Identify Supporting Evidence Practice Test

In a 6-sentence article about urban trees, the author claims that street trees measurably reduce summer heat on city blocks. The author cites a university field study that compared two similar streets and found that at 3 p.m. on clear July days, the tree-lined block averaged 7°F cooler at sidewalk level than the block with sparse canopy. The author also notes that residents on the cooler block reported lower air-conditioning use, and the author references satellite imagery showing higher surface temperatures over large parking lots. The article ends by urging the city to prioritize canopy in heat-vulnerable neighborhoods.

Which of the following does the author use as evidence for the claim that street trees measurably reduce summer heat on city blocks?

In a 7-sentence editorial about public transit funding, the author argues that a city’s “free-fare pilot” did not meaningfully reduce traffic congestion. The author notes that during the three-month pilot, downtown vehicle counts recorded by the city’s loop sensors fell by only 1.2% compared with the same months the previous year, while ridership rose 18%. The author adds that parking garage revenue stayed “nearly flat” (down 0.4%) and quotes a delivery company manager who says, “Our drivers still lose the same 20 minutes on Main Street every morning.” The author then concedes that the program helped low-income riders but insists congestion requires changing driving behavior, not only lowering transit costs.

Which of the following does the author use as evidence for the claim that the free-fare pilot did not meaningfully reduce traffic congestion?