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Cooling the City (with data)

11th grade reading

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Cooling the City (with data)

On hot summer afternoons, the centres of large cities can be several degrees warmer than the surrounding countryside. This "urban heat island" effect occurs because dark surfaces such as asphalt and roofing absorb sunlight and release it slowly as heat, while buildings trap warm air and reduce the cooling effect of wind. A lack of vegetation makes the problem worse: trees and plants cool the air by providing shade and releasing water vapour. In a recent study, researchers measured the average afternoon surface temperature in July across four neighbourhoods of one city, alongside the percentage of each area covered by trees. Their results are summarised below. Neighbourhood | Tree cover (%) | Average July afternoon surface temperature (°C) Northgate | 8 | 41 Riverside | 15 | 38 Elm Park | 27 | 34 Hillcrest | 35 | 32 The researchers caution that tree cover is not the only factor: Riverside, for instance, is next to a large river, which may have cooled it independently. Nevertheless, they conclude that expanding urban tree cover is a promising strategy for reducing extreme heat, particularly in neighbourhoods where many residents lack air conditioning.

  1. Question 1

    Read "Cooling the City (with data)". According to paragraph 1, why do dark surfaces make cities hotter?

    • A. They absorb sunlight and release it slowly as heat.
    • B. They produce their own electricity.
    • C. They block the wind completely.
    • D. They reflect all sunlight back into space.

  2. Question 2

    Read "Cooling the City (with data)". Which neighbourhood had both the most tree cover and the lowest temperature?

    • A. Hillcrest
    • B. Northgate
    • C. Riverside
    • D. Elm Park

  3. Question 3

    Read "Cooling the City (with data)". Which statement is best supported by the table?

    • A. Northgate is cooler than Riverside.
    • B. Elm Park has the most trees.
    • C. Tree cover has no relationship with temperature.
    • D. As tree cover increases across the four neighbourhoods, average temperature decreases.

  4. Question 4

    Read "Cooling the City (with data)". What is the difference in average temperature between Northgate and Hillcrest?

    • A. 3 °C
    • B. 9 °C
    • C. 7 °C
    • D. 27 °C

  5. Question 5

    Read "Cooling the City (with data)". Why do the researchers mention the river near Riverside?

    • A. to acknowledge another factor that could affect the temperature
    • B. to argue that trees are useless
    • C. to show that rivers cause heat islands
    • D. to explain why Riverside has no trees

  6. Question 6

    Read "Cooling the City (with data)". Which conclusion do the researchers draw?

    • A. Air conditioning should be banned.
    • B. Planting more trees is a promising way to reduce extreme urban heat.
    • C. Cities should be built near rivers.
    • D. Tree cover is the only cause of temperature differences.

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Answer key: Cooling the City (with data)

  1. 1. A. They absorb sunlight and release it slowly as heat.

  2. 2. A. Hillcrest

  3. 3. D. As tree cover increases across the four neighbourhoods, average temperature decreases.

  4. 4. B. 9 °C

  5. 5. A. to acknowledge another factor that could affect the temperature

  6. 6. B. Planting more trees is a promising way to reduce extreme urban heat.