioxide from the air. this can help to reduce the production of greenhouse gases that are important for industry - like copper, iron, gold, and nitrate - come from deserts. and over the years, deserts have been the site of fantastic archaeological discoveries, like the pyramids and river nile tombs of the pharaohs of egypt. deserts, although often maligned as barren wastelands, are important elements of the environment. the climates there can warm the earth, and deserts maintain a delicate balance that should be preserved.
this sentence is from the passage: animals such as the penguin, polar bear, and tardigrades that permeate the polar regions, must adapt to the extremely cold temperatures.
what does the word permeate mean?

1. take from
2. barely exist
3. mostly thriving
4. spread throughout

Explanation:

To solve this, we analyze the context: the sentence is about animals (penguin, polar bear, bald eagle) living in or adapting to extremely cold polar regions. The word "permeate" here is used to describe how the cold temperatures spread through the polar regions.

• Option 1 "take form" doesn't fit as it's about forming, not spreading.
• Option 2 "briefly exist" is incorrect as the cold isn't briefly existing but is widespread.
• Option 3 "rarely thrive" is about thriving, not the cold's spread.
• Option 4 "spread throughout" matches the idea of cold temperatures spreading across the polar regions.

The sentence describes cold temperatures in polar regions. "Permeate" here means to spread through. Option 4 "spread throughout" aligns with this meaning, while others (take form, briefly exist, rarely thrive) do not fit the context of cold spreading in polar regions.

Answer:

1. spread throughout