Question 135·Hard·Transitions
Over the last decade, urban planners have increasingly promoted the concept of the 15-minute city, which envisions daily necessities within a short walk or bike ride. ______ the model has faced criticism for potentially reinforcing socioeconomic segregation, recent pilot projects in Paris and Melbourne indicate that the approach can in fact enhance affordability and social inclusion.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
For transition questions, first ignore the answer choices and decide how the two parts of the sentence relate: similarity, contrast, cause-and-effect, or restatement. Then quickly label each option by the type of relationship it signals and eliminate any that do not match. Always read the sentence with your chosen transition inserted to confirm that the logic and tone flow smoothly.
Hints
Identify the direction of the ideas
Look at what is being said right before and right after the blank. Is the second part supporting, repeating, opposing, or resulting from the first part?
Check for positive vs. negative tone
Notice that the first part mentions "criticism" and "reinforcing socioeconomic segregation," while the second part talks about "enhance affordability and social inclusion." How do these tones compare?
Match idea relationship to transition type
Once you know whether the relationship is similarity, contrast, cause-and-effect, or restatement, eliminate any answer choices that signal a different type of relationship.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand the two main ideas in the sentence
Read the parts before and after the blank:
- First part: "Over the last decade, urban planners have increasingly promoted the concept ... the model has faced criticism for potentially reinforcing socioeconomic segregation."
- Second part: "recent pilot projects in Paris and Melbourne indicate that the approach can in fact enhance affordability and social inclusion." The first part brings up criticism (negative). The second part gives evidence of positive effects (enhancing affordability and social inclusion).
Decide the logical relationship between the ideas
Ask: How do these two ideas relate?
- The model is criticized for possibly reinforcing segregation.
- But pilot projects show it can enhance affordability and social inclusion. This is a surprising contrast: despite the criticism, there is evidence of positive outcomes. We are not seeing a cause-and-effect, a restatement, or a similarity; we are seeing one idea that goes against or qualifies the other.
Classify each transition type in the options
Identify what kind of connection each option typically shows:
- Likewise,: introduces a similar or parallel idea ("in the same way").
- Consequently,: shows a result or effect ("as a result").
- In other words,: restates or rephrases the same idea.
- [Correct choice]: introduces a contrast where the second idea pushes back against or softens the first. Only one of these matches the contrast relationship we identified in Step 2.
Match the correct transition to the contrast
Because the sentence needs a word that contrasts the earlier criticism with later positive evidence, the only option that fits is D) Although. The completed sentence shows that even though there has been criticism, real-world projects suggest a more positive outcome.