hard · SAT Reading & Writing

A city's public works department measured average surface temperature at 3 p.m. on the same summer day across four types of land cover: Land cover type (trees present) | Avg. surface temp (°F) Dense downtown pavement (none) | 98 Suburban lawn (none) | 93 Residential street (scattered trees) | 89 Park (continuous tree canopy) | 82 A city planner claims that expanding continuous tree canopy, rather than simply adding scattered street trees, is the single most effective way to reduce peak afternoon surface temperatures across the city. Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to support the planner's claim?

1. The park's continuous canopy recorded 82°F, 16 degrees cooler than the dense downtown pavement's 98°F, proving that tree canopy eliminates the urban heat island effect at any site where it is planted.
2. The park's continuous canopy recorded 82°F, 7 degrees cooler than the residential street's 89°F under scattered trees, showing continuous canopy cools more than scattered trees.
3. Because the suburban lawn measured 93°F while the residential street measured 89°F, scattered street trees actually raise surface temperatures compared to open lawn with no trees.
4. The dense downtown pavement site recorded the highest temperature of the four sites, at 98°F, demonstrating that paved surfaces retain more heat than any vegetated surface measured.

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