TOEFL Formatı Test 3

Passage

Urban heat islands occur when cities experience significantly higher temperatures than surrounding rural areas. This phenomenon results primarily from the replacement of natural land cover with dense concentrations of pavement, buildings, and other surfaces that absorb and retain heat. Dark-colored roofs and asphalt roads, for instance, can reach temperatures 30 to 40 degrees Celsius higher than the ambient air on a summer day. The lack of vegetation in cities further intensifies the effect because trees and plants provide shade and release moisture through a process called evapotranspiration, which naturally cools the air. Researchers have found that large cities can be 1 to 3 degrees Celsius warmer than nearby rural regions, and this temperature difference increases at night when heat stored in concrete and steel is slowly released. To combat urban heat islands, city planners are turning to strategies such as green roofs, reflective building materials, and increased urban tree planting.