Question 152·Medium·Transitions
Many researchers argue that promoting a sense of curiosity in children improves lifelong learning outcomes. _____ a recent study found that students encouraged to ask open-ended questions scored significantly higher on critical-thinking assessments.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
For transition questions, first ignore the answer choices and decide how the second sentence relates to the first: is it supporting, contrasting, giving a reason, showing a result, or adding an example? Once you’ve named that relationship in your own words, go to the choices and quickly label each transition by type (contrast, cause/effect, example, addition, etc.). Eliminate any transitions that don’t match the relationship you identified, and if more than one seems possible, reread the two sentences together with each remaining option to see which one sounds both logical and precise in context.
Hints
Check whether the ideas agree or disagree
Ask yourself: Does the second sentence support or oppose the idea in the first sentence? That will tell you if you need a contrast word or not.
Decide what role the study plays
Is the study in the second sentence a result of the first sentence, or is it evidence that backs up the claim in the first sentence?
Match the role to a transition type
Once you know whether the second sentence is showing contrast, cause/effect, or an example, eliminate any options that signal the wrong type of relationship.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand the relationship between the two sentences
Read the first sentence: it makes a general claim that encouraging curiosity improves lifelong learning outcomes.
Read the second sentence: it describes a specific study where students who asked open-ended questions did better on critical-thinking assessments. This study supports and illustrates the general claim.
Classify the types of transitions in the choices
Now think about what each type of transition usually does:
- A word that signals contrast shows a difference or opposition between ideas.
- A word that signals cause and effect shows that one idea is a result of another.
- A word that introduces an example or specific evidence shows a case that supports the previous statement.
Decide which type of connection we need here: the second sentence is not disagreeing with the first or caused by it; it is a supporting example of the claim.
Match the needed relationship to the correct transition
Because the second sentence presents a specific study as evidence for the general claim in the first sentence, the transition must clearly introduce this study as an example. The only choice that introduces the study as an example is “For example,”, so that is the correct answer.