Passage The Free College Debate
The Free College Debate
(1) A college degree has become an essential tool in an increasingly competitive job market. (2) Yet the price of higher education, at both private and public universities, continues to rise. (3) Helping students cover the cost of attending college is an important issue.
(4) Many people agree that a college education should be a financially realistic option for those who aspire to obtain a degree. (5) For example, in 2017, the New York State legislature passed a bill creating a program to cover the tuition costs for nearly one million students. (6) The state of Tennessee also has a program that offers all students scholarships and mentoring services if they attend one of the state’s community colleges. (7) Proponents generally believe that these programs are a step in the right direction for making college affordable for students who would have had to take out loans or who would have decided not to pursue higher education at all.
(8) On the other hand, some people oppose bills like the ones in New York and Tennessee because they believe “free” college programs are unsustainable. (9) In order to implement these types of programs, a state pays the college on behalf of the students using funds from the state’s budget, which primarily comes from state taxes. (10) As more students choose to attend college, more funds will be needed to cover the costs. (11) Additionally, many students do not finish college within four years because they switch majors or because they have to work. (12) Critics believe that these circumstances will inevitably lead to an increase in taxes, a decline in the quality of the education offered by the schools, or both. (13) They think narrower college-affordability efforts that target the students who need the most support, such as first-generation college students, may be more effective and viable solutions.
(14) Faculty and students at higher-education institutions can work to keep costs down. (15) In light of increased access to computers, mobile devices, and the Internet, there are more opportunities for students to take courses online, thus reducing the need for and cost of maintaining physical classrooms. (16) Additionally, colleges should account for experience by allowing students to demonstrate their knowledge in order to avoid having to pay to sit through classes on subjects they have already mastered. (17) Similarly, college-bound high school students need to be prepared for college-level work so that they do not have to spend money on remedial classes.
(18) The solutions to the problems associated with rising college costs are not simple. (19) Passing legislation that boosts college affordability will take time, input from experts with different ideas, and careful planning.
Question
Which sentence presents information that shifts away from the topic of the third paragraph (sentences 8–13) and should be deleted?
- Asentence 10
- Bsentence 11
- Csentence 12
- Dsentence 13
Show the answer
Correct answer: B
The question asks which sentence presents information that shifts away from the topic of the third paragraph (sentences 8–13) and should be deleted.
A. Incorrect. Sentence 9 explains that scholarship funding comes “from the state’s budget, which primarily comes from state taxes.” Sentence 10 logically follows the idea in sentence 9 by explaining that “as more students choose to attend college, more funds will be needed to cover the costs.” Therefore, sentence 10 should not be deleted, because it does not shift away from the topic of the paragraph.
B. CORRECT. Sentence 10 makes the claim that “as more students choose to attend college, more funds will be needed to cover the costs.” Sentence 11 shifts away from this topic by focusing on how switching majors or working affects students’ ability to finish college, rather than on the additional funds that will be needed for scholarship programs. Therefore, sentence 11 should be deleted.
C. Incorrect. Sentence 9 states that scholarship program funding comes “from the state’s budget, which primarily comes from state taxes.” Sentence 10 points out that “as more students choose to attend college, more funds will be needed to cover the costs.” Sentence 12 elaborates on the critics’ opinions discussed in sentences 8–10. It reflects the belief that the “circumstances” described in sentences 9 and 10 “will inevitably lead to an increase in taxes, a decline in the quality of the education offered by the schools, or both.” Thus, sentence 12 should not be deleted, because it does not shift away from the topic of the paragraph.
D. Incorrect. Sentence 13 refers back to the “critics” mentioned in sentence 12 and expands on the critics’ concern about increased taxes mentioned in sentence 12 by stating that “narrower college-affordability efforts . . . may be more effective and viable solutions.” Therefore, sentence 13 should not be deleted because it logically follows the ideas in sentence 12 and serves as a concluding sentence for the paragraph.
Question analysis
This revising question asks which sentence in the paragraph about critics of free-college programs shifts away from the paragraph's topic and should be deleted. All four listed sentences mention students, funding or taxes, so students must follow the critics' chain of reasoning and find the sentence that does not advance it.
