Question 222·Hard·Transitions
Initially overshadowed by the groundbreaking discoveries of her mentor, mathematician Emmy Noether published papers so densely abstract that many contemporaries dismissed them as "unreadable." ______ modern algebraists regard Noether's innovative approach as the very blueprint that made their field possible, noting that her terse style compresses ideas now expanded across entire textbooks.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
For transition questions, first cover the choices and read the sentence to decide the exact relationship between the ideas on each side of the blank: is it contrast, cause/effect, addition, or time shift? Name that relationship in your own words (e.g., “past negative view vs. present positive view”), then check each option’s usual function and eliminate any that don’t match that relationship and tone. Only after that should you uncover and select the option that clearly expresses the needed connection.
Hints
Identify the two time periods
Look for words that tell you when things are happening in each part of the sentence. How is Noether seen at first, and how is she seen later?
Decide the relationship between past and present
Ask yourself: Do the two parts of the sentence agree with each other, oppose each other, or show cause and effect?
Match each transition to that relationship
Think about what each option usually signals: addition/emphasis, contrast, cause/effect, or a time shift. Pick the one that fits both the attitude change and the time change.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand the situation in the first clause
Focus on the information before the blank: Noether was “initially overshadowed” and her work was dismissed as “unreadable.” This sets up a negative view of her and her papers in the past.
Understand the situation in the second clause
Now look at what comes after the blank: “modern algebraists regard Noether's innovative approach as the very blueprint that made their field possible…” This is a very positive view, and it clearly describes how she is seen now rather than in the past.
Decide what kind of transition is needed
Compare the two parts:
- Past: overshadowed, dismissed as unreadable.
- Present: admired as foundational to the field. The relationship is both a contrast (negative vs. positive) and a shift in time (past vs. present). So we need a transition that signals this change over time and opposition in attitude.
Test the choices against that relationship
Check each option:
- “Consequently,” = cause/effect: it would say that because her work was unreadable, modern algebraists admire it, which doesn’t make sense.
- “Conversely,” = a general contrast, but it does not signal a time shift from past to present.
- “Indeed,” = adds emphasis or confirmation, but there is no agreement between the two clauses to emphasize.
- “Today, however,” clearly shows a time shift (from “initially” to “today”) and contrast (past dismissal vs. present admiration), so “Today, however,” is the correct choice.