Recent studies show that urban tree canopies can reduce city temperatures by up to 10 degrees Fahrenheit during summer months....
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
Recent studies show that urban tree canopies can reduce city temperatures by up to 10 degrees Fahrenheit during summer months. Municipal data indicates that neighborhoods with dense tree coverage experience notably different environmental conditions than areas with minimal green infrastructure. In a policy report, an urban planner claims that strategic tree-planting initiatives in underserved neighborhoods would directly improve community health outcomes.
Which quotation from a work by an environmental health expert would be the most effective evidence for the planner to include in support of this claim?
Economic analysis shows that tree maintenance expenses decline substantially once urban canopies reach maturity, making municipal investments financially sustainable over time.
Public health records demonstrate that residents in tree-dense areas experience \(23\%\) fewer respiratory emergencies and heat-related medical interventions compared to neighborhoods with sparse canopy coverage.
Property value assessments indicate that homes in well-canopied neighborhoods command average prices \(12\%\) higher than comparable properties in areas with limited tree coverage.
Environmental researchers emphasize that urban forests provide multiple ecological services including air filtration, precipitation management, and habitat creation for local wildlife species.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'Recent studies show that urban tree canopies can reduce city temperatures by up to 10 degrees Fahrenheit during summer months.' |
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| 'Municipal data indicates that neighborhoods with dense tree coverage experience notably different environmental conditions than areas with minimal green infrastructure.' |
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| 'In a policy report, an urban planner claims that strategic tree-planting initiatives in underserved neighborhoods would directly improve community health outcomes.' |
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Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Visual Structure Map:
[SCIENTIFIC CONTEXT] Studies: Trees reduce temps 10°F → Municipal data: Dense vs sparse coverage = different conditions → [MAIN CLAIM TO EVALUATE] Planner: Tree planting improves health outcomes
Main Point: An urban planner claims that planting trees in underserved neighborhoods would directly improve community health, building on research showing trees create cooler temperatures and different environmental conditions.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes scientific context about trees' cooling effects and environmental differences, then presents the planner's specific health claim that we need to find evidence for.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? We need to identify which expert quotation would most effectively support the planner's claim about health improvements.
What type of answer do we need? Evidence that directly connects tree coverage to health outcomes.
Any limiting keywords? 'Most effective evidence' means we're looking for the strongest, most direct support. The evidence must come from an 'environmental health expert.'
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- The planner's claim is specifically about health outcomes, so we need evidence that directly links tree coverage to health benefits
- The most effective evidence would:
- Show measurable health differences between tree-dense and tree-sparse areas
- Use health-specific data (medical records, health statistics, etc.)
- Demonstrate the 'direct' health improvement the planner claims
- So the right answer should provide concrete health data showing that people in tree-rich areas have better health outcomes than those in areas with fewer trees
Economic analysis shows that tree maintenance expenses decline substantially once urban canopies reach maturity, making municipal investments financially sustainable over time.
- Discusses maintenance costs and financial sustainability
- While helpful for policy implementation, doesn't address health outcomes at all
- This trap targets students who think economic viability supports the overall policy, but the question specifically asks for evidence supporting the health claim
Public health records demonstrate that residents in tree-dense areas experience \(23\%\) fewer respiratory emergencies and heat-related medical interventions compared to neighborhoods with sparse canopy coverage.
- Shows 23% fewer respiratory emergencies and heat-related medical interventions in tree-dense areas
- Directly connects tree coverage to specific, measurable health improvements
- Perfectly matches our prethinking—concrete health data comparing different areas
Property value assessments indicate that homes in well-canopied neighborhoods command average prices \(12\%\) higher than comparable properties in areas with limited tree coverage.
- Focuses on property values rather than health outcomes
- Shows economic benefits but not the health benefits the planner claims
- This trap confuses general neighborhood improvements with health-specific benefits
Environmental researchers emphasize that urban forests provide multiple ecological services including air filtration, precipitation management, and habitat creation for local wildlife species.
- Discusses ecological services like air filtration and habitat creation
- While air filtration could relate to health, this doesn't provide specific health outcome data
- Too indirect compared to the concrete health statistics we need