- NYS standards
- 7W2b developing a topic
- Grade level
- Grade 7 reading and task
- Compared with grade 7
- At grade 7 Cutting a sentence that strays from a paragraph's focus is standard grade 7 writing work. This paragraph is a six-sentence argument with formal words such as unsustainable and viable, which is typical of grade 7 revision passages.
- Estimated difficulty
- Moderate: several steps, or a close reading with one strong distractor.
- Thinking it demands
- Depth of knowledge 2, skills and concepts · mainly analyze
- What makes it hard
- How sentences fit together moderate
- Every choice must be checked minor
- Evidence
- Answered from one paragraph or stanza
- Reading level
- Passage: about grade 12, 427 words; question and choices: about grade 6, 23 words.
- Students, last 30 days
- Not enough answers yet to show (it takes 10).
Why it is hard, traps and wrong answers (shows the answer)
Why it is hard
Sentence 11 is camouflaged: it starts with a linking word, and a reader can argue that students who take longer to finish cost the state more. The paragraph, though, is about funding and taxes, and sentence 11 turns to why students switch majors or work. Students who cut sentence 13 sense a move toward solutions, but it still voices the critics, and the question rewards checking that each other sentence advances their case.
How sentences fit together moderate Working it out
Sentence 11 opens with “Additionally,” and sentence 12's “these circumstances” can be read as gathering it in, so the stray sentence looks attached to the critics' argument. (Halliday & Hasan, 1976)
Every choice must be checked minor Choosing the answer
Because sentence 11 can be defended, the answer comes mainly from confirming that sentences 10, 12 and 13 each carry the critics' case, which means testing every listed sentence. (Embretson & Wetzel, 1987)
Strategy: State the critics' argument in a few words, then check whether each listed sentence adds a link to that argument or turns aside to a different issue.
Traps
- Fixes what isn't broken: Changes a part of the sentence that was already correct, while the real error stays; or, where the question asks which sentence has an error or should go, picks one that is correct and belongs.
The wrong answers, classified
A Fixes what isn't broken (Connors & Lunsford, 1988)
Cuts sentence 10 as a loose prediction, though more students needing more funds is the link between state funding in sentence 9 and the critics' fear of higher taxes.
C Fixes what isn't broken (Connors & Lunsford, 1988)
Removes sentence 12 as mere opinion, though it states the critics' conclusion, higher taxes or lower quality, which the whole paragraph builds toward.
D Fixes what isn't broken (Connors & Lunsford, 1988)
Senses a turn when the critics propose “narrower college-affordability efforts,” but sentence 13 still reports what “They think,” completing their case rather than leaving it.
Working it out, step by step
Figure out what the question asks
Paragraph 3 (sentences 8–13) has one topic. One sentence wanders away from it. You need to find that sentence. First, say the paragraph’s topic in a few words.
Find the topic of paragraph 3
Sentence 8 says some people think “free” college programs are “unsustainable.” That means they can’t keep going for long. The reason is money. The state pays with tax money (sentence 9). More students means more money is needed (sentence 10). Critics fear higher taxes or worse schools (sentence 12). They want smaller programs instead (sentence 13).
Look at sentence 11
Sentence 11 says many students take more than four years “because they switch majors or because they have to work.” A major is the main subject a student studies. This sentence is about why students take longer. It never says what that costs the state or how it affects taxes. It moves away from the critics’ money argument.
Check each choice
- A is wrong. Sentence 10 links state money to the critics’ fears: more students, more costs.
- B is right. Sentence 11 turns to students’ reasons for taking longer.
- C is wrong. Sentence 12 gives the critics’ main fear: higher taxes or worse schools.
- D is wrong. Sentence 13 still tells what the critics think. It finishes their argument.
Watch out: Sentence 13 brings up a different plan, so D is tempting. But it begins “They think,” so it is still the critics talking.
Choose the answer
Without sentence 11, the paragraph moves smoothly from more costs to higher taxes. So the answer is B, sentence 11.
Why this answer and not the closest wrong one
D is the closest wrong answer, because sentence 13 talks about a different plan. But that plan belongs to the critics, so it stays on topic. Sentence 11 starts with “Additionally,” which makes it look like part of the argument. Yet it talks about switching majors and having jobs, not about the cost to the state.
More questions like this
The original DOE question
The passage “The Free College Debate” as printed (page 38)
