The urban planning department mandated the creation of public parks to ______ the environmental impact of rapid industrial development.

Answer and explanation

Correct answer: B. mitigate

  1. Step 1: Analyze environmental planning context: Parks are created to reduce negative environmental impacts.
  2. Step 2: The verb meaning to make less severe, serious, or painful is 'mitigate'.
Answer
mitigate.
Why not the others: 'exacerbate' means to make worse; 'overlook' means to ignore; 'stimulate' means to encourage or increase.

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