Question 106·Easy·Inferences
A city transit authority introduced a discounted monthly pass for low-income riders last year. Since the program began, overall bus ridership has increased by 12 percent, and surveys show that a majority of new pass holders previously relied on walking or missed trips altogether. Several other cities that implemented similar discounts reported comparable increases in transit usage, indicating that ______
Which choice most logically completes the text?
For “Which choice most logically completes the text?” questions, first restate the key evidence in your own words and predict the general kind of conclusion it supports. Then, eliminate answer choices that: (1) introduce new topics not mentioned in the passage, (2) make extreme claims with words like “any,” “only,” or “most,” or (3) go beyond what the evidence can justify. Finally, choose the option that matches the topic, keeps a reasonable strength, and clearly follows from the information given.
Hints
Focus on the kind of evidence given
Look at what specifically changed in the cities and what happened afterward. What common feature do all the examples share?
Pay attention to the words after “indicating that”
The blank must contain a conclusion that is supported by the details in the passage, not a totally new topic. Ask yourself: what general idea do these examples support?
Watch out for extreme or unrelated claims
Scan the answer choices for words like “any,” “only,” or statements about topics (like city spending) that the passage never mentions. Are those ideas really proven by the information given?
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand what the passage is saying
First, summarize the information:
- A city created a discounted monthly pass for low-income riders.
- After this, overall bus ridership increased by 12 percent.
- Surveys show most new pass holders used to walk or miss trips.
- Other cities with similar discounts saw similar increases in transit usage. All of this is evidence about what happens when discounted fares for low-income riders are introduced.
Identify what the blank must do
The blank follows the phrase “indicating that”, which means the missing statement should be a conclusion or inference supported by the evidence just given. So the correct answer must:
- Be about discounts/low-income riders and transit use, and
- Be a reasonable, not exaggerated, generalization that the examples support.
Match the general pattern of the evidence
Notice the pattern:
- A specific city offers discounted passes → ridership goes up.
- Other cities do the same kind of program → their ridership also goes up. This pattern supports a general idea about the effect of discounted fares for low-income riders on transit usage, not about all fare changes, city spending, or the only possible way to increase ridership.
Test each answer choice against the evidence
Now check each option:
- Choice A says ridership grows after any pricing change, even fare increases — but the passage only talks about discounts, not all price changes.
- Choice C talks about how much cities spend on transit, but the passage never mentions city spending or poverty rates across cities.
- Choice D says discounted passes are the only way to increase usage in most cities, which is far stronger than the evidence.
- Choice B states a moderate, logical conclusion that directly fits the examples: that discounted fares for low-income riders can lead to a measurable rise in public transit use. Because it is supported by the evidence and not overly strong or off-topic, choice B is the correct answer.