Question 164·Easy·Transitions
In his early experiments, Nikola Tesla successfully demonstrated wireless transmission of electricity over short distances. ______ he sought to build a massive tower that could transmit power across the Atlantic Ocean.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
For transition questions, always start by ignoring the answer choices and reading the sentences together to decide how the ideas relate: cause-and-effect, contrast, example, time order, etc. Put a simple label on the relationship in your own words (like “result,” “contrast,” or “example”), then look at the options and match that label to the transition that fits. Eliminate choices whose function (contrast, example, same-time) does not match the logical connection you identified, even if they sound smooth on their own.
Hints
Focus on the direction of the ideas
Read the two sentences together without the blank. Ask: Is the second sentence going against the first idea, adding an example, happening at the same time, or showing what happened next because of the first?
Check for contrast vs. continuation
Do the two sentences disagree with each other, or does the second one build on and extend the first idea about Tesla’s work?
Match the transition types
Think about what kind of link each choice usually shows: contrast, example, same-time events, or a next step/result. Then see which one best describes how Tesla’s big tower plan relates to his earlier experiments.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand what each sentence is saying
First, restate the two ideas in simple terms:
- Sentence 1: Tesla proved that wireless transmission of electricity over short distances could work.
- Sentence 2: He then wanted to build a huge tower to send power all the way across the Atlantic Ocean.
Think about how these two ideas are logically connected.
Identify the relationship between the ideas
Ask yourself: Does the second sentence
- oppose the first idea,
- give a small example of it,
- describe something happening at the same time,
- or describe what Tesla did next because of that success?
Here, his big tower plan comes after and flows from his early success, so the connection is a progression from success to an ambitious next step.
Match each answer choice to its type of transition
Now connect each option to the kind of relationship it usually shows:
- "Nevertheless," is used to show contrast or an unexpected opposite.
- "For instance," introduces a specific example of a general statement.
- "Meanwhile," shows something happening at the same time as something else.
- One remaining option signals a result or consequence of what came before.
Decide which type fits a move from early success to planning a much larger project.
Choose the transition that fits cause-and-effect
Because Tesla’s successful early experiments led him to attempt a much grander project, the transition must show that the second sentence is a result of the first. The word that clearly signals this cause-and-effect relationship is "Consequently,", so Choice A) Consequently, is the correct answer.