Many cities around the world face increasing problems with flooding, especially during heavy rains. Traditional city designs often use large areas of concrete and roads, which prevent rainwater from soaking into the ground. This leads to run-off(径流) and floods. To address this, China is developing a new concept called "Sponge Cities".
A "Sponge City" is designed to absorb, store, filter, and reuse rainwater, much like a sponge. This involves several strategies. For example, permeable roads and sidewalks are built, allowing water to pass through them into the soil below. Green roofs and walls are created on buildings, which can absorb rainwater and cool down the city. Parks and wetlands are also important parts of sponge cities, as they can temporarily hold large amounts of water and gradually release it.
The benefits of Sponge Cities are numerous. Firstly, they effectively reduce urban flooding by managing rainwater locally. Secondly, they improve water quality by filtering pollutants(污染物) as water soaks into the ground. Thirdly, they help to replenish(补充) underground water sources, which is important for long-term water supply. Fourthly, by increasing green spaces, they help to cool down cities, making them more comfortable and beautiful.
While building Sponge Cities requires significant investment and careful planning, the long-term environmental and economic benefits are huge. It's a sustainable approach to urban development, offering a greener and safer future for city dwellers. China aims to transform $80\%$ of its cities into "Sponge Cities" by 2030, showing a strong commitment to this innovative solution.
()1. What is the main problem that "Sponge Cities" aim to solve?
A. Lack of green spaces in cities.
B. Air pollution in urban areas.
C. Urban flooding during heavy rains.
D. High cost of building new roads.
()2. Which of the following is not a strategy used in "Sponge Cities"?
A. Building permeable roads.
B. Creating green roofs and walls.
C. Using traditional concrete roads everywhere.
D. Developing more parks and wetlands.
()3. What does the underlined word "permeable" in Paragraph 2 most likely mean?
A. Allowing water to pass through.
B. Very strong and durable.
C. Made of concrete.
D. Not affected by heat.
()4. Which of the following is a benefit of "Sponge Cities"?
A. They increase urban air pollution.
B. They reduce underground water sources.
C. They make cities hotter.
D. They improve water quality.
()5. What can we infer about China's attitude towards "Sponge Cities"?
A. China sees them as a temporary solution.
B. China is not very serious about this concept.
C. China is highly committed to developing them.
D. China believes that it is too expensive to build them.