Make a precise claim and say why it matters
Grade 11 Reading Worksheet
Circle the best answer.
Read this first
Fare-Free Route 4 in Corrin (transit report about an invented city)
[1] In March, the city of Corrin made Route 4, its busiest bus line, free to ride for six months, hoping to learn whether lower fares would bring more riders. [2] The transit office has now published its results, and two city council members are already quoting them in opposite directions.
[3] Ridership on Route 4 rose 28 percent over the same months of the previous year, while ridership on the five routes with fares rose by 3 percent. [4] A rider survey found that 31 percent of new Route 4 passengers had previously walked or biked, and 22 percent had driven alone. [5] Fare income, which once covered 19 percent of the route's costs, fell to zero, and the city paid the difference from a reserve fund. [6] On-time arrivals fell from 88 percent to 79 percent, which drivers attributed to slower boarding at busy stops now that nobody paid at the door.
[7] Councilmember Dorsey, who wants fares removed on every route, says the 28 percent increase shows that price keeps people off buses. [8] Councilmember Whitlock replies that the money would do more good as more frequent service on each route, since waiting times, not fares, appeared in riders' complaints. [9] The transit union adds that the pilot cannot tell the city much, because it ran through a period when gasoline prices were unusually high.
[10] The city's budget office notes that the reserve fund used for the pilot has no money left for a second year. [11] The mayor has asked the transit office for a one-page claim that a council member could read aloud, along with the reason it matters to residents. [12] Corrin has about 60,000 residents, and Route 4 serves a corridor that includes the hospital, the college and two large apartment complexes. [13] The survey did not ask riders whether they would pay a lower fare, only whether they would ride if the route stayed free. [14] Councilmember Whitlock's frequency plan has not been tested anywhere in the city.
Ari's draft argues for keeping Route 4 free another year with all-door boarding. Sentences 7 and 8 give two rivals. Which claim sets the draft apart from both?
- Corrin should improve its bus service for riders, whether through free fares or through more frequent buses, since riders depend on it.
- Corrin should keep Route 4 free because riders dislike long waits more than they dislike any fare at all.
- Corrin should keep Route 4 free for a second year with all-door boarding, rather than extend free fares citywide or spend on frequency.
- Corrin should keep Route 4 free rather than extend free fares to the other routes, since the pilot ran on one line.
A Later Bell at Orchard Hill (committee report about an invented school)
[1] Orchard Hill Middle School moved its first bell from 7:30 to 8:30 for one semester, and the principal asked a teacher committee to report on what changed. [2] The committee's findings are mixed enough that the school board will hear two different recommendations at its next meeting.
[3] Late arrivals fell from about 41 a week to about 12, and the nurse's office recorded fewer morning visits for fatigue. [4] In a survey, 64 percent of students said they slept longer on school nights, though the survey asked about sleep only after the change. [5] Yet buses now ran into the afternoon rush, and the transportation office reported that the new schedule cost the district about forty thousand dollars a year in extra driver hours. [6] After-school practices began forty minutes later, and two coaches said that players with long bus rides were getting home after dark in winter.
[7] Grades for the semester averaged slightly higher than for the previous fall, but the committee noted that a new reading program had started the same month. [8] Mr. Abernathy, the committee chair, recommends keeping the 8:30 bell, saying the attendance and health signs matter more than the cost. [9] The transportation director, Ms. Quillen, proposes returning to 7:30 and using the money to start a free breakfast and a quiet homeroom, which she says addresses tiredness directly.
[10] A parent group suggests a compromise bell at 8:00 that would cost less and shorten the dark commutes. [11] A board member who asked for the report said the public will ask not whether sleep matters but whether this change is worth what it costs. [12] The reading program, according to the teachers, was introduced across the whole district and not only at Orchard Hill. [13] The cost estimate includes only driver wages, not fuel or the added bus hours for field trips. [14] Attendance at after-school clubs, the committee found, was unchanged.
Bo's draft argues for an 8:00 bell. Sentences 8 and 9 give two rivals. Which claim sets the draft apart from both?
- Orchard Hill should adopt an 8:00 bell, because the committee chair and the transportation director are both mistaken.
- Orchard Hill should adopt an 8:00 bell, keeping part of the attendance gain while cutting cost and dark commutes.
- Orchard Hill should choose a start time that balances sleep, attendance, cost and safety for students and staff.
- Orchard Hill should adopt an 8:00 bell, since the 8:30 bell costs about forty thousand dollars a year.
