The Joads crossed this desert into Bakersfield, traveling at night to avoid the heat of the day.

• A. The Sonoran desert
• B. The Great Basin desert
• C. The Colorado desert
• D. The Mohave desert

Answer: (D)

The Joads’ journey into Bakersfield goes through the Mojave Desert, the arid stretch in southern California that lies near the western edge of Bakersfield. This desert is known for extreme heat, which is why traveling at night would be a practical choice to avoid the daytime burning temperatures. The other deserts don’t line up with Bakersfield’s location: the Sonoran and its southeastern Colorado Desert are farther south and east, and the Great Basin sits to the north and east with a different climate. So the desert they cross into Bakersfield is the Mohave (Mojave) Desert.