|Question 9Verbal

Source Texts

Text
In a college course on urban affairs, a student asserts that increased traffic congestion in the United States in the 1990s was present both in very large cities such as New York City, New York, and smaller areas such as Albany-Schenectady-Troy, New York, and Beaumont, Texas; though those smaller areas may have been less affected by traffic congestion than very large cities, this congestion also worsened in them over time.
Which choice best describes data from the graph that support the student's claim?
In at least one of the three urban areas shown, the amount of traffic delay was less than 20 hours per commuter per year at one point between 1990 and 2000.
A
In 1992, the amount of traffic delay in the New York City, New York, area was less than 30 hours per commuter per year.
B
While the annual number of hours of traffic delay per commuter was always lower in the Albany-Schenectady-Troy, New York, area than in the New York City, New York, area for each year between 1990 and 2000, the amount of traffic delay rose in both areas during this period.
C
Even though the amount of traffic delay per commuter per year was greater in the Albany-Schenectady-Troy, New York, area than in the New York City, New York, area throughout the period from 1990 to 2000, the amounts were nearly identical in 1996.
D