Jun writes the line for the board member who asked whether the change is worth what it costs (sentence 11). Which significance line fits this reader?
- Orchard Hill should adopt an 8:00 bell, since it keeps some of the attendance gain at lower cost.
- Students who are rested and prepared are more likely to do well in school and in life generally.
- This decision will determine whether the students of Orchard Hill grow into healthy, successful adults for life.
- The board must weigh a measured drop in late arrivals against a yearly cost of at least forty thousand dollars.
Fare-Free Route 4 in Corrin (transit report about an invented city)
[1] In March, the city of Corrin made Route 4, its busiest bus line, free to ride for six months, hoping to learn whether lower fares would bring more riders. [2] The transit office has now published its results, and two city council members are already quoting them in opposite directions.
[3] Ridership on Route 4 rose 28 percent over the same months of the previous year, while ridership on the five routes with fares rose by 3 percent. [4] A rider survey found that 31 percent of new Route 4 passengers had previously walked or biked, and 22 percent had driven alone. [5] Fare income, which once covered 19 percent of the route's costs, fell to zero, and the city paid the difference from a reserve fund. [6] On-time arrivals fell from 88 percent to 79 percent, which drivers attributed to slower boarding at busy stops now that nobody paid at the door.
[7] Councilmember Dorsey, who wants fares removed on every route, says the 28 percent increase shows that price keeps people off buses. [8] Councilmember Whitlock replies that the money would do more good as more frequent service on each route, since waiting times, not fares, appeared in riders' complaints. [9] The transit union adds that the pilot cannot tell the city much, because it ran through a period when gasoline prices were unusually high.
[10] The city's budget office notes that the reserve fund used for the pilot has no money left for a second year. [11] The mayor has asked the transit office for a one-page claim that a council member could read aloud, along with the reason it matters to residents. [12] Corrin has about 60,000 residents, and Route 4 serves a corridor that includes the hospital, the college and two large apartment complexes. [13] The survey did not ask riders whether they would pay a lower fare, only whether they would ride if the route stayed free. [14] Councilmember Whitlock's frequency plan has not been tested anywhere in the city.
Kira drafts a claim from sentences 3 to 6 (ridership, survey, fare income, on-time arrivals). Which claim does the evidence support best?
- Free fares raised Route 4 ridership well above the other routes, at a cost in fare income and on-time arrivals.
- The pilot had some effects on ridership and some on service, so more study is needed before saying much.
- Free fares caused the whole 28 percent increase, since the routes that kept fares rose by just 3 percent.
- Price keeps people off buses, so free fares will raise ridership on any route in the city by roughly a quarter.
A Later Bell at Orchard Hill (committee report about an invented school)
[1] Orchard Hill Middle School moved its first bell from 7:30 to 8:30 for one semester, and the principal asked a teacher committee to report on what changed. [2] The committee's findings are mixed enough that the school board will hear two different recommendations at its next meeting.
[3] Late arrivals fell from about 41 a week to about 12, and the nurse's office recorded fewer morning visits for fatigue. [4] In a survey, 64 percent of students said they slept longer on school nights, though the survey asked about sleep only after the change. [5] Yet buses now ran into the afternoon rush, and the transportation office reported that the new schedule cost the district about forty thousand dollars a year in extra driver hours. [6] After-school practices began forty minutes later, and two coaches said that players with long bus rides were getting home after dark in winter.
[7] Grades for the semester averaged slightly higher than for the previous fall, but the committee noted that a new reading program had started the same month. [8] Mr. Abernathy, the committee chair, recommends keeping the 8:30 bell, saying the attendance and health signs matter more than the cost. [9] The transportation director, Ms. Quillen, proposes returning to 7:30 and using the money to start a free breakfast and a quiet homeroom, which she says addresses tiredness directly.
[10] A parent group suggests a compromise bell at 8:00 that would cost less and shorten the dark commutes. [11] A board member who asked for the report said the public will ask not whether sleep matters but whether this change is worth what it costs. [12] The reading program, according to the teachers, was introduced across the whole district and not only at Orchard Hill. [13] The cost estimate includes only driver wages, not fuel or the added bus hours for field trips. [14] Attendance at after-school clubs, the committee found, was unchanged.
Luz drafts a claim from sentences 3 to 7 (late arrivals, survey, cost, practices, grades). Which claim does the evidence support best?
- A later bell raises grades and sleep, so each middle school in the district should adopt it without waiting.
- The later bell cut late arrivals and probably added sleep, but its grade effect is unclear and its cost real.
