Interactive Reading

Read the passage and answer the question.

Cities are usually warmer than the countryside around them, a difference scientists call the urban heat island effect. Concrete and asphalt absorb sunlight during the day and release it slowly at night, while tall buildings trap heat and block cooling breezes. The lack of plants makes things worse, since trees cool the air by releasing water vapor and casting shade. On hot nights, this trapped warmth can keep city temperatures several degrees higher than nearby fields, straining health and energy use. To fight back, some cities now paint roofs white to reflect sunlight and plant trees along streets, modest changes that together can noticeably lower neighborhood temperatures.