On a warm morning in September 1900, residents of Galveston, Texas noticed the tide creeping over the beaches. By noon, waves pounded wooden piers. In the afternoon, telegraph lines snapped, and families hurried to board up windows. As evening fell, the storm surge swallowed streets, pushing trolleys off tracks. Through the night, wind shredded roofs and the water climbed past second-story porches. At dawn, survivors picked through shattered lumber to find neighbors and kin. In the weeks that followed, volunteers cleared debris, engineers raised building codes, and leaders debated how to protect the island. Within a year, crews began the seawall and lifted whole blocks of houses with jacks and sand fill. Merchants reopened storefronts under canvas awnings, while churches and schools served meals to families without kitchens. Rail lines were mended section by section, reconnecting the island to the mainland. Decades later, Galveston marked each hurricane season by checking evacuation routes and retelling the lessons learned.

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During dry summers in Central Texas, lawn sprinklers sputter to a stop, not because people forget, but because the Edwards Aquifer drops. When winter rainfall is scarce, fewer streams refill the limestone caves and cracks that store the region's water. As the aquifer level falls, springs that feed rivers slow down, water pressure in city lines weakens, and endangered species that depend on steady flows lose habitat. These effects trigger rules: cities announce watering schedules, ranchers haul water to stock tanks, and firefighters prepare for higher wildfire risk. When a tropical storm finally soaks the Hill Country, runoff seeps into the rock, the aquifer rebounds, and restrictions ease. Scientists track this cycle with gauges and share updates so neighbors understand the link between rain, storage, and use. By connecting what the sky does to what the tap can deliver, the explanation shows why conservation isn't just a choice; in drought, it's a response to cause and effect.

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Every day after lunch, our cafeteria trash cans bulge with half-eaten apples, napkins, and plastic forks. That waste costs the school money and sends usable materials to the landfill. We can change this by adopting a simple, two-part plan. First, sort: set up three clearly marked stations—compost for food scraps, recycling for clean bottles and trays, and trash for the rest. Student volunteers can guide each line for the first week until the routine sticks. Second, reduce: switch to durable forks and trays, and offer a "share table" where unopened milk or whole fruit can be placed for other students to take. Schools nearby that tried these steps cut their trash in half within a month. If we start with a pilot in seventh grade, we can collect data, adjust, and roll the program out schoolwide by spring. The goal isn't perfection; it's progress we can measure together. Let's commit now so the bins and our budget both get lighter.

How does the organizational pattern support the author's goal?

Two common ways to study a chapter are rereading and self-quizzing, and they do different jobs. Rereading feels comfortable: you turn pages you've seen before, underline sentences, and notice details you missed. It's useful right after class to fill gaps in your notes. Self-quizzing feels tougher: you close the book, ask yourself questions, and try to recall key ideas without looking. That effort reveals what you don't truly know. Rereading can build familiarity with vocabulary and examples, while self-quizzing builds memory that lasts through a test. Both take time, so a smart plan combines them: reread to clarify, then quiz to check. If you have only ten minutes, self-quizzing gives a clearer picture of readiness. If you have an hour, two short rereads with quizzes in between make a strong routine. By weighing the advantages side by side, the passage helps readers choose the approach that fits their goal and schedule.

How does the text's structure support its purpose?