Difficulty: Easy

Average Score: 100%

(1) New York City has a long history with bicycle lanes, which are either painted on a street or constructed alongside a street and are used by bicycles rather than cars. (2) Its first bike lane - and the country's first - was built in 1894, along Brooklyn's Ocean Parkway. (3) Interest in bicycle lanes reappeared in the 1970s, and by 1980, Mayor Ed Koch saw to the construction of them on Sixth and Seventh Avenues in Midtown. (4) However, those lanes faced such fierce opposition that they were immediately removed. (5) Things have recently changed: since 2006, the city has taken bike lanes to a whole new level. (6) It installed more than 250 miles around the city's five boroughs. (7) Many New Yorkers complained the new bike lanes slowed car traffic and reduced the number of parking spaces. (8) Others complained bicyclists were not following traffic rules in the lanes. (9) In Williamsburg, Brooklyn, religious leaders convinced the city to remove a new strip of freshly painted bike lane in their neighborhood. (10) Elected officials and perturbed residents of Staten Island also pressured the city into removing its own 2.35-mile dedicated lane. (11) Most New Yorkers have gotten used to the idea: a recent poll of New York City residents shows that two-thirds of them support the bike lanes. (12) They cite environmental reasons for their support, as well as the health and safety benefits the lanes provide bike riders. (13) Ultimately, the city can be happy knowing that statistics have shown its new bike lanes have already made the streets of New York safer for bikers and pedestrians.

In context, which sentence would be best to insert at the beginning of the second paragraph (sentences 7–10)?

Rationale

Acceptance of the city's new bike lanes did not come immediately.

The second paragraph discusses the mixed reactions from New Yorkers regarding the newly installed bike lanes. This statement effectively introduces the paragraph by highlighting that acceptance was not instantaneous, setting the stage for the subsequent complaints and opposition mentioned in sentences 7-10.

A (Acceptance of the city's new bike lanes did not come immediately.) CORRECT

This choice aptly reflects the content of the following sentences, which detail the backlash against the bike lanes from various community members and elected officials. It establishes a clear connection to the challenges faced by the city in promoting the bike lanes, making it the most suitable introduction for the paragraph.

B (The new bike lanes served numerous purposes for New Yorkers.) YOUR ANSWER

While this statement may be true, it does not accurately portray the context of the second paragraph, which focuses on the opposition and challenges rather than the benefits of the bike lanes. Instead of setting up the discussion of complaints, it implies a positive viewpoint that contradicts the subsequent tone of the paragraph.

C (In 2006, the majority of New York City residents did not own bicycles.) YOUR ANSWER

This choice introduces an irrelevant fact that does not directly relate to the acceptance of the bike lanes. The focus of the paragraph is on the reactions and opposition of residents, rather than their bicycle ownership rates, making this option unsuitable for the context.

D (Many pedestrians and motorists supported bicycle riding on city streets.) YOUR ANSWER

Although there may be some support for bicycle riding, this option does not align with the paragraph's focus on the negative responses to the bike lanes. It fails to capture the essence of the complaints and opposition that dominated the discussion, rendering it ineffective as an introductory statement.

Conclusion

The best choice to insert at the beginning of the second paragraph is the statement about the lack of immediate acceptance of the bike lanes. This sets an appropriate context for understanding the challenges and opposition faced by the city, as outlined in the subsequent sentences. The other options either provide irrelevant information or misrepresent the prevailing sentiment regarding the bike lanes, which centered around complaints rather than support.

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