Question 228·Hard·Transitions
Many economists predicted that post-pandemic entrepreneurial activity would stagnate as households sought stability. In the United States, however, the number of new business applications climbed by 24 percent between 2020 and 2021, suggesting that uncertainty can spur innovation. Similar surges occurred in several European countries, where digital platforms lowered entry barriers for first-time entrepreneurs. ____ venture-capital funding in these regions also hit record highs, signaling long-term confidence.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
For transition questions, first ignore the choices and decide how the ideas before and after the blank relate: are they in contrast, cause-and-effect, a continuation, or an example? Look for clue words like "also," "however," or result phrases ("as a result," "this led to"). Then group the answer choices by their function (contrast, example, result, addition) and eliminate any that do not match the relationship you identified from the context. This approach is faster and more reliable than trying each choice by sound alone.
Hints
Look closely at the sentences around the blank
Read the sentence before and the sentence after the blank. Ask yourself: does the second sentence oppose, support, or illustrate the first one?
Pay attention to signal words
Notice the word "also" in the final sentence and the phrase "hit record highs"—do these suggest something negative, contradictory, or additional and supportive?
Classify the answer choices by function
Without picking yet, sort the four options into rough categories: which ones show contrast, which ones introduce an example, and which one shows a result of something mentioned earlier?
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand what the missing word must do
The blank is at the start of the last sentence, so the missing word must show how this final idea (venture-capital funding hitting record highs) relates to the previous sentence (surges in new businesses and lowered entry barriers).
Identify the relationship between the ideas
The previous sentence says that several European countries saw surges in new businesses because digital platforms lowered entry barriers. The next sentence says that venture-capital funding in those same regions also hit record highs, which supports and extends the same positive trend about entrepreneurship and confidence. There is no contrast or exception being introduced.
Match each transition type to the context
Now think about what each option usually signals:
- Conversely, introduces an opposite or contrasting situation.
- Nevertheless, introduces something that is true despite what was just said.
- For example, introduces a specific instance of a more general statement.
- Consequently, introduces a result or outcome of what was just described. Ask: Is the last sentence giving an opposite idea, a concession, an example, or a result of the previous information?
Choose the transition that fits a result of earlier ideas
Because the surge in entrepreneurship and lowered barriers is followed by the fact that funding "also" hit record highs—another effect consistent with those trends—the final sentence is best read as a result of the earlier conditions. Therefore, the most logical transition is “Consequently,” which signals that the record-high funding follows from the entrepreneurial activity and lowered entry barriers.