When settlers founded Houston in 1836, Buffalo Bayou was a shallow, twisting waterway where barges scraped mud. In the 1870s, merchants still coaxed flatboats along, but their ambitions outgrew the bayou. By 1909, after decades of petitions and studies, voters approved bonds to dredge a deep channel from the Gulf inland. Crews labored in stages: first carving a narrow cut through sandbars, then widening bends, then building wharves and turning basins. In November 1914, the Houston Ship Channel officially opened; whistles sounded, and the first deep-draft ships steamed to new docks. Over the next decades, each expansion followed the last: the 1920s brought oil terminals, the 1950s deepened the channel, and late-century projects straightened approaches for larger vessels. Today, the waterway moves millions of tons of cargo and anchors industries across the region. Told in the order events unfolded, this account shows how steady, step-by-step work transformed a muddy stream into a global port. Names and dates mark turning points, helping readers see progress rather than isolated facts. The timeline makes clear that modern prosperity rests on many earlier choices.

Which choice best explains how the passage's organizational structure supports the author's purpose?

A Texas summer drought rarely begins with a single dry day. When a stable dome of high pressure parks over the state, air sinks and warms, squeezing out clouds. With little shade from cloud cover, sun bakes fields, and evaporation outpaces any small showers that slip through. Dry soils then heat faster, which further strengthens the hot air above - an echo that repeats week after week. As grasses brown, ranchers buy extra feed or sell cattle early, and stock tanks drop to cracked beds. Rivers shrink, concentrating sediment and stressing fish; cities announce watering schedules, and lawns fade to straw. Parched brush becomes perfect fuel, so a stray spark can race into a fast-moving wildfire. Dust rides the wind across fencelines, and the price of hay jumps, nudging grocery costs up too. By tracing each consequence to its source, the explanation clarifies why impacts stack rather than appear at random. Understanding those links helps readers see why relief often takes sustained rain, not a single storm. This cause-and-effect chain explains more than the weather - it shows how one stubborn pressure system ripples through work, water, and wallets across Texas.

How does the cause-and-effect structure make the author's explanation more effective?

Each lunch period, our cafeteria clears trays piled with unopened fruit cups and barely sipped milk. That waste does not just vanish; it fills dumpsters, adds to landfill methane, and drains our budget. We can solve this with simple changes. First, establish a share table where sealed items can be safely placed for another student to take. A visible station reduces perfectly good food being tossed. Next, partner with the garden club to start a small compost program for peels and crusts, with a rolling bin near the tray return. Compost can nourish our herb beds used in family-consumer classes. To keep the line moving, stagger dismissal by a minute to reduce the rush at the sorting area, and add clear picture-based signs so students know where to place each item. Finally, run a one-week pilot, weigh trash versus saved food, and report the results to students and staff. Framing the problem and then offering practical, school-ready steps makes action feel possible and worth trying.

Which answer best explains how the problem-solution structure supports the author's purpose?

To craft a strong claim-evidence-reasoning paragraph, move through the steps in order. First, read the prompt and underline what it asks you to prove. Next, draft a clear, arguable claim in one concise sentence. Then, select two pieces of the strongest evidence from the text; introduce each with context so a reader knows who, where, or what is being cited. After each quote or paraphrase, explain why it matters: connect key words in the evidence to the words of your claim. Use transitions like for example and this shows to guide the reader. When you have explained both pieces of evidence, add a concluding sentence that reinforces the claim without repeating it. Finally, reread for clarity, check quotation marks and page references, and trim extra words. This step-by-step sequence teaches you a repeatable process so your ideas come across logically every time.

How does the sequential structure help the author achieve the instructional purpose of the passage?

When the Civil War ended, Texas ranches held thousands of longhorns with little local market. In the late 1860s, cowboys drove herds north along trails like the Chisholm to railheads in Kansas. The drives were slow and dangerous, but each successful trip proved that distant cities would pay. By the 1870s, as rail lines crept closer to Texas, ranchers shortened the journeys. New towns sprouted beside depots, and shipping cattle became faster and more predictable. In the 1880s, barbed wire crossed the open range, fencing pastures and ending many trail drives. Ranchers shifted from open herds to managed breeding, water management, and winter feed. Quarantine laws and winter blizzards also pushed ranchers to adapt, nudging them toward fences and windmills. State fairs and ranch schools spread new techniques. Soon, refrigerated railcars and packing plants changed where profit was made: more value stayed closer to the ranch. By the early 1900s, Texas ranching looked different from the dusty legends, but it was sturdier and better connected to national markets. Told in time order, the story shows how one change led to the next, turning a frontier gamble into a lasting industry.

How does the passage's organizational structure best support the author's purpose?

Zebra mussels, small striped mollusks originally from Eastern Europe, spread through Texas lakes when larvae hitchhiked in the water of trailered boats. Once established, they reproduce quickly. A single female can release hundreds of thousands of eggs in a season, and the free-floating young drift with currents. This rapid reproduction causes dense colonies to form on any hard surface. The first effects are mechanical: intake pipes clog, boat motors overheat, and docks collect sharp shells that cut swimmers' feet. The biological effects follow. Because zebra mussels filter huge volumes of water to feed, lakes become unusually clear. Clearer water might look healthy, but it allows deeper sunlight, which shifts where algae and aquatic plants grow. Native mussels, which cannot compete for food or space, decline, and fish that depend on them lose part of their life cycle. Anglers sometimes report short-term boosts in water visibility, yet food webs grow less stable. The cause-and-effect chain—transport, reproduction, colonization, and cascading impacts—explains why a small organism can reshape an entire lake system and why prevention at the start matters most.

Which statement best explains how the passage's structure strengthens its explanation?

After Friday-night games at our town's stadium, the bleachers tell a discouraging story: crumpled cups under seats, snack wrappers swirling across the track, and full trash cans that overflow by Saturday morning. This mess is more than an eyesore. Wind carries trash into the creek behind the field, and volunteers spend hours cleaning instead of coaching youth teams. We can solve this with a simple, two-part plan. First, reduce what becomes trash. Refill stations near each gate encourage reusable bottles, and concession stands can switch to sturdy cups collected in labeled bins. Second, make disposal easy and visible. Clusters of clearly color-coded bins—recycling, compost, landfill—placed at the end of each row cut the distance fans must walk. Student ambassadors can model sorting at halftime, while custodians roll lids shut when bins fill. At another district high school, these steps cut postgame cleanup time in half within a month. If we start at the next home game, we protect our creek, free volunteers to mentor, and show visiting teams that our pride extends beyond the scoreboard.

How does the passage's problem/solution structure make the author's argument more effective?

To assemble a basic emergency go-bag, follow a clear sequence so nothing essential gets skipped. Start by choosing a sturdy backpack you can carry comfortably. Lay out core supplies: drinking water in sealed bottles, nonperishable snacks, a small first-aid kit, a flashlight with extra batteries, and a portable phone charger. Next, add copies of vital documents—IDs, insurance cards, and a written list of emergency contacts—in a waterproof pouch. Pack clothing layers: a light jacket, socks, and a hat. Then, include hygiene items such as hand wipes, a toothbrush, and soap sealed in a bag. After the basics, tailor the kit to your household. For infants, add diapers; for pets, include leashes and food. Slip in a paper map in case cell service fails. Finally, test and label. Put batteries into the flashlight, check that the charger works, and place the pouch on top for quick access. Store the bag near your exit and review it every season. Because the steps are arranged in order—from gathering to testing—you can build the kit efficiently and remember to maintain it.

How does the passage's sequence of steps support the author's purpose?