In Metroville, the KP subway line follows the riverfront from downtown

Question

In Metroville, the KP subway line follows the riverfront from downtown to the neighborhoods surrounding the university. No matter how many trains the subway runs on the KP line, there are always congestion and delays on the KP line. The subway submitted a proposal for an alternate subway line that would travel from downtown to the neighborhoods surrounding the university via the inland neighborhoods, hoping to draw some of the congestion from the KP line. The city hired urban planning consultants who concluded the subway's proposal of a new line would not reduce commuter congestion on the KP line.

Which of the following, if true, most helps to explain the urban planning consultants' position?

(A) Construction of a new subway line would involve constructing a number of new stations throughout the city.

(B) The city buses that run along the river between downtown and the university would be more attractive to commuters than an inland subway line.

(C) Construction of a new subway line would inevitably stimulate the growth of new business and restaurants along that line, especially in the vicinity of the stations of that new line.

(D) Some commuters have reported having to wait as long as half an hour to board a train on the KP line.

(E) The most popular after-work destinations, such as riverfront restaurants and bars as well as the ballpark, would only be accessible by the current KP line.

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chanhthang1802 · Answer

(A) This is not related to the problem at hand (congestion on the KP line), so it is irrelevant.
(B) Even if the city buses are a more attractive option, we can still expect that having a new subway line will still reduce the congestion on the old line.
(C) We may expect that with the new businesses and people that the alternate line brings in, in the end there will be more people who use the old subway line. But we don't know how these people will travel (by subway or by bus for example).
(D) Knowing the waiting time doesn't help explaining why the new line wouldn't succeed in reducing the congestion on the old line.
 (E) Correct.  The new line wouldn't be used by so many people who are using the old line, so congestion isn't reduced.
The answer is  (E).

Abhiswarup · Answer

The question demands which statement explains the stand of urban planning consultant that there will not be any reduction in congestion in KP line even if new alternate line is made.

Lets examine the options:
(A) Construction of a new subway line would involve constructing a number of new stations throughout the city. This will always happen when new line is constructed. Eliminate

(B) The city buses that run along the river between downtown and the university would be more attractive to commuters than an inland subway line. It suggests that there will be diversion of commuters to bus on the route and therefore the new line will be underutilized. But this doesn't mean the KP line will not be prone to congestion. Eliminate

(C) Construction of a new subway line would inevitably stimulate the growth of new business and restaurants along that line, especially in the vicinity of the stations of that new line. The new line have more restaurants and business which will result in more commuters. But this may lead to reduction in congestion as more people will travel in new line instead of KP line. Thus contrary to the argument. Eliminate.

(D) Some commuters have reported having to wait as long as half an hour to board a train on the KP line. Factual information. Eliminate.

(E) The most popular after-work destinations, such as riverfront restaurants and bars as well as the ballpark, would only be accessible by the current KP line. This explains the reason why there is congestion in KP line and due to important destinations still on KP line congestion will not reduce.

Thus correct answer is option E.

Dereno · Answer

The city wants to reduce crowding on a subway line (KP) that goes along the river. They propose a new subway line that goes inland. Experts say the new line won't help. We need to find the reason that best answers this ambiguity.

(E) states that all the popular places people want to go after work are only accessible by the KP line.
This means even if a new line is built, people will still have to use the KP line to get to those places, so the congestion will remain. Hence  E is the answer

let’s look why other options are wrong .

(A) Construction of a new subway line would involve constructing a number of new stations throughout the city.

Just talks about construction, not why the new line wouldn't help.

(B) The city buses that run along the river between downtown and the university would be more attractive to commuters than an inland subway line.

Mentions buses, but doesn't explain why people would still use the KP subway.

(C) Construction of a new subway line would inevitably stimulate the growth of new business and restaurants along that line, especially in the vicinity of the stations of that new line.

Says the new line would create more businesses, which could actually increase traffic, not reduce it.

(D) Some commuters have reported having to wait as long as half an hour to board a train on the KP line.

Just shows that the KP line is crowded, but doesn't explain why a new line wouldn't help.

Bunuel · Answer

Official Explanation

The KP line is crowded, and the city wants to solve this problem by building a second line further inland. The urban planning consultants conclude this will not help. We need some reason why, even with the presence of the second line, the first line would remain congested. We want to strengthen/justify the urban planning consultants' conclusion.

(E) is the credited response. If all the places people want to go are on the KP line, then building another line somewhere else won't draw many passengers from the KP line to the new line.

(A) is irrelevant. Of course a new line would involve new stops, but this doesn't explain why the new line wouldn't draw passengers from the KP line.

(B) is a weak strengthener. It suggests as a possibility that the corridor along the river is more attractive than an inland route --- that's one reason the buses would be more popular, but not the only one. Because this is unclear, it's not the most powerful strengthener.

(C) weakens the urban planning consultants' conclusion: if there are attractive destinations along the new line, passengers would be drawn from the KP line to the new line. This response weakens the conclusion that we need to strengthen.

(D) emphasizes the nature of the problem the city is trying to solve, but it doesn't explain why the suggested solution of a new inland line wouldn't work.

In Metroville, the KP subway line follows the riverfront from downtown

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In Metroville, the KP subway line follows the riverfront from downtown

Prep Toolkit

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

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My Rewards