Question 62·Medium·Inferences
Public libraries often debate whether eliminating overdue fines increases book circulation. In Harbor City, administrators credited a 2023 extension of evening hours for a 30% rise in checkouts that year. However, monthly records show that the sharpest rise began in March, immediately after the library ended overdue fines, whereas evening hours were extended in July; moreover, branches that did not alter their hours experienced checkout increases similar to those that did. Taken together, these observations suggest that _____
Which choice most logically completes the text?
For "most logically completes the text" questions, first restate in your own words what the passage is building toward in the final sentence—often a cause, conclusion, or contrast signaled by words like "however" or "taken together." Pay close attention to concrete clues such as timing, comparisons, and repeated ideas, and ask what explanation or conclusion they collectively support. Then eliminate choices that (1) contradict those clues, (2) introduce new, unsupported information, or (3) focus on a side detail rather than directly summarizing the main inference; the correct answer will restate the core inference using slightly different wording, not add a brand‑new claim.
Hints
Locate the contrast in the paragraph
Focus on the word "However" and the sentences that follow it. How do those sentences challenge or complicate what the administrators believed caused the rise in checkouts?
Pay attention to timing and comparisons
Look at the months mentioned: when did the sharp rise in checkouts begin, and when were evening hours extended? Also, what happened at branches that did not change their hours?
Decide what cause the evidence supports
Ask yourself: Based on the timing and the similar increases across different branches, which change is more strongly connected to the rise in checkouts? Eliminate answers that introduce new ideas not supported by the passage.
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify what the question is asking for
The prompt ends with "Taken together, these observations suggest that _____." This means you must:
- Combine (synthesize) all the evidence given.
- Choose the statement that follows most logically from that evidence.
- Avoid answers that add new, unsupported claims or that ignore key details.
Summarize the key evidence in your own words
Pull out the important facts from the paragraph:
- Administrators credited the extension of evening hours for a 30% rise in checkouts.
- But records show the sharpest rise began in March, immediately after the library ended overdue fines.
- Evening hours were extended in July, which is months after the sharp rise began.
- Branches that did not change their hours had checkout increases similar to branches that did.
Together, these points challenge the administrators’ explanation and point toward another cause.
Infer what the evidence is suggesting about cause and effect
Think about what cause-and-effect relationship the paragraph is building:
- If evening hours were the main cause, you would expect the big rise in checkouts to start after July, when hours were extended, and to be larger where hours changed.
- Instead, the sharp rise starts right after fines ended in March.
- Also, branches without hour changes still see similar increases, which weakens the idea that longer hours are driving the effect.
So the evidence supports the idea that ending fines is more strongly linked to the increased circulation than extending hours is.
Match the inference to the best answer choice
Now compare that inferred conclusion to the choices:
- The only option that says the increased circulation is more likely due to eliminating overdue fines than to extending evening hours is:
B) the elimination of overdue fines was a more likely driver of the increased circulation than the extension of evening hours.
This directly reflects the timing data and the comparison across branches, so B is the correct answer.