Question 111·Easy·Transitions
Many chefs recommend cooking pasta until it is al dente, firm to the bite. _____ overcooking pasta can cause it to become mushy and lose its flavor.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
For transition questions, first read the sentence before and after the blank and put the relationship into your own words: Is the second idea an example, contrast, consequence, time/order detail, or added similar point? Once you’ve labeled the relationship, eliminate any choices whose usual function (example, time, sequence, etc.) doesn’t match. Finally, plug the remaining option into the sentence to check that the combined sentences read smoothly and logically without changing their basic meaning.
Hints
Focus on the connection between the two sentences
Ask yourself: Is the second sentence giving an example, describing a time sequence, adding a last point, or warning what happens if the recommendation is not followed?
Check what overcooking represents
Is overcooking pasta an example of cooking pasta al dente, or is it a different way of cooking it that leads to a problem?
Think about the function of each transition
Which option introduces a result that happens when someone makes a different choice from the one that was just recommended, rather than an example, a simultaneous event, or a final step?
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand each sentence’s idea
Paraphrase the sentences:
- Sentence 1: Chefs say you should cook pasta until it is al dente (firm to the bite).
- Sentence 2: Overcooking pasta makes it mushy and less flavorful. The second sentence is a warning about what happens when the pasta is cooked too much.
Identify the relationship between the sentences
Ask: How does the second sentence relate to the advice in the first?
- It is not giving another tip.
- It is not giving a time order.
- It is not describing something happening at the same time. Instead, it explains what happens if you don’t follow the recommendation in the first sentence (if you overcook instead of stopping at al dente).
Match each transition type to the relationship
Think about what each option usually signals:
- "For example," introduces a specific instance or illustration of a general statement.
- "Meanwhile," shows something happening at the same time as something else.
- "Finally," signals the last step or final point in a sequence.
- One remaining option in the list signals what happens if a different choice is made than the one just mentioned.
Choose the transition that fits the warning about a different choice
We need the transition that introduces the result of making a different choice—cooking the pasta longer than al dente. Only "Otherwise," correctly signals “if you do something else instead,” making the completed text clear and logical.