Reading Standards for Informational Text > Multiple Interpretations of Texts (CCSS.RI.8.2) Practice Test

Along a battered stretch of coastline, local researchers and volunteers are working to restore coral reefs that have been damaged by warming water, storms, and careless tourism. Teams collect healthy fragments from thriving colonies and grow them in underwater nurseries until they are large enough to be attached to degraded reef sections. At the same time, community groups train divers to avoid contact with corals, and new rules keep boats from dropping anchors on fragile areas. Farmers upstream are also learning practices that reduce polluted runoff. Early surveys show more fish sheltering among the rebuilt structures and a slow increase in coral coverage. Progress, however, remains fragile: a single hot summer can stress young corals, and storms can undo months of work. Project leaders say that patience, regular monitoring, and cooperation across the community are essential for long-term recovery.

Faced with buses that often arrived late and routes that wound inefficiently through the city, the transportation department redesigned its network around frequency rather than coverage. Instead of trying to reach every block, planners concentrated buses on key corridors so riders could count on shorter waits throughout the day. They held community meetings to decide which destinations—jobs, schools, clinics—must remain directly served and where longer walks were acceptable trade-offs. The city did not buy more buses; it reallocated what it had. After launch, on-time performance improved, ridership rose on the frequent lines, and complaints dropped, though a few riders missed the old, closer stops. Officials say the changes will be reviewed regularly to adjust schedules as needs shift.