Question 174·Hard·Transitions
Some historians claim that the invention of the printing press democratized knowledge by making information widely available. Recent archival pricing data, however, indicate that early printed books remained so costly that only wealthy collectors could afford them. ______ the emergence of inexpensive pamphlets and broadsheets enabled political and religious ideas to reach audiences well beyond elite circles.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
For transition questions, always read at least one full sentence before and after the blank, then briefly paraphrase the relationship in your own words (for example: "this is a contrast," "this is an example," or "this is a result"). Classify each answer choice by the type of connection it signals (contrast, similarity, cause/effect, addition), and quickly eliminate any choices that don’t match your paraphrased relationship. Finally, plug the remaining option into the sentence to confirm that it makes the logic clearer, not more confusing.
Hints
Read around the blank
Reread the sentence from the start and pay special attention to the clause just before the blank and the clause just after it. Ask yourself how the second clause changes or develops the idea from the first.
Identify the relationship
Decide whether the information after the blank is reinforcing the limitation just mentioned, contradicting it, or showing a cause-and-effect link. This will rule out some transition types immediately.
Match each option to a relationship type
Think of which options usually signal similarity, which signal contrast, and which signal cause-and-effect. Then check which type actually appears between the two parts of this sentence.
Test by substitution
Try plugging each choice into the blank and see if the sentence reads logically and smoothly. Eliminate any option that makes the relationship between the ideas unclear or inaccurate.
Step-by-step Explanation
Summarize the ideas before and after the blank
First, the passage says some historians claim the printing press democratized knowledge. Then it gives data that early printed books were very expensive, so only wealthy people could buy them. After the blank, it says that the emergence of inexpensive pamphlets and broadsheets allowed ideas to reach people outside elite groups.
So the sentence moves from a limitation (books were too costly) to a new detail that shows ideas still reached wider audiences through cheaper print materials.
Decide how the second and third parts relate
Focus on the part just before and just after the blank:
- Before: books were so costly that only wealthy collectors could afford them.
- After: inexpensive pamphlets and broadsheets let ideas reach beyond elite circles.
These two statements are not in the same direction: the first limits access, while the second shows that access did spread more widely. The relationship is a kind of contrast that softens or complicates the limitation mentioned right before the blank.
Classify each transition by its job
Now think about what each option usually signals:
- A) Nevertheless, – shows a contrast that qualifies or partially offsets the previous point.
- B) Conversely, – shows an opposite or alternative situation, often a direct "on the other hand" comparison.
- C) In the same vein, – shows similarity; it means "in a similar way" or "along the same lines."
- D) As a result, – shows cause and effect.
From Step 2, we know we need a word that captures a contrasting idea that changes the picture, not simple similarity or direct cause-and-effect.
Eliminate choices that don’t match the relationship
Check each option against the ideas:
- C) In the same vein, suggests the next idea is similar to books being expensive and limited to elites. But the sentence after the blank actually describes wider access, not the same situation, so this is wrong.
- D) As a result, would mean the high cost of books directly caused the spread of ideas through pamphlets. The sentence does not say the cost caused pamphlets; instead, it simply introduces a new fact about cheap pamphlets.
- B) Conversely, is used when you directly set up one situation and then give an opposite alternative ("on the other hand"). Here, the sentence is not switching to a competing viewpoint; it is adding a qualifying detail that shows how ideas still spread despite the limitation.
These eliminations leave only one option that fits the nuanced contrast described.
Select the transition that fits best
The remaining choice, A) Nevertheless, signals that even though early printed books were too expensive for most people, cheap pamphlets and broadsheets still allowed ideas to reach broader audiences. This exactly matches the contrast-and-qualification relationship between the two parts of the sentence.
Correct answer: A) Nevertheless,.