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 2...

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 23 to 30.

        In many cities, temperatures run conspicuously higher than in nearby countryside because built surfaces absorb and store solar energy far more readily than fields or forests do. Rural landscapes are carpeted with vegetation that lifts water from soil, releasing vapor through transpiration – nature’s quiet air-conditioning – which cools leaves and the surrounding air. By contrast, dense districts with scant greenery present pavements and façades that soak up and retain heat long after sunset, so night offers little respite, and morning begins warmer than it might otherwise have been.

        Urban construction favors dark, light-absorbing materials – asphalt, brick, steel, and tinted glass – that convert light into heat; pale surfaces largely reflect it. To counter this, some cities now “lighten” streets and roofs with reflective coatings, while installing rooftop gardens that trade bare membranes for living canopies. These measures lower peak summer temperatures and, when scaled up, save substantial energy – Los Angeles estimates annual savings approaching $100 million from such heat-mitigation upgrades.

        Many modern surfaces are impervious, preventing water from percolating, evaporating, and carrying heat away. Permeable pavers and planted layers can restore cooling flows by admitting, holding, and slowly releasing rainfall. If builders replace sealed pavements with materials that let water pass, neighborhoods will stay measurably cooler during heat waves. In short, when a city invites water to move through it – as living soils do – it regains a thermal rhythm less dominated by noon sun and midnight stored heat.

        Urban heat islands are not merely uncomfortable; they can be dangerous. In summer, New York City averages about 7°F (4°C) warmer than its surroundings – enough to worsen dehydration, trigger heat exhaustion, and strain power grids as fans and air-conditioners surge, risking outages. Earth-observing satellites like Landsat and Suomi-NPP map vegetation and surface temperatures, helping scientists flag urban “hotspots.” With those global views, planners can target greening, reflective retrofits, and permeable designs to build cooler, safer, more energy-efficient cities.

(Adapted from NASA/JPL-Caltech, “What is an Urban Heat Island?”)

Question 23. Which of the following is TRUE according to paragraph 1?

A. Rural vegetation warms air by suppressing transpiration.

B. Urban areas cool faster at night due to wide streets.

C. Cities remain warmer overnight because hard surfaces retain heat.

D. Countryside soils absorb more sunlight than asphalt.