Question 235·Easy·Transitions
The northern lights are most frequently visible during the long, dark nights of Arctic winter. _____, tourists hoping to witness the phenomenon often plan trips to Norway and Iceland between November and March.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
For transition questions, first ignore the answer choices and read the surrounding sentences together, asking: How does the second idea relate to the first—cause and effect, contrast, example, or addition? Put that relationship into simple words like "because," "as a result," or "however." Then look at the choices and pick the one whose meaning matches that relationship. Be careful not to choose a word just because it sounds formal; it must accurately reflect the logical connection between the sentences.
Hints
Paraphrase the sentences
Put both sentences into your own words. What is the first sentence telling you about the northern lights, and what is the second sentence telling you about tourists?
Identify the relationship
Ask yourself: Does the second sentence show something opposite, something similar, or something that happens because of the first sentence?
Connect meaning to transitions
Think about what each transition word usually signals: contrast, similarity, or cause-and-effect. Match that type of relationship to what you found between the two sentences.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand what each sentence is saying
Paraphrase the two sentences in simple language:
- First sentence: The northern lights can usually be seen during the long, dark Arctic winter nights.
- Second sentence: Tourists who want to see the northern lights often schedule trips to Norway and Iceland between November and March.
So the second sentence is about how people (tourists) behave, based on the information in the first sentence.
Decide how the ideas are related
Ask yourself: Is the second sentence contrasting with the first, adding a similar example, or giving a result of the first?
Here, tourists plan trips because the northern lights are visible in winter. That means the second sentence is a result or effect of the situation described in the first sentence (cause). We need a transition that fits a cause-and-effect relationship, similar in meaning to "as a result."
Classify the answer choices by meaning
Now think about what each transition usually shows:
- Nevertheless: shows contrast or an unexpected twist ("despite that").
- Similarly: shows a similar or parallel idea ("in the same way").
- In contrast: shows an opposite idea.
- One choice in the list means something like "as a result" and is used for cause-and-effect.
Only the choice that means "as a result" will fit the relationship between these two sentences.
Match the correct transition to the relationship
Because the second sentence is a result of the first (tourists plan winter trips because that’s when the lights are visible), the transition must mean "as a result."
The only option that expresses this cause-and-effect relationship is D) Consequently.