Question 6·Hard·Cross-Text Connections
Text 1
During a three-month pilot in the city of Grantham, local buses were free to ride. Total boardings during the pilot were 40% higher than in the previous quarter. A policy analyst argues that the magnitude and speed of this increase show that price is the main barrier to transit use in Grantham and that eliminating fares is therefore the most effective step the city can take to grow ridership.
Text 2
A transit researcher notes that fare-free pilots are often launched together with other changes, such as more frequent service, expanded routes, and extensive publicity. These pilots also tend to take place in spring and summer, when transit use is typically higher. Without a study design that isolates the effect of price, the researcher cautions, attributing most of the increase to the removal of fares is premature; riders may be responding to shorter waits, better coverage, or the novelty of the policy.
Based on the texts, how would the author of Text 2 most likely respond to the policy analyst's conclusion in Text 1?
For cross-text connection questions, summarize Text 1’s claim and then identify whether Text 2 agrees, disagrees, or qualifies it. Pay special attention to Text 2’s reasoning (confounds like service/publicity and seasonality, plus the need to isolate variables). Then choose the option that matches both Text 2’s skeptical stance and its specific reasons, and avoid choices that make Text 2 either fully endorse the causal claim or assert a stronger conclusion than Text 2 supports.
Hints
Compare the attitudes of the two texts
First, ask: Does the author of Text 2 fully agree with the strong conclusion in Text 1, or do they sound more skeptical and cautious?
Focus on key phrases in Text 2
Notice phrases like “often launched together with other changes” and “attributing most of the increase to the removal of fares is premature.” What do these suggest about how certain we can be about the impact of price alone?
Look for the choice that mirrors Text 2’s reasoning
Pick the option that (1) pushes back on the causal certainty in Text 1 and (2) uses the same reasons Text 2 gives (confounding changes, seasonality, publicity/novelty).
Step-by-step Explanation
Clarify the conclusion in Text 1
In Text 1, the policy analyst observes that total boardings rose 40% during a three-month period when buses were free. The analyst then makes a strong causal claim:
- Price is the main barrier to transit use in Grantham.
- Eliminating fares is therefore the most effective step to grow ridership.
Identify Text 2’s main critique
Text 2 cautions against attributing the ridership increase mainly to fare removal because:
- Fare-free pilots often happen alongside other changes (more frequent service, expanded routes, extensive publicity).
- They also tend to occur in spring/summer, when ridership is typically higher.
- Without a design that isolates the effect of price, it’s premature to credit most of the increase to free fares.
Text 2 suggests riders may be responding to shorter waits, better coverage, or novelty—not necessarily price alone.
Determine how Text 2 would respond to Text 1
Because Text 1 treats the ridership jump as strong evidence that fares are the main barrier, Text 2 would likely respond by qualifying that conclusion: the available evidence does not isolate price, so the increase could be driven by other concurrent factors.
Match to the best answer choice
The best match is the choice that says the increase could be explained by other simultaneous changes (service/publicity) and by seasonal patterns, so it should not be attributed primarily to eliminating fares.
Therefore, the correct answer is: They would caution that the increase could reasonably be explained by concurrent service changes, seasonal patterns, or publicity, so it should not be attributed primarily to eliminating fares.