Question 184·Easy·Transitions
Archaeologists recently uncovered clay tablets bearing cuneiform inscriptions in northern Iraq. ______ by translating the inscriptions, researchers identified previously unknown trade routes between ancient Mesopotamian cities.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
For transition questions, first read the sentences around the blank together and decide the logical relationship: Are they similar, contrasting, cause-and-effect, a sequence, or just happening at the same time? Then, briefly define each answer choice in your head (contrast, alternative, result, time, etc.) and eliminate any that don’t match the relationship you identified. Avoid choosing a transition just because it “sounds” formal; it must accurately reflect how the second idea connects to the first.
Hints
Check how the ideas are connected
Read the two sentences without the blank. Ask yourself: Does the second sentence disagree with the first, replace it, or continue it by showing what happened next?
Classify the transition types
Look at the answer choices and think: Which ones usually show contrast, which show an alternative, and which show things happening at the same time?
Eliminate mismatched relationships
If the second sentence does not oppose the first and is not an alternative to it, you can rule out the choices that mainly signal contrast or replacement.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand the relationship between the two sentences
Read the sentences together:
- First: Archaeologists uncovered clay tablets with inscriptions.
- Second: By translating those inscriptions, researchers identified new trade routes.
The second sentence explains what happened because the tablets were found and translated. The relationship is cause (finding/translating the tablets) and effect (identifying new trade routes).
Recall what each transition typically signals
Think about the general meaning of each option:
- However, usually introduces a contrast or something surprising compared to what came before.
- Instead, usually introduces an alternative or replacement for the previous idea.
- Meanwhile, usually shows that two things are happening at the same time but are not necessarily related as cause and effect.
- One remaining choice signals that what comes next is a result or consequence of the previous sentence.
Match the transition type to the context
We need a transition that shows the identification of trade routes came as a consequence of uncovering and translating the tablets, not a contrast, alternative, or unrelated simultaneous action.
The only choice that clearly shows this cause-and-effect connection is “As a result,”, so the correct answer is B) As a result,.