Question

smog is worse in the summer because of heat and sunlight, and can travel hundreds of miles from its source and affect small towns, ______ communities and wilderness areas. source: new york times options: federal, rural, heroic, objective

Explanation:

The sentence lists types of areas affected by smog, following "small towns" and preceding "wilderness areas". The word needs to fit the context of geographic/community types. "Rural" describes countryside communities, which logically fits between small towns and wilderness areas. The other options do not match the geographic/community context: "federal" relates to government, "heroic" refers to bravery, and "objective" means unbiased.

Answer:

B. rural