Given below are two statements, one is labelled asAssertion (A) :and the other as Reason (R).Assertion (A):The interior part of Australia is desert and semi-desert.Reason (R):Northern Australia is situated in the temperate zone.

1. A

   Both (A) and (R) are true, but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A)

   Both true, R not explaining A. Northern Australia is not temperate, so R is false and this pair cannot stand.

2. B

   (A) is false, but (R) is true

   (A) false, (R) true. The interior is desert and semi-desert. R is the false limb.

3. C

   (A) is true, but (R) is false

   (A) is true, (R) is false. The vast interior (the Outback) is arid and semi-arid. Northern Australia sits in the tropics, not the temperate zone. Heat plus the Great Dividing Range rain-shadow, not a temperate location, explains the desert interior.

4. D

   Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A)

   Both true and R explains A. R is false, so it cannot explain A.

Summary. Official key is (c). Assertion holds: interior Australia is desert and semi-desert. Reason fails: northern Australia is tropical. The desert is not because the north is temperate.