Texas produces energy from a range of sources, and these resources can be grouped into three main categories: fossil fuels, renewables, and transitional storage. Fossil fuels include oil and natural gas, which are extracted, refined, and burned to generate electricity and power transportation. They tend to be energy-dense but create emissions. Renewable resources, by contrast, are replenished naturally. West Texas wind farms convert steady plains winds into electricity, while solar arrays in the Permian Basin and along the Rio Grande harvest abundant sunlight. These sources produce no direct air pollution during operation but vary with weather. A third category, transitional storage, does not create energy; it stores it. Grid-scale batteries and pumped-water systems hold excess electricity from wind and solar and release it when demand rises, helping balance the grid. Within each category, technologies differ in cost and reliability, yet all serve specific roles in the state's energy mix. By classifying resources this way, Texans can compare options within and across categories when planning future power needs. This system also clarifies which investments reduce emissions, which sustain baseload power, and which make variable renewables more dependable.

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Texas communities often weigh two different strategies to reduce urban flooding: building detention basins and channelizing existing bayous. Both methods aim to move or store stormwater before it reaches streets and homes, and both require coordination among city engineers, neighborhood groups, and county flood-control districts. Detention basins are excavated depressions that temporarily hold runoff, releasing it slowly through controlled outflows. They can double as parks when dry, create habitat for birds, and are added in clusters across a watershed. However, they require land and careful maintenance to prevent sediment buildup. Channelization, by contrast, reshapes a natural stream into a straighter, wider, or deeper path so water travels faster to downstream rivers. This approach can handle large flows without purchasing as much land, and it can be constructed along existing corridors. Yet channelized bayous may reduce wetlands, increase downstream erosion, and speed water toward communities farther away. While both strategies seek the same goal, detention prioritizes storing water near where it falls, whereas channelization emphasizes moving water quickly through a modified channel. Choosing between them depends on local land availability and whether leaders value multipurpose green space or maximum conveyance.

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Expanding wind farms across West Texas brings notable advantages and disadvantages for nearby communities. On the plus side, turbines generate electricity without direct air pollution, helping the grid meet demand during windy afternoons. Landowners often receive lease payments, providing steady income that can support ranching through drought cycles. Local governments may see increased tax revenue for schools and roads, and temporary construction work boosts hotels and diners. However, large projects also carry drawbacks. Turbines require access roads and transmission lines that can fragment ranchland and wildlife habitat. Intermittent wind means output rises and falls, sometimes creating noise and shadow flicker near homes when blades spin. Some residents worry about impacts on views from historic highways or parks, and migrating birds and bats may be at risk without careful siting. Weighing these advantages against the disadvantages helps communities decide where turbines fit best and what safeguards—like buffer zones or seasonal shutdowns—can reduce conflicts. In addition, storage projects and upgraded transmission can capture more of the clean power. Still, every project must balance energy goals with local priorities.

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Along the Texas Gulf Coast, beach erosion threatens neighborhoods, highways, and tourism economies. When dunes flatten and sand washes away, waves reach farther inland, undermining structures and shrinking public access. To address this problem, coastal planners use a set of solutions that work together. Beach nourishment places compatible sand back onto eroded shores, rebuilding width for recreation and storm protection. Dune restoration shapes low ridges and plants native grasses so wind-blown sand accumulates naturally over time. In bays and marshes, 'living shorelines' stack rock and oyster-friendly materials to slow waves while creating habitat. Communities can also set building lines farther from the water and require elevated foundations, reducing damage when storms arrive. Finally, regular monitoring helps agencies adapt: if one stretch loses sand faster, schedules and designs are updated before the next season. By presenting the problem first and then outlining practical remedies, officials can prioritize projects that protect both property and coastal ecosystems. Public education campaigns encourage visitors to stay off young dunes, and partnerships with ports can source dredged sand for nourishment. Together, these steps turn a shrinking shoreline into a managed, more resilient coast.

