When the Olympic Committee decided to have the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, one of the concerns among the athletes who were going to complete was the quality of the air in that Chinese city. Beijing, like many other major cities in China, has experienced tremendous growth in both population and industry during the past few decades. Much of China’s energy is provided by burning coal, a process that sends tons of soot, ash, and chemicals into the atmosphere. In addition, millions of Chinese people now drive automobiles and trucks, whose exhaust is another source of massive air pollution. According to the People’s Republic of China’s own statistics, the leading causes of death in that country are respiratory and heart diseases that can be tied to long exposure to air pollution. Which contributes to air pollution problems in China? Group of answer choices
A. the shrinking population
B. the gradual drop in the number of new factories
C. use of coal-burning power plants for energy
D. the lack of automobiles and trucks in rural areas