Read the short informational passage and answer questions that ask you to cite several pieces of textual evidence to support what the text says explicitly and what you can infer.
Passage: Cooling Cities with Trees
On a sunny afternoon, a parking lot can feel much hotter than a nearby park. One reason is that asphalt and dark rooftops absorb sunlight and hold heat. In many cities, temperatures in neighborhoods with few trees can be several degrees warmer than areas with more shade. Scientists call this the urban heat island effect.
Trees can help in two main ways. First, their leaves provide shade that keeps sidewalks and buildings cooler. Second, trees release water vapor through a process called transpiration. When that water evaporates, it removes heat from the surrounding air.
Trees also affect what happens when it rains. In a city full of pavement, water has fewer places to soak into the ground, so it runs quickly into storm drains. Fast runoff can carry oil, litter, and other pollutants into rivers. Tree roots create spaces in the soil, and leaves slow falling rain, so more water can soak in instead of rushing away.
However, planting and caring for trees costs money. Young trees need watering, and some species do not survive well beside busy roads where soil is compacted and salt is used in winter. Because of these challenges, some city governments focus on planting trees in neighborhoods that currently have the least shade and the highest summer temperatures.
Copy one sentence (or part of a sentence) from the passage that explains how trees cool the air. Then explain in your own words what it means.
According to the passage, what is one reason a parking lot can feel hotter than a nearby park?
Which TWO details from the passage best support the idea that trees can reduce city flooding and pollution after rainfall?
Which inference is best supported by the passage?
The passage says some city governments focus on neighborhoods with the least shade and highest summer temperatures. What is one likely reason for that decision? Use at least two pieces of textual evidence from the passage to support your answer.