Question 232·Easy·Transitions
Archaeologists often uncover fragile artifacts that can crumble at the slightest touch. _____ they remove surrounding soil with small brushes and wooden picks, advancing only millimeters per hour.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
For transition questions, always read at least one sentence before and after the blank and first decide the relationship between the ideas: addition, contrast, cause-and-effect, or example. Then classify each answer choice by what it usually signals and eliminate any that don’t match that relationship, even if they sound smooth. Finally, plug the remaining option into the sentence to confirm the logic is clear and precise.
Hints
Connect the ideas across the blank
Read the two sentences as one thought. What is the main idea of the first sentence, and what is the main idea of the second?
Decide the type of relationship
Ask yourself: Is the second sentence contradicting, giving an example of, comparing with, or showing what happens because of the first sentence?
Classify each transition word
Think about what each option usually does in writing: which ones signal contrast, which one signals an example, and which one signals that something happens as a consequence of something else?
Step-by-step Explanation
Read the two sentences together
Combine the two parts mentally:
- Sentence 1: Archaeologists uncover fragile artifacts that can easily crumble.
- Sentence 2: They use small brushes and wooden picks, moving very slowly.
Ask: How does the second sentence relate to the first?
Identify the logical relationship
The first sentence gives a reason/situation (artifacts are very fragile). The second sentence describes what archaeologists do because of that (they excavate very carefully and slowly). That is a cause-and-effect relationship, not a contrast or an example of an artifact.
Match the relationship to the transition type
Now look at the answer choices and think about what type of connection each one shows:
- One choice shows contrast (like "however").
- One shows comparison/difference ("on the other hand").
- One introduces an example ("such as").
- One shows result/consequence.
Since the sentences show that their careful method results from the artifacts' fragility, you need the transition that expresses a result/consequence — "As a result," (Choice D).