The writing prompt asks students to compose an informational essay discussing the effects that a bike-sharing program can have on a community, using evidence from two provided passages. The response should be structured as a multi-paragraph essay and should evenly incorporate information from both passages.
Passage 1
Chattanooga Bike Shares: Lessons
for Smaller Cities
Posted on Apr. 10, 2014
1
Chattanooga, Tennessee, was, in a lot of ways, not an ideal city for
bike-sharing. It's a somewhat sprawling city, without a strong culture of cycling and
walking. In addition, only a small percentage of area residents use transit to get
around, so not many are leaving the car in the garage.
2
But local leaders didn't use these challenges as excuses not to act to improve
public health. This city of 170,000 launched the Chattanooga Bicycle Transit System
last July, with 30 stations and 300 bikes dispersed around a 2.5-square mile area
of downtown. In doing so, little Chattanooga beat larger cities like New York and
Chicago to the punch.
3
"Our purpose with bike-sharing was to put a large amount of cyclists on
the street in a short time, to change the dynamic, to improve our air quality, our
health and active transportation overall," said Chattanooga Bike Coordinator Philip
Pugliese, at the New Partners for Smart Growth Conference in Kansas City last
week.
4
Chattanooga had studied bike-sharing since as early as 2007. During that
time, bike-share supporters surveyed local residents about their interest in cycling,
if they had access to a bike. About 75 percent reported some level of interest.
Passage 2
Bike-share Programs:
Do Health Benefits Outweigh Safety Risks?
8
Add New York to the growing list of cities with bike-share programs. These
programs let people borrow bicycles from central locations, usually at very low cost
per ride. The Big Apple's bike sharing program began in 2012. New Yorkers were
invited to weigh in on where the bike stations should be located. According to the
New York Times, NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg submitted a request for a station
near City Hall.
9
However, bike-share programs do introduce new risks, including biking
accidents and exposure to air pollution. A recent British Medical Journal study
offered a health impact assessment of the bike-share program in Barcelona,
Spain, used by close to 200,000 members. The goal of the study was to weigh
the benefits of increased physical activity and reduced reliance on cars against
potential risks. The study found that the increased use of biking over car travel
avoided twelve deaths a year and reduced carbon dioxide emissions. Study authors
concluded that the benefits of the bike-share program outweighed the safety risks.
10
Another study, by researchers from Hunter College of the City University
of New York, looked at bike injuries in New York. It found that even though the
bicycling trend is taking off in New York City, the number of injuries has actually
been on the decline. In October 2012, New York City began collecting data on
bicycle accidents for the first time.
11
Biking advocates often suggest new or rusty riders consider a biking class
or lesson on bike safety, before joining a bike-share program. "You may not forget
how to ride a bike, but you could forget how to operate one," says Andy Clarke,
president of the League of American Bicyclists.
12
Reducing accidents can put the focus on the health benefits of bicycle
riding. That is a major reason for why the bike-sharing programs have cropped up.
According to the County Health Rankings, developed by the University of Wisconsin
and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, NYC already has a lower obesity rate
than the rest of New York and the nation. Adding a bike-share program could help
residents become even more physically fit.
Writing Prompt
You've just read two passages about bike-sharing programs. Write an informational
essay describing the impact a bike-sharing program can have on a community.
Manage your time carefully so that you can
Plan your essay and do some prewriting in the space provided
Write your essay on the lined pages of your answer document
Be sure to
ยท Use evidence from both passages
Avoid over-relying on one passage
Your written response should be in the form of a multi-paragraph essay.
In 1-2 sentences, explain this writing prompt in your own words (i.e. What are the students asked to write about and how long should the response be?)
3 answers
explain it
The writing prompt requires students to write an essay that informs readers about the potential positive and negative impacts of bike-sharing programs on communities. Students should draw upon details and examples from two passages provided to support their points. The essay should be organized into multiple paragraphs and ensure that information from both passages is used appropriately, avoiding excessive reliance on just one source. Overall, the goal is to present a balanced view of how such programs can influence public health, safety, and community dynamics.
3 answers