Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, c, or D to indicate the correct word that best fits each of the numbered blanks.
The Atacama Desert is situated in South America. It is found near (23) ___thirtieth parallel south of the equator. (24) ____, the Sahara and the Rub’al-Khali deserts of northern Africa and nearby Saudi Arabia are 30° north of the equator. (25) ___the Kalahari Desert of Southern Africa is about 30° south of it. The Gobi Desert of central Asia (26) ____a little farther than 30° north, at about 45°, while the Great Sandy and Gibson deserts of Australia fall back into the pattern, lying 30° south of the equator. This pattern is no (27) ____. All the hot deserts are found about the same distance north or south of the equator.
Number 23:……