Question 218·Medium·Transitions
Researchers have long believed that the Yucatán’s cenotes served primarily as sources of freshwater for ancient Maya settlements. _____ recent excavations at several cave sites suggest that these sinkholes played an equally important ceremonial role.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
For transition questions, always read a bit before and after the blank and first decide the relationship between the ideas: addition, contrast, cause-and-effect, example, or time order. Once you’ve labeled the relationship in your own words (e.g., “this new info challenges the old idea”), match that to the transition type and eliminate any choices whose function (result, similarity, sequence, etc.) doesn’t fit, rather than choosing what simply “sounds good.”
Hints
Compare the two parts of the sentence
Read carefully what researchers "have long believed" and then what "recent excavations" suggest. Are these ideas in agreement, or does the second one change or challenge the first?
Classify the type of connection
Decide whether the second idea is a result of the first, similar to it, happening later in time, or in tension with it in some way.
Check what each transition usually signals
Think about what each option normally shows: cause-and-effect, similarity, contrast, or time order. Eliminate any that clearly do not match the relationship you found between the two parts of the sentence.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand the first idea
Read the first sentence: "Researchers have long believed that the Yucatán’s cenotes served primarily as sources of freshwater for ancient Maya settlements."
This tells us about a long-standing belief: cenotes were thought to be primarily for freshwater.
Understand the second idea
Now read the second part: "recent excavations at several cave sites suggest that these sinkholes played an equally important ceremonial role."
This introduces new evidence that adds an equally important ceremonial role, which means the old belief (mostly about freshwater) was incomplete or needs to be qualified.
Decide the relationship between the two ideas
Ask: How does the new information relate to the old belief?
- It does not show a result of the belief.
- It does not state something similar to the belief; it adds a different kind of role.
- It does not describe what happened next in time.
- It does show that new evidence is challenging or qualifying the earlier belief.
So the relationship is one of contrast/correction between past belief and new findings.
Match the relationship to the best transition
Now match each option to its usual function:
- "Consequently," = result or effect
- "Similarly," = similarity/comparison
- "Afterward," = time order (later in time)
- "However," = contrast or exception
Because the sentence contrasts a long-held belief with new, qualifying evidence, the transition that correctly shows this contrast is "However,".