- The later bell raised grades, since averages rose in the same semester that the new bell began.
- A later bell saved the district money, since fewer late arrivals mean fewer interruptions for the office.
Noah's draft sides with returning to 7:30 and adding breakfast and a quiet homeroom. Sentences 8 and 10 give two rivals. Which claim sets the draft apart from both?
- Orchard Hill should return to 7:30, because the committee chair and the parents have both ignored the costs.
- Orchard Hill should return to 7:30, because students slept longer in the semester when the bell was later.
- Orchard Hill should return to 7:30 and fund breakfast and a quiet homeroom, which treat tiredness at lower cost.
- Orchard Hill should return to 7:30, since the 8:30 bell costs the district about forty thousand dollars a year.
Fare-Free Route 4 in Corrin (transit report about an invented city)
[1] In March, the city of Corrin made Route 4, its busiest bus line, free to ride for six months, hoping to learn whether lower fares would bring more riders. [2] The transit office has now published its results, and two city council members are already quoting them in opposite directions.
[3] Ridership on Route 4 rose 28 percent over the same months of the previous year, while ridership on the five routes with fares rose by 3 percent. [4] A rider survey found that 31 percent of new Route 4 passengers had previously walked or biked, and 22 percent had driven alone. [5] Fare income, which once covered 19 percent of the route's costs, fell to zero, and the city paid the difference from a reserve fund. [6] On-time arrivals fell from 88 percent to 79 percent, which drivers attributed to slower boarding at busy stops now that nobody paid at the door.
[7] Councilmember Dorsey, who wants fares removed on every route, says the 28 percent increase shows that price keeps people off buses. [8] Councilmember Whitlock replies that the money would do more good as more frequent service on each route, since waiting times, not fares, appeared in riders' complaints. [9] The transit union adds that the pilot cannot tell the city much, because it ran through a period when gasoline prices were unusually high.
[10] The city's budget office notes that the reserve fund used for the pilot has no money left for a second year. [11] The mayor has asked the transit office for a one-page claim that a council member could read aloud, along with the reason it matters to residents. [12] Corrin has about 60,000 residents, and Route 4 serves a corridor that includes the hospital, the college and two large apartment complexes. [13] The survey did not ask riders whether they would pay a lower fare, only whether they would ride if the route stayed free. [14] Councilmember Whitlock's frequency plan has not been tested anywhere in the city.
Pia writes the line for the city budget office, which notes that the reserve fund has no money left (sentence 10). Which significance line fits this reader?
- Corrin should keep Route 4 free for a second year with boarding at each door, and fund it from another source.
- Riders along the hospital corridor would keep a free ride to work, classes and medical appointments each week.
- Another year of free fares has no reserve to pay for it, so the choice sets what the city must fund next.
- This decision will determine whether Corrin can ever balance its books or provide any public services.
A Later Bell at Orchard Hill (committee report about an invented school)
[1] Orchard Hill Middle School moved its first bell from 7:30 to 8:30 for one semester, and the principal asked a teacher committee to report on what changed. [2] The committee's findings are mixed enough that the school board will hear two different recommendations at its next meeting.
[3] Late arrivals fell from about 41 a week to about 12, and the nurse's office recorded fewer morning visits for fatigue. [4] In a survey, 64 percent of students said they slept longer on school nights, though the survey asked about sleep only after the change. [5] Yet buses now ran into the afternoon rush, and the transportation office reported that the new schedule cost the district about forty thousand dollars a year in extra driver hours. [6] After-school practices began forty minutes later, and two coaches said that players with long bus rides were getting home after dark in winter.
[7] Grades for the semester averaged slightly higher than for the previous fall, but the committee noted that a new reading program had started the same month. [8] Mr. Abernathy, the committee chair, recommends keeping the 8:30 bell, saying the attendance and health signs matter more than the cost. [9] The transportation director, Ms. Quillen, proposes returning to 7:30 and using the money to start a free breakfast and a quiet homeroom, which she says addresses tiredness directly.
[10] A parent group suggests a compromise bell at 8:00 that would cost less and shorten the dark commutes. [11] A board member who asked for the report said the public will ask not whether sleep matters but whether this change is worth what it costs. [12] The reading program, according to the teachers, was introduced across the whole district and not only at Orchard Hill. [13] The cost estimate includes only driver wages, not fuel or the added bus hours for field trips. [14] Attendance at after-school clubs, the committee found, was unchanged.
Ren writes the line for the coaches and parents who worry about dark commutes (sentence 6). Which significance line fits these readers?
