Comprehension
The passage advocates for the private financing of public infrastructure, arguing that it can be more flexible and realistic than government planning. The core idea is that private investors, driven by the anticipation of profit from user fees, provide a natural market test for new projects. If investors are willing to finance a project (like a toll road), it suggests there is sufficient demand. Conversely, if they are reluctant, it signals that the project may not be needed. The passage uses the example of a privately authorized toll road in Virginia during the 1980s that failed to secure financing by 1993. The author presents this failure not as a weakness of private financing, but as a "virtue": it prevented a road from being built that was unlikely to attract enough traffic to be profitable.
Question: 1
According to the passage, which of the following is true of the toll road mentioned in line 12?
According to the passage, which of the following is true of the toll road mentioned in line 12?
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For "According to the passage" questions, the answer is almost always a direct paraphrase of something stated in the text. Scan the passage for keywords from the question (like "toll road") to find the relevant sentence quickly.
Updated On: Oct 4, 2025
- After it was built, it attracted too little traffic to pay for its construction.
- It was partially financed by the state of Virginia.
- Its development was authorized during an economic boom.
- Its construction was controversial among local residents.
- Its developers were discouraged by governmental restrictions on acquiring the necessary land.
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The Correct Option is C
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
This is a detail-based question asking for a specific fact about the Virginia toll road example mentioned in the passage.
Step 2: Key Formula or Approach:
We need to locate the part of the passage that describes the toll road and find the statement that matches one of the options.
Step 3: Detailed Explanation:
- The passage introduces the example in line 10: "During the economic boom of the 1980s, for example, the state of Virginia authorized private developers to build a $300 million toll road."
- (C) This option directly paraphrases the information in the text: "authorized during an economic boom."
- (A) This is false. The passage's main point about the road is that it was *not* built because it failed to attract financing.
- (B) The passage states it was "authorized" by the state, but that "private developers" were to build it, and they "had not raised the necessary financing." There is no mention of partial state financing.
- (D) and (E) are not mentioned in the passage. The passage mentions developers obtained right-of-way from property owners, but not that it was controversial or that there were governmental restrictions.
Step 4: Final Answer:
The passage explicitly states that the authorization for the toll road's development occurred "During the economic boom of the 1980s."
This is a detail-based question asking for a specific fact about the Virginia toll road example mentioned in the passage.
Step 2: Key Formula or Approach:
We need to locate the part of the passage that describes the toll road and find the statement that matches one of the options.
Step 3: Detailed Explanation:
- The passage introduces the example in line 10: "During the economic boom of the 1980s, for example, the state of Virginia authorized private developers to build a $300 million toll road."
- (C) This option directly paraphrases the information in the text: "authorized during an economic boom."
- (A) This is false. The passage's main point about the road is that it was *not* built because it failed to attract financing.
- (B) The passage states it was "authorized" by the state, but that "private developers" were to build it, and they "had not raised the necessary financing." There is no mention of partial state financing.
- (D) and (E) are not mentioned in the passage. The passage mentions developers obtained right-of-way from property owners, but not that it was controversial or that there were governmental restrictions.
Step 4: Final Answer:
The passage explicitly states that the authorization for the toll road's development occurred "During the economic boom of the 1980s."
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Question: 2
The passage suggests that which of the following would occur if a privately financed bridge that proved to be profitable failed after a number of years to meet the demands of traffic?
The passage suggests that which of the following would occur if a privately financed bridge that proved to be profitable failed after a number of years to meet the demands of traffic?
Show Hint
For application questions, identify the central principle or rule the author establishes in the passage. Then, apply that exact principle to the new situation described in the question, even if other real-world possibilities exist.
Updated On: Oct 4, 2025
- Private developers who financed the bridge would rely on governmental authorities to develop new infrastructure.
- User fees would be increased so that usage would become more costly.
- Governmental authorities would be reluctant to rely on private contractors to develop a new bridge.
- The success of the project would be jeopardized by public dissatisfaction with the project's adequacy.
- Profits generated by user fees would be used to help finance the construction of new infrastructure to alleviate the traffic problem.
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The Correct Option is
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
This is an application question. We need to apply the logic of the passage to a new, hypothetical scenario. The scenario is about a *successful* private project that eventually becomes inadequate.
Step 2: Key Formula or Approach:
The passage's core argument is that private financing is a flexible, realistic system driven by profit and demand. We need to apply this logic to the new situation.
Step 3: Detailed Explanation:
- The scenario describes a profitable bridge, which means "demand proves great."
- Let's look at what the passage says happens in this situation. Lines 6-8 state: "Such profits can contribute to the financing of more infrastructure if demand proves great enough..."
- The hypothetical scenario perfectly matches this condition: the bridge is profitable (high demand), but it has failed to meet the demands of traffic (more infrastructure is needed).
- According to the passage's logic, the profits from the initial successful project would naturally be used to finance the next stage of development.
- (E) This option is a direct application of the principle stated in lines 6-8. The profits from the successful bridge would be used to finance new infrastructure (e.g., a second bridge or an expansion) to solve the new traffic problem.
- (A), (B), (C), and (D) are all plausible real-world outcomes, but they are not directly supported by the specific logic presented in the passage. The passage's argument is focused on how the profit motive self-regulates and drives further development.
Step 4: Final Answer:
Applying the principle articulated by the author, the profits from a successful project would be the logical source of funding for further infrastructure development when demand warrants it.
This is an application question. We need to apply the logic of the passage to a new, hypothetical scenario. The scenario is about a *successful* private project that eventually becomes inadequate.
Step 2: Key Formula or Approach:
The passage's core argument is that private financing is a flexible, realistic system driven by profit and demand. We need to apply this logic to the new situation.
Step 3: Detailed Explanation:
- The scenario describes a profitable bridge, which means "demand proves great."
- Let's look at what the passage says happens in this situation. Lines 6-8 state: "Such profits can contribute to the financing of more infrastructure if demand proves great enough..."
- The hypothetical scenario perfectly matches this condition: the bridge is profitable (high demand), but it has failed to meet the demands of traffic (more infrastructure is needed).
- According to the passage's logic, the profits from the initial successful project would naturally be used to finance the next stage of development.
- (E) This option is a direct application of the principle stated in lines 6-8. The profits from the successful bridge would be used to finance new infrastructure (e.g., a second bridge or an expansion) to solve the new traffic problem.
- (A), (B), (C), and (D) are all plausible real-world outcomes, but they are not directly supported by the specific logic presented in the passage. The passage's argument is focused on how the profit motive self-regulates and drives further development.
Step 4: Final Answer:
Applying the principle articulated by the author, the profits from a successful project would be the logical source of funding for further infrastructure development when demand warrants it.
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