Question 178·Easy·Transitions
Maria’s grandmother taught her to crochet when she was eight years old, and ever since, Maria has practiced the craft nearly every weekend.
_____ she can complete a complex blanket pattern in a single afternoon.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
For transition questions, first ignore the choices and read the sentences around the blank to decide the relationship: cause/effect, contrast, example, addition, sequence, or comparison. State that relationship to yourself in simple words (like “because of this…” or “in contrast to that…”), then test each option by plugging it into the sentence and asking if it accurately reflects that relationship and keeps the meaning logical. Eliminate choices that signal the wrong type of connection (like contrast or time order when the ideas clearly show cause and effect).
Hints
Identify what each sentence is doing
Ask yourself: What is the first sentence telling us about Maria, and what new information does the second sentence add?
Think about the relationship between practice and skill
Does the second sentence describe something that happens because of the practice, in spite of the practice, at a different time, or in comparison to something else?
Classify the transition types
Look at the answer choices and decide: which ones show contrast, which show time order, which show comparison, and which connect a cause to its effect?
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand the meaning of the first sentence
The first sentence tells us that Maria learned to crochet at age eight and has practiced nearly every weekend since then. This sets up ongoing effort and experience.
Understand the meaning of the second sentence
The second sentence says that she "can complete a complex blanket pattern in a single afternoon." This describes Maria’s current ability or result of that long practice.
Decide the logical relationship
Ask: Is her current ability surprising compared to her past practice, or is it expected because of it? It is expected: if someone practices a lot, it makes sense that they become very skilled. So the relationship between the sentences is cause and effect (practice → skill).
Match each transition to that relationship
Now test each choice:
- "Nevertheless," shows contrast or an unexpected result, which does not fit.
- "For comparison," introduces a comparison to something else, which we do not have.
- "Earlier," refers to time order, which does not match the present ability being described.
- Only "As a result," shows that the second sentence follows logically as the effect of the practice described in the first sentence, so "As a result," is the correct choice.