Read the passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the best answer to each of the following questions from 20 to 29.
Imposing networks of steel bars encase the concrete balconies of high-density residential blocks. Residents erect these metal enclosures to deter burglary or to claim a few square meters of extra space for storage. They project an image of fortified security while simultaneously creating a dangerous predicament. The heavy barriers designed to preclude illicit entry effectively eliminate the primary means of emergency egress. Solitary apartments turn into potential confinements during a catastrophe. Rescue operations from the exterior become exceedingly difficult as firefighters must cut through reinforced metal before reaching the occupants. [I] The sheer density of these modifications transforms an open building into a vertical fortress with virtually no exit.
The danger creates a compound risk when combined with the congested geography below. Residential clusters often develop organically and lack rigorous urban planning. A labyrinthine maze of alleyways remains too narrow for modern emergency vehicles to navigate. [II] Fire trucks must often stop hundreds of meters away from the actual blaze and resort to deploying lengthy hoses to reach the flames. Disordered bundles of electrical wiring hang overhead and frequently ignite the very disasters residents fear. Population density means a single spark jeopardizes the safety of hundreds within minutes. The path to safety is often obstructed by the accumulation of parked vehicles and the general congestion of daily life.
Public awareness typically remains dormant until a specific tragedy dominates the news cycle. Harrowing images of smoke rising from a narrow lane send a shockwave of anxiety through the populace. A sudden and frenzied rush to acquire safety equipment ensues. Hardware stores are rapidly depleted of rope ladders, gas masks, and extinguishers as households attempt to retrofit their dwellings. [III] Prices for these essential items often surge due to the sudden spike in demand. Dinner table conversation shifts abruptly to escape routes and the integrity of aging electrical systems that have largely gone unchecked for years.
Such vigilance is frequently ephemeral. The visceral shock of a disaster gradually recedes as daily survival demands erode the initial panic. The metal cages remain intact in practice because structural renovation involves prohibitive costs and effort. [IV] Many residents simply cannot afford to dismantle and rebuild their homes, even with the lingering fear. Life in the densely packed metropolis resumes its frenetic rhythm. The populace settles once again into a precarious complacency while waiting for the next siren to shatter the illusion of safety.
(Adapted from Vietnam News.vn)
Question 20: According to paragraph 1, the fortification of private living quarters to prevent unauthorized intrusion has inadvertently engineered ______.
A. a facade of invulnerability designed to discourage unauthorized access to property
B. the annexation of a supplementary area for holding possessions and deterring theft
C. a structural modification that compromises the load-bearing capacity of the balconies
D. a perilous confinement scenario characterized by the blockage of escape routes
