Question 95·Medium·Central Ideas and Details
In recent years, several cities have experimented with painting portions of streets with light-colored, reflective coatings to reduce asphalt temperatures during summer heat waves. A report on the initiative in Phoenix, Arizona, indicates that while the “cool pavement” program has lowered surface temperatures by up to 10 °F, some residents complain that the glare from the new coating makes daytime driving difficult. City engineers are now adjusting the formula of the coating to balance cooling benefits with visibility concerns.
According to the text, what issue arose after Phoenix applied the reflective coating to its streets?
For “According to the text” detail questions, first underline the key task words in the question (like “what issue arose”). Then go back to the passage and locate the exact sentence or two that discuss that topic—often signaled by contrast words such as “while,” “however,” or “but.” Paraphrase that part in your own words, and only then compare it to each answer choice, eliminating any option that: (1) contradicts the passage, (2) introduces new information not mentioned, or (3) exaggerates or changes the detail. Choose the answer that most directly restates the specific information from the text without adding or changing anything.
Hints
Find the sentence that mentions Phoenix directly
Look for the sentence that starts with “A report on the initiative in Phoenix, Arizona…” and focus on what it says happened after the coating was used.
Separate positive results from problems
In that Phoenix sentence, identify what good effect is mentioned first, and then pay close attention to the complaint introduced by the word “while” and the phrase “some residents complain.”
Connect the complaint to the engineers’ response
After reading the residents’ complaint, check how the next sentence explains what city engineers are changing—this will help you see what kind of issue the coating caused.
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify what the question is asking
The question asks: “According to the text, what issue arose after Phoenix applied the reflective coating to its streets?”
This means you must find a specific problem that the passage explicitly states occurred after the coating was applied. Do not guess or bring in outside knowledge; use only what the passage says.
Locate the part of the passage about Phoenix’s results
Find the sentence that begins: “A report on the initiative in Phoenix, Arizona, indicates that while the ‘cool pavement’ program has lowered surface temperatures by up to 10 °F, some residents complain…”
This sentence contrasts two things:
- A positive result: the program lowered surface temperatures.
- A negative result: a complaint from residents.
The issue we’re looking for will be in the part about the complaint.
Identify the specific problem mentioned
Read the rest of that sentence carefully: “some residents complain that the glare from the new coating makes daytime driving difficult.”
Then notice the next sentence: “City engineers are now adjusting the formula of the coating to balance cooling benefits with visibility concerns.”
Together, these lines show that the problem has to do with how well drivers can see during the day because of glare from the new, lighter-colored coating.
Match the passage detail to the correct answer choice
Now compare each answer choice to what the passage actually says:
- The passage says the program did lower temperatures, so any choice saying it did not lower temperatures is wrong.
- There is no mention of cost/budget problems or of rain washing the coating away.
- Only one choice mentions a problem with glare affecting drivers’ ability to see during the day, which matches the residents’ complaint and the engineers’ "visibility concerns."
Therefore, the correct answer is: “Drivers reported that the lighter-colored pavement created glare that hindered daytime visibility.”