For many people who live in cities, parks are an important part of the landscape. They provide a place for people to relax and play sports, as well as a refuge from the often harsh environment of a city. What people often overlook is that parks also provide considerable environmental benefits.
One benefit of parks is that plants absorb carbon dioxide - a key pollutant - and emit oxygen, which humans need to breathe. According to one study, an acre of trees can absorb the same amount of carbon dioxide that a typical car emits in 11,000 miles of driving. Parks also make cities cooler. Scientists have long noted what is called the Urban Heat Island Effect: building materials such as metal, concrete, and asphalt absorb much more of the sun’s heat and release it much more quickly than organic surfaces like trees and grass. Because city landscapes contain so much of these building materials, cities are usually warmer than surrounding rural areas. Parks and other green spaces help to mitigate the Urban Heat Island Effect.
Unfortunately, many cities cannot easily create more parks because most land is already being used for buildings, roads, parking lots, and other essential parts of the urban environment. However, cities could benefit from many of the positive effects of parks by encouraging citizens to create another type of green space: rooftop gardens. While most people would not think of starting a garden on their roof, human beings have been planting gardens on rooftops for thousands of years. Some rooftop gardens are very complex and require complicated engineering, but others are simple container gardens that anyone can create with the investment of a few hundred dollars and a few hours of work.
Rooftop gardens provide many of the same benefits as other urban park and garden spaces, but without taking up the much-needed land. Like parks, rooftop gardens help to replace carbon dioxide in the air with nourishing oxygen. They also help to lessen the Urban Heat Island Effect, which can save people money.
In the summer, rooftop gardens prevent buildings from absorbing heat from the sun, which can significantly reduce cooling bills. In the winter, gardens help hold in the heat that materials like brick and concrete radiate so quickly, leading to savings on heating bills. Rooftop vegetable and herb gardens can also provide fresh food for city dwellers, saving them money and making their diets healthier. Rooftop gardens are not only something everyone can enjoy, they are also a smart environmental investment.
Based on the information in paragraph 3, which of the following best describes the main difference between parks and rooftop gardens?
A. Parks are expensive to create while rooftop gardens are not
B. Parks are public while rooftop gardens are private
C. Parks absorb heat while rooftop gardens do not
D. Parks require much space while rooftop gardens do not
Đáp án D
Dựa vào thông tin ở đoạn 3, đâu là miêu tả chính xác nhất sự khác nhau giữa công viên và khu vườn thượng?
A. Công viên tốn nhiều chi phí để xây dựng trong khi vườn thượng thì không.
B. Công viên là công cộng trong khi vườn thượng thì không.
C. Công viên hấp thụ nhiệt trong khi vườn thượng thì không.
D. Công viên yêu cầu nhiều không gian trong khi vườn thượng thì không.
Dẫn chứng ở 2 câu đầu- đoạn 3: “Unfortunately, many cities cannot easily create more parks because most land is already being used for buildings, roads, parking lots, and other essential parts of the urban environment. However, cities could benefit from many of the positive effects of parks by encouraging citizens to create another type of green space: rooftop gardens” – (Không may rằng, nhiều thành phố không thể dễ dàng xây dựng được thêm nhiều công viên bởi vì đất đai đã được dự trù cho việc thi công các tòa nhà, đường xá, chỗ để xe và những phần cần thiết khác cho môi trường đô thị. Tuy nhiên , các thành phố vẫn có thể hưởng lợi được từ nhiều ảnh hưởng tích cực của công viên bằng việc khuyến khích người dân kiến tạo nên những hình thái khác của không gian xanh đó là: khu vườn thượng) => công viên tiêu tốn diện tích đất đai thành phố trong khi vườn thượng thì không.