Question 136·Easy·Transitions
In 2020, plant biologist Dr. Rina Patel published a groundbreaking study on drought-resistant wheat varieties. _____ she launched an outreach program to help small-scale farmers adopt the new strains.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
For transition questions, always ignore how the choices “sound” at first and instead identify the exact logical relationship between the sentences or clauses: is it cause-and-effect, contrast, similarity, or something else? Briefly paraphrase the connection in your own words (for example, “because of this, she did that”), then eliminate any choices whose meanings don’t match that relationship. Finally, plug the remaining option into the sentence to confirm it makes clear, logical sense.
Hints
Look at both sentences together
Read the first sentence about Dr. Patel’s study and the second sentence about her outreach program. Think about how the second action relates to the first.
Classify the relationship
Ask yourself: Do these sentences show contrast, similarity, or one thing happening because of another?
Match idea relationship to transition types
Think about what each kind of transition does: one shows opposition, one shows similarity, one shows replacement, and one shows a result. Which kind of connection fits these two sentences?
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand what each sentence is saying
Read the two sentences together:
- First: Dr. Patel published a groundbreaking study on drought-resistant wheat varieties.
- Second: She launched an outreach program to help small-scale farmers adopt the new strains.
The second sentence describes an action Dr. Patel took that is clearly connected to the study in the first sentence.
Decide the logical relationship between the two ideas
Ask yourself: Is the second action
- replacing the first one?
- similar to the first one?
- contrasting with the first one?
- or happening because of the first one?
Dr. Patel does not choose outreach instead of publishing a study; she does both. The outreach is not very similar to publishing a study (they are different kinds of actions), and it is not in spite of the study. Rather, the outreach program logically follows from and grows out of the study: she did the research, and then she helped farmers use its results.
Match the relationship to the transition meanings
Now match that cause-and-effect relationship to the meanings of the options:
- Instead, = in place of something, as an alternative
- Similarly, = in the same way, showing similarity
- Nonetheless, = even so; in spite of what was just said (contrast)
- Consequently, = as a result
We need a word that connects the study to the outreach program as a result. Only “Consequently,” expresses that cause-and-effect link, so the correct answer is D) Consequently,.