Beranda › Semua Latihan

Latihan TOEFL Reading 6: Urban Heat Islands

Baca passage berikut dengan teliti, lalu kerjakan 15 soalnya. Jawaban dan pembahasan bisa dibuka setelah kamu mencoba sendiri.

Cities are often several degrees warmer than the surrounding countryside, a phenomenon known as the urban heat island effect. Concrete, asphalt, and other building materials absorb solar radiation during the day and release it slowly at night, keeping urban areas warmer long after rural areas have cooled.

The effect is intensified by the shape of cities themselves. Tall buildings placed close together trap heat between them and block cooling winds, while the removal of vegetation eliminates the natural cooling that comes from shade and the evaporation of water from plant leaves. Waste heat from vehicles, air conditioners, and industrial processes adds further warmth to the urban atmosphere.

City planners have begun testing several strategies to reduce these effects, including planting more trees, installing reflective or 'cool' roofing materials, and designing buildings to allow airflow between structures. Some cities have found that even modest increases in tree cover can lower street-level temperatures by several degrees during peak summer heat, though implementing such changes across an entire city remains a slow and costly process.

Soal

1. What is the passage primarily about?

  1. Explaining the causes of urban heat islands and possible solutions
  2. Comparing rural and urban building materials
  3. Arguing that cities should be abandoned
  4. Describing the history of city planning
Lihat jawaban dan pembahasan

Jawaban: A. Explaining the causes of urban heat islands and possible solutions

Passage menjelaskan sebab urban heat island (paragraf 1-2) dan solusi yang sedang diuji (paragraf 3).

2. The word 'intensified' in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to

  1. made stronger
  2. measured
  3. weakened
  4. ignored
Lihat jawaban dan pembahasan

Jawaban: A. made stronger

'The effect is intensified' berarti efeknya diperkuat/diperparah oleh bentuk kota.

3. According to paragraph 2, what contributes to the urban heat island effect?

  1. Ocean currents
  2. Heavy rainfall
  3. Tall buildings trapping heat, loss of vegetation, and waste heat from human activity
  4. Only vehicle exhaust
Lihat jawaban dan pembahasan

Jawaban: C. Tall buildings trapping heat, loss of vegetation, and waste heat from human activity

Ketiga faktor ini disebut eksplisit di paragraf 2 sebagai penyebab efek tersebut.

4. It can be inferred that increasing tree cover in cities

  1. Can help lower street-level temperatures somewhat
  2. Eliminates the need for cool roofing
  3. Has no measurable effect on temperature
  4. Increases the urban heat island effect
Lihat jawaban dan pembahasan

Jawaban: A. Can help lower street-level temperatures somewhat

Teks menyebut 'modest increases in tree cover can lower street-level temperatures by several degrees'.

5. Why does the author mention 'cool roofing materials' in paragraph 3?

  1. To criticize modern architecture
  2. To argue against tree planting
  3. To give an example of a strategy planners are testing to reduce heat
  4. To explain how roofs are manufactured
Lihat jawaban dan pembahasan

Jawaban: C. To give an example of a strategy planners are testing to reduce heat

Ini disebut sebagai salah satu dari beberapa strategi yang sedang diuji city planners.

6. The word 'absorb' in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to

  1. take in and hold
  2. ignore completely
  3. reflect away
  4. release outward
Lihat jawaban dan pembahasan

Jawaban: A. take in and hold

'Absorb solar radiation' berarti menyerap dan menyimpan panas dari matahari.

7. According to paragraph 1, when do urban areas release the heat they absorbed during the day?

  1. They never release it
  2. Only during winter
  3. Slowly at night
  4. Immediately at sunset
Lihat jawaban dan pembahasan

Jawaban: C. Slowly at night

Disebutkan material bangunan 'release it slowly at night'.

8. According to paragraph 2, what does the removal of vegetation eliminate?

  1. Animal habitats only
  2. Natural cooling from shade and water evaporation
  3. Sources of drinking water
  4. All sources of oxygen
Lihat jawaban dan pembahasan

Jawaban: B. Natural cooling from shade and water evaporation

Disebutkan hilangnya vegetasi 'eliminates the natural cooling that comes from shade and the evaporation of water'.

9. It can be inferred that cities with more vegetation and open space would likely

  1. Have no temperature difference at all from rural areas
  2. Be unaffected by building materials
  3. Become colder than rural areas
  4. Experience a somewhat weaker urban heat island effect
Lihat jawaban dan pembahasan

Jawaban: D. Experience a somewhat weaker urban heat island effect

Karena vegetasi memberi efek pendinginan alami, kota dengan lebih banyak vegetasi kemungkinan mengalami efek heat island yang lebih ringan.

10. Why does the author list several contributing factors in paragraph 2?

  1. To show that the urban heat island effect results from multiple combined causes
  2. To describe rural agriculture
  3. To argue only one factor matters
  4. To criticize city planners
Lihat jawaban dan pembahasan

Jawaban: A. To show that the urban heat island effect results from multiple combined causes

Paragraf ini mendaftar beberapa faktor sekaligus (bangunan, vegetasi, panas buangan) untuk menunjukkan sifat multi-sebab dari fenomena ini.

11. The word 'reflective' in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to

  1. flexible
  2. extremely dark in color
  3. bouncing back light or heat rather than absorbing it
  4. transparent
Lihat jawaban dan pembahasan

Jawaban: C. bouncing back light or heat rather than absorbing it

'Reflective roofing materials' merujuk pada material yang memantulkan panas, bukan menyerapnya.

12. According to paragraph 3, what is one strategy city planners are testing?

  1. Increasing asphalt use
  2. Eliminating all buildings
  3. Installing reflective or 'cool' roofing materials
  4. Banning all vehicles from cities
Lihat jawaban dan pembahasan

Jawaban: C. Installing reflective or 'cool' roofing materials

Disebutkan eksplisit sebagai salah satu strategi yang sedang diuji.

13. What does the passage say about implementing these strategies citywide?

  1. It has already been completed in most cities
  2. It happens almost instantly
  3. It remains a slow and costly process
  4. It requires no funding
Lihat jawaban dan pembahasan

Jawaban: C. It remains a slow and costly process

Disebutkan 'implementing such changes across an entire city remains a slow and costly process'.

14. It can be inferred that waste heat from air conditioners

  1. Cools the surrounding air
  2. Only occurs in winter
  3. Contributes to making urban areas even warmer
  4. Has no measurable effect on temperature
Lihat jawaban dan pembahasan

Jawaban: C. Contributes to making urban areas even warmer

Disebutkan 'waste heat from vehicles, air conditioners, and industrial processes adds further warmth'.

15. What is paragraph 1 mainly about?

  1. Solutions to climate change
  2. Agricultural land use
  3. The history of urban planning
  4. The basic cause of cities being warmer than surrounding rural areas
Lihat jawaban dan pembahasan

Jawaban: D. The basic cause of cities being warmer than surrounding rural areas

Paragraf 1 memperkenalkan fenomena dasar urban heat island dan penyebab materialnya, bukan solusi atau sejarah.

Latihan interaktif di app

Lihat semua latihan lainnya