Write a Defensible Thesis Requiring Proof Practice Test

Read the following student-written argumentative passage and answer the question.

A city is considering installing AI-assisted cameras at intersections to automatically ticket drivers who block crosswalks or run red lights. Officials argue that automated enforcement would reduce crashes and free police officers for other work. Civil liberties groups argue the cameras could expand surveillance and might disproportionately ticket drivers in certain neighborhoods if placement is uneven. A pilot program in one corridor issued 2,400 citations in two months; the transportation department reported a 17% reduction in intersection “blocking” during the same period, though critics note that the corridor also received new signage and road paint.

Traffic enforcement is one of those issues where people want safety but don’t want to feel watched. Both concerns are legitimate. A camera that catches someone running a red light could prevent a serious crash, but a camera network can also become a tool for tracking people if rules aren’t strict.

The pilot shows that behavior can change when enforcement is consistent. Drivers stopped treating the crosswalk like extra storage space. That matters for people who walk, especially kids and seniors who need more time to cross. At the same time, the citation number is huge, which raises questions: are drivers suddenly worse, or is the system designed to maximize tickets?

If the city uses cameras, it needs guardrails. Cameras should be limited to specific violations, data should be deleted quickly, and the city should publish placement criteria so enforcement isn’t concentrated only in certain areas. Revenue should go to street safety improvements, not general budgets, so the incentive is safer roads rather than more tickets.

Which thesis statement would best complete the passage?

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Read the following student-written argumentative passage and answer the question.

A school board is considering replacing most traditional letter grades in middle school with a standards-based system (for example: “exceeds,” “meets,” “approaching,” “not yet”). The superintendent claims the change would make grading more consistent across teachers and would focus students on skills rather than point-chasing. Some parents argue that letter grades motivate students and prepare them for high school expectations. Teachers are split: a few say standards-based grading takes more time but gives better feedback; others say it confuses families.

Grades are supposed to communicate learning, but letter grades often communicate compliance. A student can get an A by turning in every worksheet and extra credit assignment even if they still don’t understand the concepts. Another student might understand the material but struggle with organization and lose points for late work. That doesn’t tell you who can actually do the skill.

The biggest benefit of standards-based grading is clarity. If a report card says a student is “approaching” in argumentative writing, that’s more useful than a C+, because it points to a specific area. It also encourages revision: you can improve a skill over time instead of being punished forever for one bad test.

But parents are not wrong that communication matters. If the new system is rolled out without training, families will not know what the categories mean. Teachers also need time and shared rubrics so the same skill doesn’t get graded wildly differently.

Grading systems matter in education.

Which revision of the bolded thesis statement would make the argument more defensible?