Question 154·Easy·Inferences
Several urban planners studying bicycle‐sharing systems compared the programs in Riverton and Lakeside. In Riverton, usage of the city’s new bike‐share surged within weeks, and data showed a steady rise in paid memberships throughout the year. In contrast, Lakeside’s program lost riders after an initial burst of curiosity, and the city eventually had to subsidize operating costs more heavily than expected.
Taken together, these observations most logically support the inference that introducing a bicycle‐sharing program can ______
Which choice most logically completes the text?
For SAT inference questions, first restate the key facts from the passage in your own words, especially noting contrasts between examples. Then ask, “What overall pattern or idea do these details support?” Before picking an answer, test each choice by asking, “Does the passage clearly support this, or does it go beyond what’s said?” Be especially wary of extreme words like “guarantee,” “all,” “never,” and of choices that introduce ideas (like unrelated side effects) that the passage never mentions.
Hints
Track each city’s outcome
Identify what happened in Riverton versus what happened in Lakeside (growth vs. decline and extra costs).
Look for a conclusion that includes BOTH cities
The best inference should reflect the contrast: success in one city and financial difficulty in another, not a claim that is always true everywhere.
Watch out for extreme or new claims
Eliminate choices with words like “guarantee” or “all,” and eliminate choices that introduce ideas not mentioned (like bike lanes or personal bicycle purchases).
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand what the question is asking
The question asks what inference (a logical conclusion) can be drawn from the observations about the two cities’ bicycle-sharing programs. You must choose the option that is supported by both examples together, not just one.
Summarize what happens in each city
Restate the key details in your own words:
- Riverton: Usage of the new bike-share surged within weeks, and data showed a steady rise in paid memberships all year. This means the program grew strongly and was popular.
- Lakeside: The program lost riders after an initial burst of curiosity, and the city had to subsidize operating costs more heavily than expected. This means the program struggled and needed extra money from the city.
Find the general pattern these examples show
Put the two situations together:
- In one city, the bike-share program attracted more and more paying riders.
- In the other, it did not keep riders and ended up costing the city more money than planned. So, any correct inference must say that results of introducing a bike-share program can differ from city to city, and in some cases cities may need to provide extra financial support.
Match that pattern to the answer choices
Now check each choice against the pattern you found:
- Choices that say the programs always save money or always lead to the same result in every city cannot be right, because Riverton and Lakeside had different outcomes and one city spent more than expected.
- The only option that reflects both (1) strong growth in one city and (2) the need for more financial support in another city is “produce strong rider growth in some cities but, in other cities, require additional subsidies to cover operating costs.”