Question 213·Hard·Transitions
For decades, urban planners assumed that widening highways alleviated traffic congestion, and many cities poured funding into extensive road expansions. ______ a recent longitudinal study of 20 metropolitan areas demonstrated that, after an initial drop, congestion returned to previous levels within five years, largely due to induced demand.
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 label the relationship between the ideas: contrast (opposite), cause/effect, addition/similarity, example, or time sequence. Once you’ve named the relationship in simple words (like “this second part disagrees with the first”), quickly match that to the function of each option and cross out any choices whose meanings (result, similarity, sequence, etc.) don’t match. Choose the option whose meaning fits the logic, not the one that just “sounds good.”
Hints
Compare the two parts of the sentence
Read the clause before the blank and the clause after the blank. Ask yourself: do they agree, disagree, or just happen one after another in time?
Focus on what the study shows
Look closely at what the study “demonstrated” about congestion after highways were widened. Does this outcome support the planners’ assumption or challenge it?
Match meaning to transition type
Decide whether you need a word that shows result, similarity, or contrast. Then eliminate options that do not match that relationship.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand the first idea
Read the first sentence part: “For decades, urban planners assumed that widening highways alleviated traffic congestion, and many cities poured funding into extensive road expansions.”
This tells us what people believed and did: they thought wider highways would fix congestion, so they invested a lot of money in road expansions.
Understand the second idea
Now read the second part: “a recent longitudinal study of 20 metropolitan areas demonstrated that, after an initial drop, congestion returned to previous levels within five years, largely due to induced demand.”
This study shows that the long-term result is that congestion comes back. This goes against the planners’ assumption that widening highways solves congestion.
Decide the relationship between the two ideas
Compare the two parts:
- First part: widening highways was assumed to solve congestion.
- Second part: data shows congestion returns, so it does not really solve it.
So the study is contradicting or challenging the earlier belief, not supporting it, not repeating it, and not just describing what happened next in time. We need a transition that signals contrast between an assumption and surprising or opposing evidence.
Match the relationship to the best transition
Check each option’s function:
- “Therefore,” shows a result or logical consequence.
- “Similarly,” shows a comparison or adds a similar example.
- “Subsequently,” shows time order (what happened next).
- “Yet,” shows contrast or an unexpected opposite result.
Because the study’s findings oppose the planners’ assumption, the contrast word fits best. The correct answer is “Yet,”.