Question 189·Hard·Transitions
In the late 19th century, professional baseball players often worked additional jobs during the off-season because their athletic salaries alone could not cover living expenses. ______ the establishment of the first players' union in 1885 sought to increase wages and secure year-round contracts.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
For transition questions, first ignore the answer choices and decide how the ideas are related: are they showing cause-and-effect, contrast, similarity, or an example? Summarize each clause in simple words (e.g., “problem” → “solution”). Then, check each option by its function—know that words like “consequently” signal results, “similarly” signals comparison, “nevertheless” signals contrast, and “for example” signals illustration. Eliminate any transition whose function doesn’t match the relationship you identified, and choose the one that fits the logic of the sentence, not just what “sounds good.”
Hints
Look at the overall flow of ideas
Ask yourself: does the second part describe something similar to the first, the opposite of it, a specific instance of it, or something that happens because of it?
Identify problem vs. response
The first part introduces a problem about players’ pay. Think about whether the second part is another problem, a contrast, an example, or a way of trying to solve that problem.
Match transition types to relationships
Recall that some transitions show similarity, some show contrast, some introduce examples, and some show cause-and-effect. Decide which relationship you see here, then eliminate choices that signal a different type.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand what the first part is saying
Read the first sentence carefully: professional baseball players had to work extra jobs because their salaries were too low to cover living expenses. This sets up a problem: low pay and financial insecurity.
Understand what the second part is saying
The second part says “the establishment of the first players' union in 1885 sought to increase wages and secure year-round contracts.” This describes a response or solution to the problem of low salaries: the union tried to fix those money and job-security issues.
Determine the logical relationship
Ask: How are these two ideas connected? The second idea is not just another similar situation, an opposite situation, or a specific example of the first. Instead, the union’s creation is a result or consequence of the earlier problem: because salaries were too low, players organized to improve conditions.
Match the relationship to the correct transition
Now match that cause-and-effect relationship to the choices:
- A word that means as a result or because of that will fit best.
- “Similarly,” signals a comparison.
- “Nevertheless,” signals a contrast.
- “For example,” introduces an example. Only “Consequently,” correctly shows that the union was formed as a result of the low salaries, so Choice A, “Consequently,” is correct.