- The transportation office must find forty thousand dollars a year in extra driver wages to run later buses.
- Players with long bus rides may get home after dark in winter, so the bell time decides who travels safely.
- This decision will decide whether Orchard Hill students stay safe during their whole time in school and beyond.
- Student safety and well-being are the most important responsibilities that any school has toward its families.
Fare-Free Route 4 in Corrin (transit report about an invented city)
[1] In March, the city of Corrin made Route 4, its busiest bus line, free to ride for six months, hoping to learn whether lower fares would bring more riders. [2] The transit office has now published its results, and two city council members are already quoting them in opposite directions.
[3] Ridership on Route 4 rose 28 percent over the same months of the previous year, while ridership on the five routes with fares rose by 3 percent. [4] A rider survey found that 31 percent of new Route 4 passengers had previously walked or biked, and 22 percent had driven alone. [5] Fare income, which once covered 19 percent of the route's costs, fell to zero, and the city paid the difference from a reserve fund. [6] On-time arrivals fell from 88 percent to 79 percent, which drivers attributed to slower boarding at busy stops now that nobody paid at the door.
[7] Councilmember Dorsey, who wants fares removed on every route, says the 28 percent increase shows that price keeps people off buses. [8] Councilmember Whitlock replies that the money would do more good as more frequent service on each route, since waiting times, not fares, appeared in riders' complaints. [9] The transit union adds that the pilot cannot tell the city much, because it ran through a period when gasoline prices were unusually high.
[10] The city's budget office notes that the reserve fund used for the pilot has no money left for a second year. [11] The mayor has asked the transit office for a one-page claim that a council member could read aloud, along with the reason it matters to residents. [12] Corrin has about 60,000 residents, and Route 4 serves a corridor that includes the hospital, the college and two large apartment complexes. [13] The survey did not ask riders whether they would pay a lower fare, only whether they would ride if the route stayed free. [14] Councilmember Whitlock's frequency plan has not been tested anywhere in the city.
Tala drafts a claim from the rider survey (sentences 4 and 13). Which claim does the survey support best?
- The pilot moved a large share of drivers onto buses, so free fares will relieve traffic across the city.
- The survey tells the city something about new riders, though what it tells is unclear and may not matter.
- Free fares led most new riders to switch from walking, since 31 percent had previously walked or biked.
- Fewer than a quarter of new riders had driven alone, so the pilot's effect on car trips looks modest.
A Later Bell at Orchard Hill (committee report about an invented school)
[1] Orchard Hill Middle School moved its first bell from 7:30 to 8:30 for one semester, and the principal asked a teacher committee to report on what changed. [2] The committee's findings are mixed enough that the school board will hear two different recommendations at its next meeting.
[3] Late arrivals fell from about 41 a week to about 12, and the nurse's office recorded fewer morning visits for fatigue. [4] In a survey, 64 percent of students said they slept longer on school nights, though the survey asked about sleep only after the change. [5] Yet buses now ran into the afternoon rush, and the transportation office reported that the new schedule cost the district about forty thousand dollars a year in extra driver hours. [6] After-school practices began forty minutes later, and two coaches said that players with long bus rides were getting home after dark in winter.
[7] Grades for the semester averaged slightly higher than for the previous fall, but the committee noted that a new reading program had started the same month. [8] Mr. Abernathy, the committee chair, recommends keeping the 8:30 bell, saying the attendance and health signs matter more than the cost. [9] The transportation director, Ms. Quillen, proposes returning to 7:30 and using the money to start a free breakfast and a quiet homeroom, which she says addresses tiredness directly.
[10] A parent group suggests a compromise bell at 8:00 that would cost less and shorten the dark commutes. [11] A board member who asked for the report said the public will ask not whether sleep matters but whether this change is worth what it costs. [12] The reading program, according to the teachers, was introduced across the whole district and not only at Orchard Hill. [13] The cost estimate includes only driver wages, not fuel or the added bus hours for field trips. [14] Attendance at after-school clubs, the committee found, was unchanged.
Zee drafts a claim about cost and benefit from sentences 3, 4, 5 and 13. Which claim does the evidence support best?
- The later bell costs at least forty thousand dollars a year and has so far bought attendance and some sleep.
- The later bell costs about forty thousand dollars a year, an amount that covers its added expenses in full.
- The later bell is worth its cost, since attendance rose, students slept more and grades improved the same term.
- The later bell has both costs and benefits, so the board should consider them carefully before deciding anything.