Question 173·Medium·Transitions
To capture faint details in the comet’s tail, the research team planned to use long exposures. ______ the team mounted the telescope on a motorized base that tracked the comet across the sky, preventing the image from blurring.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
For transition questions, first ignore the answer choices and focus on understanding how the sentences around the blank relate: are they showing cause and effect, contrast, addition, example, or similarity? Once you’ve labeled the relationship, quickly sort the options by what each transition typically signals (contrast, result, example, etc.) and eliminate any that don’t match. Always check that the sentence remains smooth and logical when you read it aloud in your head with the chosen transition; if the connection feels forced or changes the meaning, try a different option.
Hints
Look at how the second sentence relates to the first
Read both sentences together and decide: does the second one contrast with the first, give a similar point, give an example, or show what happens as a result?
Think about the purpose of mounting the telescope
Why would long exposures create a need to mount the telescope on a motorized base? Is the team doing something opposite, or taking a step that follows logically from their plan?
Classify the answer choices by function
Without worrying about the details of the comet, sort the transitions into types: which one shows contrast, which one shows similarity, which one introduces an example, and which one shows a result or consequence? Then match the needed type to the sentence relationship.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand the relationship between the sentences
Read both parts together:
- First: To capture faint details in the comet’s tail, the research team planned to use long exposures.
- Second: _____ the team mounted the telescope on a motorized base... preventing the image from blurring.
The first sentence states a goal and a plan (use long exposures). The second sentence explains an additional action they take so that this plan will work (mounting the telescope so the image doesn’t blur). The ideas are connected in a logical, supportive way, not in opposition.
Identify the type of logical connection needed
Ask: What is the logical connection between planning long exposures and mounting the telescope on a tracking base?
Because long exposures can cause blurring, the team takes a specific step (using a motorized base) to avoid that problem. So the second sentence shows what the team does as a result of their plan and its potential issue. That’s a cause-and-effect or result/solution relationship, not a contrast, not a comparison, and not an example of a general category.
Match each option to its usual use and eliminate mismatches
Consider what each choice usually signals:
- “Nevertheless,” signals contrast or an unexpected opposite direction.
- “Similarly,” signals a comparison to something earlier that is alike.
- “For example,” introduces an example of a general statement.
In the passage, the second sentence doesn’t contrast with the first, doesn’t compare to another similar action, and isn’t an example of a general rule; it’s a logical next step taken because of the first sentence. So these three transition types do not fit the relationship and can be eliminated.
Select the transition that shows result/consequence
The remaining choice is “Therefore,”, which signals a result or consequence: because they planned to use long exposures (which risk blurring), therefore they mounted the telescope on a motorized base to prevent blur. This matches the cause-and-effect relationship between the two sentences, so the correct answer is A) Therefore,.