Question 172·Medium·Transitions
Most people assume that composting is beneficial only for large farms. ______ community gardens and even urban households can dramatically reduce waste and enrich soil by composting kitchen scraps.
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 a cause, effect, contrast, correction, example, or summary? Once you are clear on that relationship, test each option in the blank and eliminate any that imply a relationship that doesn’t match what the sentences actually do. Always read the full sentence with the transition to check that the logic and tone feel precise, not just “okay” or natural-sounding.
Hints
Focus on the function of the second sentence
Ask yourself: does the second sentence give a result, an alternative, a similar example, or does it adjust/clarify the belief in the first sentence?
Check for cause-and-effect or conditions
Look at whether the first sentence could logically cause the second, or whether the second seems to be what happens if something in the first sentence does not happen. If not, rule out transitions that imply those relationships.
Test each option in the blank
Read the two sentences aloud with each transition. Eliminate any option that makes the second sentence sound like just a consequence of the first or just another similar belief, instead of clarifying how composting is used in reality.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand what the first sentence is saying
Read the first sentence: "Most people assume that composting is beneficial only for large farms." This introduces a common belief and clearly marks it as just an assumption, not necessarily the truth.
Understand what the second sentence is doing
The second sentence says "community gardens and even urban households can dramatically reduce waste and enrich soil by composting kitchen scraps." This shows that composting is also useful beyond large farms and pushes back against the "only for large farms" assumption.
Identify the relationship between the two sentences
Together, the sentences move from a possibly incorrect or incomplete assumption to a clarifying statement that adds the real, broader situation. The second sentence is not a result of the first, not an alternative if something doesn’t happen, and not simply “the same thing.” It corrects and broadens the first idea.
Match the relationship to the transition choice
Check each option with that relationship in mind:
- "Otherwise," would show what happens if something doesn’t happen.
- "Therefore," would draw a conclusion or result from the first sentence.
- "Similarly," would show something that is the same kind as the first sentence’s idea.
- "In fact," introduces a true clarifying statement that adjusts or strengthens what was just said. Only "In fact," correctly introduces the clarifying reality that composting also benefits community gardens and urban households.