Final answer:
The correct answer is A) Desert; cacti and sagebrush. The Great Plains and the dry northern part of the Great Basin have a dry climate with notable vegetation including grasslands and sagebrush, also influenced by the rain shadow effect creating semi-arid conditions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Great Plains and dry northern part of the Great Basin have a dry climate. This means dry weather and vegetation that is mainly grassland and sagebrush. Therefore, the correct answer is A) Desert; cacti and sagebrush.
These regions are characterized by low rainfall and high temperatures during the day with cooler temperatures at night or during the winter season. The terrain can range from sand deserts to prairie grasslands, also known as steppes, and typically have fewer trees compared to other climate areas.
The Great Plains experience a type B climate, also affected by the rain shadow effect due to the mountains, leading to semi-arid lands to the east. Vegetation in these areas is adapted to the drier conditions, resulting often in temperate grasslands with prairies and tall grasses predominantly used for agriculture, particularly in America's breadbasket.