Set in the red desert of central Australia is the mining town of Coober Pedy. At first sight, the town looks similar to many other such communities, but Coober Pedy is different. Sixty per cent of its population of some 4,000 people lives underground. There are today about 800 underground houses as well as shops, hotels and even churches in the town and the (1)______ hills. Once a site has been chosen, special tunneling machines are (2)______ in to create passages and rooms in the sandstone. Rock pillars are left to (3)______ the roof, and doors and windows are cut into the front. Houses are of all shapes and (4)______, the largest having twenty rooms, and some even have their own swimming pool.

Living underground may sound strange but in fact it has a number of advantages. In summer, the temperature outside can reach an astonishing 470C, and in winter the nights can be (5)______ cold. However, inside the houses it remains a steady 250C all year (6)______. Many people say that living underground makes them feel very secure. There is no problem with noise from the neighbors and the houses are not (7)______. By the fierce dust storms that regularly (8)______ through the area. And of course, if your family (9)______ or lots of friends come to stay, you can (10)______ dig another room.