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In a La Niña year, Central Texas often receives less rain than average. As soil dries and reservoirs drop, the effects ripple through daily life. First, city utilities issue watering schedules or bans because low lake levels threaten drinking-water supplies. Lawns turn brittle, trees shed leaves early, and wildfire risk rises as vegetation becomes fuel. Ranchers face higher feed costs when pastures fail, which can raise grocery prices for meat and dairy. Heat magnifies the problem: hotter afternoons speed evaporation from lakes and even from the thin films of moisture that keep plants alive. As creeks shrink, fish crowd into warmer, shallow pools, making die-offs more likely. Because demand remains steady while supply shrinks, local governments encourage conservation with fines and rebates for low-flow fixtures. When a tropical storm finally returns moisture, the immediate effect is relief, but parched ground can shed water quickly, causing flash floods. Drought in Texas rarely has a single cause or a single consequence; rather, one dry spell triggers a chain of environmental, economic, and policy effects that continues until rains restore balance.

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Two famous cattle trails shaped Texas in the late 1800s, but they worked in distinct ways. The Chisholm Trail ran northeast from South Texas to railheads in Kansas, offering a relatively direct route to Midwestern markets. By contrast, the Goodnight–Loving Trail bent west across harsher country toward New Mexico and Colorado, supplying army forts and mining camps. Both trails moved longhorn herds and relied on skilled cowhands, yet the challenges differed. On the Chisholm, drovers navigated crowded crossings and boomtown temptations near the rails; storms and swollen rivers were common hazards. On the Goodnight–Loving, water scarcity and long gaps between settlements forced crews to carefully plan camps and protect the herd from rustlers. The economic payoff also varied: Chisholm shipments aimed for speed and volume, while Goodnight–Loving drives earned higher prices from isolated buyers. By setting their routes against different landscapes and buyers, the trails solved the same problem—getting cattle to market—in contrasting ways. Lining up their similarities and differences helps readers see why Texans chose one path or the other depending on season, demand, and risk.

What organizational structure does the author use to present information about the two trails?

When students research a topic, not all sources play the same role. One class of sources, called primary sources, offers direct evidence from the time or person being studied: interviews, original photographs, speeches, or lab notes. A second class, secondary sources, interprets or analyzes those originals; textbooks, biographies, and review articles explain patterns, causes, and significance. A third class, tertiary sources, gathers and organizes information for quick reference, like encyclopedias or fact sheets that summarize established knowledge. Each category has strengths. Primary material can capture unfiltered voices, but it may be incomplete or biased. Secondary works add context and evaluate reliability, while tertiary references help readers get oriented and locate key terms. By sorting sources into these three groups, researchers can choose what to read first, what to cite for interpretation, and what to use for quick checks. For example, a photograph of a 1930s dust storm is primary; a historian's article explaining its causes is secondary; an encyclopedia entry summarizing the Dust Bowl is tertiary. This classification also guides note-taking: direct quotes usually come from primary texts, big-picture claims from secondary analyses, and definitions from tertiary compilations.

Which organizational pattern structures the passage?

Many schools consider replacing printed textbooks with tablets. The advantages are easy to see. A single device can hold multiple books, updates arrive instantly, and interactive features—such as zoomable diagrams or built-in dictionaries—support different learners. Lighter backpacks and fewer lost books can save money over time. Yet the disadvantages matter, too. Tablets require charging, maintenance, and reliable internet for downloads. Glare, eye strain, and notifications can distract readers, and damaged screens are expensive to repair. Some students prefer the tactile navigation of paper, where sticky notes and quick flips make skimming simple. In emergencies, a shelf of print books works without electricity. Listing the benefits alongside the drawbacks helps decision makers weigh costs against learning goals. By presenting both sides of one option, the author invites readers to judge whether tablets are worth adopting now, or whether a mixed approach—devices plus a smaller set of print texts—better fits the school's needs. Schools must also plan training for teachers and clear guidelines for off-task apps during class, while families may need support with home internet access so assignments download before the bus ride.

Which text structure does the author use to organize the discussion of tablets in schools?