Read the passage. Then answer the questions below.When you imagine the desert, you probably think of a very hot place covered with sand. Although this is a good description for many deserts, Earth's largest desert is actually a very cold place covered with ice: Antarctica.In order for an area to be considered a desert, it must receive very little rainfall. More specifically, it must receive an average of less than ten inches of precipitation-which can be rain, sleet, hail, or snow-on the ground every year. Antarctica, the coldest place on earth, has an average temperature that usually falls below the freezing point. And because cold air holds less moisture than warm air, the air in Antarctica does not hold much moisture at all. This is evident in the low precipitation statistics recorded for Antarctica. For example, the central part of Antarctica receives an average of less than 2 inches of snow every year. The coastline of Antarctica receives a little bit more-between seven and eight inches a year. Because Antarctica gets so little precipitation every year, it is considered a desert.When precipitation falls in hot deserts, it quickly evaporates back into the atmosphere. The air over Antarctica is too cold to hold water vapor, so there is very little evaporation. Due to this low rate of evaporation, most of the snow that falls to the ground remains there permanently, eventually building up into thick ice sheets. Any snow that does not freeze into ice sheets becomes caught up in the strong winds that constantly blow over Antarctica. These snow-filled winds can make it look as if it is snowing. Even though snowfall is very rare there, blizzards are actually very common on Antarctica.The best title for this passage would be
Correct answer: C. A Desert of Ice
- A. Earth's Many Deserts
- B. Antarctica: The Coldest Place on Earth
- C. A Desert of Ice
- D. Unusual Blizzards
Explanation
The best title for this passage would be:"A Desert of Ice"This title captures the main focus of the passage, which is describing Antarctica as a desert despite its icy environment. It highlights the contrast between the common perception of deserts as hot and sandy with the reality that Earth's largest desert is actually a cold region covered with ice. The passage explains the criteria for classifying an area as a desert (low precipitation) and discusses how Antarctica meets these criteria despite its extreme cold temperatures. Therefore, "Antarctica: The Cold Desert" effectively summarizes the main theme and content of the passage.
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