这是片干燥地区，几乎是一片荒漠。

It is an arid region, almost a desert.

Source: Tatoeba

Sentence Composition

=1 这 zhè
  1. (pronoun) this; these
  2. (bound form) this; the (followed by a noun)
  3. (bound form) this; these (followed by a classifier) (in this sense, commonly pr. zhèi, esp. in Beijing)
=1 这 zhèi (coll.) this
=2 是 shì
  1. to be (followed by substantives only)
  2. correct; right; true
  3. (respectful acknowledgement of a command) very well
  4. (adverb for emphatic assertion)
=2 是 shì variant of 是 shì
=3 片 piān
  1. disk
  2. sheet
=3 片 piàn
  1. thin piece
  2. flake
  3. a slice
  4. film
  5. TV play
  6. to slice
  7. to carve thin
  8. partial
  9. incomplete
  10. one-sided
  11. classifier for slices, tablets, tract of land, area of water
  12. classifier for CDs, movies, DVDs etc
  13. used with numeral 一 yī: classifier for scenario, scene, feeling, atmosphere, sound etc
  14. Kangxi radical 91
4 干燥 gānzào
  1. (of weather, climate, soil etc) dry; arid
  2. (of skin, mouth etc) dry
  3. (fig.) dull; dry; boring
  4. (of timber etc) to dry out; to season; to cure
5 地区 dìqū
  1. region; area (informal or geographical term)
  2. prefecture (in China's administrative system)
6 几乎 jīhū almost; nearly; practically
=7 是 shì
  1. to be (followed by substantives only)
  2. correct; right; true
  3. (respectful acknowledgement of a command) very well
  4. (adverb for emphatic assertion)
=7 是 shì variant of 是 shì
8 一片 yīpiàn
  1. (one) piece, slice; one film
  2. piece, slice; one film
9 荒漠 huāngmò
  1. desert; desolate wilderness; barren wasteland
  2. vast and desolate