SAT OwlTo reduce crowding, a city's subway system began charging higher fares during the morning rush, from 7:00 to 9:30 a.m., and lower fares at all other times. Over the following year, the total number of daily riders barely changed, but the number of riders entering stations between 6:00 and 7:00 a.m. rose sharply. This result suggests that ______
Which choice most logically completes the text?
the higher rush-hour fares drove many riders away from the subway altogether.
the fare change had no effect on when riders chose to travel.
some riders responded to the new fares by moving their trips to an earlier, cheaper time.
most riders prefer to travel before 7:00 a.m. regardless of the fare.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C
Total ridership stayed about the same, but trips just before the expensive 7:00 a.m. window jumped. The likely explanation is that some riders shifted their trips earlier to pay the lower fare, choice C.
Choice A contradicts the text, which says the total number of daily riders barely changed.
Why the other choices are wrong
- A. This contradicts the passage, which states that the total number of daily riders barely changed rather than dropping significantly.
- B. The sharp rise in riders before 7:00 a.m. proves that the fare change did affect when people chose to travel.
- D. The text does not provide evidence about rider preferences, only that the number of early morning riders increased after the fare change.
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