Question 173·Medium·Transitions
Compared with conventional gasoline vehicles, electric vehicles (EVs) produce no tailpipe emissions. _____ their production, particularly the mining and processing of battery materials, can generate significant pollution.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
For transition questions, first ignore the answer choices and read the surrounding sentences to decide the logical relationship: are they adding similar information, contrasting ideas, showing cause and effect, or giving an example? Once you clearly label the relationship (e.g., contrast), eliminate any options that do not match that type, even if they sound smooth. This logic-first approach is faster and more reliable than choosing by feel, especially under time pressure.
Hints
Read both sentences together
Ignore the answer choices at first. Read the first sentence and then the part after the blank and think about how the ideas relate to each other.
Identify whether the ideas agree or disagree
Ask yourself: Is the second part supporting the good news about EVs, or is it raising a problem or limitation with that good news?
Match the relationship to a transition type
Decide whether the blank should show addition, cause-and-effect, contrast, or an example. Then look for the answer choice that fits that type of relationship.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand what each part of the sentence is saying
Read the full sentence with the blank:
"Compared with conventional gasoline vehicles, electric vehicles (EVs) produce no tailpipe emissions. _____ their production, particularly the mining and processing of battery materials, can generate significant pollution."
The first sentence is positive: EVs produce no tailpipe emissions. The second part introduces a negative or problematic idea: their production can generate significant pollution.
Determine the logical relationship between the ideas
Ask: Does the second idea
- continue and support the first idea?
- give an example of the first idea?
- show a result of the first idea?
- or contrast/qualify the first idea?
Here, the second idea pushes back against the first: even though EVs have no tailpipe emissions, their production can still cause pollution. That means the relationship is a contrast or a limitation of the earlier positive claim.
Match the relationship to the best transition
Now classify each choice by its usual function:
- "Additionally," adds another similar point.
- "Consequently," shows a result or effect.
- "For example," introduces a specific example.
- "However," introduces a contrast or exception.
Because the sentence moves from a positive statement (no tailpipe emissions) to an opposing concern (pollution from production), we need a contrast transition. The only option that signals contrast is "However,", so that is the correct answer.