Question 23.
The passage given below is followed by four alternate summaries. Choose the option that best captures the essence of the passage.
Heatwaves are becoming longer, frequent and intense due to climate change. The impacts of extreme heat are unevenly experienced; with older people and young children, those with pre-existing medical conditions and on low incomes significantly more vulnerable. Adaptation to heatwaves is a significant public policy concern. Research conducted among at-risk people in the UK reveals that even vulnerable people do not perceive themselves as at risk of extreme heat; therefore, early warnings of extreme heat events do not perform as intended. This suggests that understanding how extreme heat is narrated is very important. The news media play a central role in this process and can help warn people about the potential danger, as well as about impacts on infrastructure and society.
Question Explanation
The main idea of the paragraph is that while heatwaves are becoming longer, frequent and intense due to climate change, even vulnerable people do not seem to perceive the risk of extreme heat and so news media should undertake to warn people about the potential danger. Option B sums up the paragraph best.
Option A talks about ineffective public policies on heatwaves. This is not what the paragraph is about.
Option C too, misses the key point about the role of news media and states 'measures' (which are not discussed in the paragraph at all) are ineffective. So, C is out.
Option D does not touch upon the risk heatwaves pose. Also, the paragraph does not talk about the effectiveness of news stories. B is a better summary than D.
The answer is 'Heatwaves pose an enormous risk; the media plays a pivotal role in alerting people to this danger.'
Choice B is the correct answer.
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