Question 96·Hard·Command of Evidence
Political scientists analyzing mayoral governance in mid-sized cities counted how many advisory councils from two policy areas submitted formal recommendations directly to the mayor. One type of council focused on business and economic development, while the other focused on neighborhood concerns such as housing, transit, and public space. The researchers concluded that, across the decades studied, mayors became increasingly attentive to resident concerns beyond business interests.
Which choice best describes data from the graph that support the researchers’ conclusion?
For command-of-evidence questions with a graph, translate the conclusion into a specific pattern you can verify (for example, “neighborhood increases more than business over time”). Then eliminate choices that (1) misstate the interval where the biggest change occurs, (2) focus only on a single decade’s level instead of a trend, or (3) add stronger claims than the graph supports.
Hints
Use the conclusion to decide what to look for
The conclusion is about attention shifting beyond business interests. Look for a choice that compares business-focused and neighborhood-focused councils across time.
Compare change, not just level
Check how much each series changes from the first period to the last, and notice where the biggest jump happens.
Be precise about which interval changes most
Two choices may mention that neighborhood-focused councils increase. The best one will also correctly identify the decade interval with the largest increase.
Step-by-step Explanation
Link the conclusion to a measurable trend
The conclusion is about growing attention to resident concerns beyond business interests. So the best evidence should compare the two council types and show neighborhood-focused councils increasing more than business-focused councils over time.
Read the two series across the three periods
From the graph, business-focused councils rise only a little across the decades (about 2.6 → 2.8 → 2.9). Neighborhood-focused councils rise a lot (about 1.9 → 3.0 → 4.6), with the biggest jump from 1990–1999 to 2000–2009.
Select the choice that matches both the comparison and the change
The statement that business-focused councils increase only slightly while neighborhood-focused councils rise sharply overall, with the largest increase in the last interval, best supports the researchers’ conclusion.
Therefore, the correct choice is: Business-focused councils increase only slightly from 1980–1989 to 2000–2009, whereas neighborhood-focused councils rise sharply overall, with the largest jump from 1990–1999 to 2000–2009.