English Language Arts: Supporting Claims (TEKS.ELA.9-12.8.E.ii) Practice Test

Cities that adopt congestion pricing coupled with mandated reinvestment in transit achieve both cleaner air and greater transportation equity. A meta-analysis of 12 implementations reports a mean 9% reduction in vehicle miles traveled inside priced zones and an 18–22% decline in roadside NOx within one year, with exposure for low-income neighborhoods bordering those zones dropping 11% when revenues fund bus frequency and fare relief. Transportation economist Dr. Elena Park explains that road space is scarce; prices reveal this scarcity, and when paired with reliable substitutes, travelers with flexible schedules and higher values of time shift trips first, leaving buses to run faster and more predictably. In Stockholm, dedicating toll revenue to bus lanes and night service cut average commute times for the lowest-income quintile by 7 minutes while keeping their per-trip costs neutral through targeted discounts. Critics argue that fees punish low-wage drivers who cannot change shifts. Yet cross-city case studies show only a minority of low-income workers drive into cordons, and well-designed exemptions plus transit credits offset burdens. Logically, if the proceeds expand non-driving capacity where delays originate, the policy doesn't simply ration access; it increases affordable mobility options for those historically priced out by congestion itself.

Texas should mandate comprehensive weatherization across the gas supply chain to stabilize the grid in extreme heat and cold because the benefits dwarf the costs. ERCOT incident data link fuel-delivery failures to 58% of lost generation during Winter Storm Uri, while probabilistic modeling by a nonpartisan university lab indicates that gas infrastructure weatherization would cut outage risk during a 1-in-10-year freeze by 41% and during heat domes by 23%. Grid engineer testimony notes that "the grid is only as resilient as its coldest molecule," underscoring interdependence between gas and power. A case study from 2023, when targeted plant weatherization and improved communication protocols were in place, documented record demand with no rolling blackouts. Opponents argue that stricter standards will raise bills. Yet a transparent cost–benefit analysis estimates an average residential increase of less than one dollar per month, contrasted with billions in economic losses and avoidable fatalities during prolonged outages. The author concedes compliance imposes upfront costs, but counters with phased timelines, performance-based credits, and public reporting to prevent waste. Strategically, this concession-refutation reframes the issue: ratepayers are already paying the most expensive price—the cost of failure—so minimal preventive investment buys down catastrophic risk.