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Based on the texts, how would the author of Text 2 most likely respond to the assessment of cool roofs presented in Tex…

Text 1

Urban planners seeking to counter the urban heat island effect often promote "cool roofs"—surfaces coated with reflective paint or membranes that bounce solar radiation back into space. Proponents argue that cool roofs are vastly superior to vegetated "green roofs" because they achieve comparable immediate surface cooling at a fraction of the installation and maintenance costs, making them the most practical large-scale intervention for cities.

Text 2

Although cool roofs indisputably reduce ambient surface temperatures, their regional climatic consequences are more complex than advocates acknowledge. Atmospheric simulations indicate that wide-scale deployment of highly reflective surfaces reduces sensible heat flux enough to weaken localized convective updrafts. In moisture-limited regions, this atmospheric disruption can suppress rainfall downwind of cities, unintentionally worsening water scarcity in neighboring agricultural communities.

Based on the texts, how would the author of Text 2 most likely respond to the assessment of cool roofs presented in Text 1?

Answer & explanation

Correct answer: B. By warning that prioritizing immediate local cooling and affordability overlooks broader hydrological consequences

Choice B is the correct answer because it accurately synthesizes the perspectives of both texts. Text 1 advocates for cool roofs because they deliver immediate surface cooling at low installation and maintenance costs. In Text 2, the author acknowledges this temperature drop ("cool roofs indisputably reduce ambient surface temperatures") but emphasizes an overlooked negative externality: widespread reflective surfaces disrupt convective updrafts and suppress downwind precipitation, intensifying water scarcity. Thus, Text 2's author would argue that Text 1's focus on surface cooling and financial practicality fails to account for regional hydrological repercussions.

Choice A is incorrect because the author of Text 2 directly concedes that cool roofs "indisputably reduce ambient surface temperatures," rather than disputing their local efficacy.

Choice C is incorrect because Text 2 never compares the cost-effectiveness of green roofs to cool roofs, nor does it claim that green roofs stimulate rainfall.

Choice D is incorrect because Text 2 identifies suppressed rainfall as an unintended negative side effect of cool roofs, not as a basis for specifying conditions under which cool roofs should be mandated.

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Based on the texts, how would the author of Text 2 most likely respond to the assessment of cool roofs presented in Tex…

Based on the texts, how would the author of Text 2 most likely respond to the assessment of cool roofs presented in Text 1?

Answer & explanation

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