Antarctica is the world’s driest continent but paradoxically also contains most of the world’s supply of fresh water. A desert is defined as a region that gets less than 10 inches of precipitation (rain, snow, sleet, etc.) a year. The coastal areas of Antarctica receive about 8 inches of annual precipitation, with the interior getting far less. The snow and ice that cover the continent and account for most of the fresh water on Earth have accumulated slowly over thousands of years. Ninety-eight percent of Antarctica is covered by ice, averaging one mile in depth.
Which of the following facts is most important in determining whether or not Antarctica is a desert?

Explanation

The passage defines a desert as a region having less than 10 inches of precipitation a year. Thus the only relevant fact in determining if Antarctica is a desert is the amount of precipitation it gets. The other answer choices all deal with other facts about Antarctica.

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