Экзаменационный (типовой) материал ОГЭ / Английский / 13-19 задание / 58

A Garden on a Roof
Why would anyone want to plant a garden on a roof? People have found out that it is good for the environment and good for them. The roof of a building can get extremely hot, especially if it is black in colour. Dark colours attract the light of the sun, which makes them hotter than things that are light in colour. This is one of the reasons why cities can be as much as four to ten degrees warmer than places in the country.
Green rooftops can actually help cool the air in cities. Just one green roof will not do much to change the temperature of a city. However, when more buildings begin to turn their rooftops into gardens, this can make a real difference. Buildings that are cooler also use air conditioning less often, which means that they use less electricity. This is good for the environment.
The air in cities is usually a lot dirtier than in other areas. Growing plants on rooftops can even help clean the air. Plants use carbon dioxide and produce oxygen. Because people and animals breathe oxygen, a large number of plants in an area creates more breathable air. Gardens in the city can also provide a place for birds and insects to live.
One unusual rooftop garden is located above Children’s Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. It is a place for the children and their parents to relax and be close to nature without leaving the hospital. The garden has flowers, fountains, and even a goldfish pond. There are also paths that children can walk on with bare feet.
Another interesting garden is on the rooftop of the Royal York Hotel in Toronto, Canada. A large herb garden has been planted on the roof. The hotel’s chefs can pick all of the herbs they use fresh from the roof. Other hotels and restaurants start gardens where they grow fruits and vegetable to use in cooking. They just need to make sure that there are gardeners to care for the plants. Rooftop gardens can dry quickly in the summer sun, and vegetables need frequent watering. Why don’t all buildings have green rooftops? One reason is that they can be more expensive than traditional rooftops. Buying plants and everything that they need, as well as paying gardeners for the work they do can cost a lot of money.
Also, a roof needs to be flat and strong enough to support the weight of the garden. Older buildings do not always have safe enough roofs to grow a garden on.
Many people do not know about rooftop gardens and how good they can be for the environment. But word is starting to get around. You may want to keep your eyes open on the skies when you walk the streets in your town or city. You never know when you might notice a secret garden many meters above the ground.

13. The air temperature in cities is higher than in villages.