Question 205·Easy·Transitions
Dr. Martinez grew up in the desert of New Mexico, where water was scarce. This early experience sparked her interest in sustainable irrigation techniques. ______ she earned a doctorate in environmental engineering and now leads projects that conserve millions of gallons of water annually.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
For transition questions, first ignore the choices and decide in your own words how the ideas connect: contrast, cause-and-effect, example, addition, or concession ("despite"). Then quickly label each answer choice by its function (contrast, similarity/addition, result, etc.) and eliminate any whose function does not match the relationship you identified. This approach is faster and more reliable than trying to see which option "sounds best."
Hints
Look at the ideas before and after the blank
Read the sentences on both sides of the blank. Ask yourself: Is the second part giving an opposite idea, a similar idea, a result, or something that ignores the earlier information?
Think about the sequence of Dr. Martinez’s life
Her childhood experience came first, then her interest in irrigation, then her degree and current work. What kind of logical connection usually links earlier life experiences to later achievements?
Match meanings of transitions to the relationship
Recall what each type of transition generally does: which ones show contrast, which show similarity or addition, which show ignoring previous info, and which show consequences? Choose the one whose function fits the relationship between the sentences.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand the relationship between the sentences
Read the sentences without the blank:
"Dr. Martinez grew up in the desert of New Mexico, where water was scarce. This early experience sparked her interest in sustainable irrigation techniques. ___ she earned a doctorate in environmental engineering and now leads projects that conserve millions of gallons of water annually."
Her childhood in a dry place led to an interest in water-saving techniques, which then led to her degree and current work. The second sentence describes what happened in her life because of that early experience.
Decide what kind of transition is needed
Ask: How does the second sentence connect to the first?
- It does not oppose or contrast the first idea.
- It does not present a similar, separate example.
- It does not ignore or dismiss the earlier information.
- Instead, it continues the story by showing what happened as a consequence of the early experience.
So, the transition should show a result or consequence of what came before.
Classify what each answer choice usually expresses
Now think about the typical meaning of each transition:
- "Conversely," usually signals a contrast (the opposite or a different side of something).
- "Likewise," usually signals a similar or additional example.
- "Regardless," usually signals that what follows happens in spite of or ignoring what was just said.
- "As a result," usually signals a result or consequence of the previous idea.
Only one of these matches the cause-and-effect relationship we identified between the sentences.
Match the meaning to pick the correct transition
Because the second sentence describes what happened in Dr. Martinez’s life because of her early experience with scarce water, we need a transition that shows result or consequence.
That transition is "As a result,", so the complete sentence is:
"This early experience sparked her interest in sustainable irrigation techniques. As a result, she earned a doctorate in environmental engineering and now leads projects that conserve millions of gallons of water annually."