Question 72·Hard·Command of Evidence
“Restoring the Redbrook” is a 2021 magazine essay by environmental journalist Marcus Lee. In the passage, Lee recounts the revival of a polluted urban stream and reflects on its broader impact on the neighborhood. Lee argues that the stream’s recovery has transformed the way local residents perceive and interact with their environment.
Which quotation from the essay most effectively supports this claim?
For SAT Command of Evidence questions, restate the claim and underline its required elements (who + what change). Then evaluate each quotation by asking: does it directly show that specific change, or does it merely relate to the topic? Prefer quotes that explicitly depict residents’ new attitudes/actions and, when possible, include a clear before-and-after contrast tied to the recovery.
Hints
Underline the key words in the claim
Focus on the part of the prompt that says the stream’s recovery has transformed the way local residents perceive and interact with their environment. Ask yourself: which answers talk about local residents and their attitudes or behavior?
Beware of choices that show residents but not transformation
A quote can mention residents near the stream but still fail to show a changed perception/interaction. Prefer evidence that clearly signals a new attitude or behavior connected to the recovery.
Look for a clear before-and-after contrast
The strongest evidence will often contrast the polluted past with what residents notice or do now. Which option makes that contrast explicit?
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify the key parts of the claim
The claim says the stream’s recovery has transformed the way local residents perceive and interact with their environment. Look for evidence that shows:
- Local residents (not officials or abstract data)
- A change in perception (attention, curiosity, appreciation, trust)
- A change in interaction (what residents do at/around the stream)
- Ideally, a clear before-and-after contrast tied to the stream’s recovery
Test each quotation against the claim
Check whether each option shows a transformed resident relationship with the stream.
- Choice A shows a resident still treating the creek as dangerous (“that creek is poison”), which suggests continued fear/avoidance, not a transformed, more engaged perception.
- Choice B shows residents interacting (anglers at the railing), but the emphasis is on doubt and argument about safety, which doesn’t clearly support a broadly transformed, positive perception.
- Choice C shows more people nearby (cyclists) but describes them treating the water as background, which does not show a meaningful change in attention or interaction with the stream itself.
These may relate to residents and the stream, but they don’t directly demonstrate the claimed transformation.
Select the quotation that directly supports the claim
Choice D most effectively supports the claim:
“On weekends now I see parents pointing out minnows to their children where an oil slick once floated, as if discovering a secret world unfurling at their feet.”
It shows residents actively noticing and engaging with the stream (“pointing out minnows”), and it includes a strong before-and-after contrast (“where an oil slick once floated”), clearly illustrating transformed perception and interaction.