Question 242·Easy·Transitions
Many bird species migrate thousands of miles every year to find abundant food sources and favorable climates. ______ monarch butterflies undertake an impressive southward journey from Canada to Mexico as winter approaches.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
For transition questions, first restate each sentence in simple words so you clearly see the relationship (similar idea, contrast, cause/effect, example, etc.). Then, label that relationship (for example, "another example" or "opposite idea") and eliminate any choices whose meanings do not match that label—even if they sound smooth. Always prioritize logical connection over flow.
Hints
Identify the main idea of each sentence
Summarize what the birds are doing in the first sentence and what the butterflies are doing in the second. Are their actions completely different or related?
Think about the type of connection
Ask yourself: Is the second sentence showing an opposite situation, a cause-and-effect result, or another case that fits the same pattern as the first sentence?
Match meaning, not sound
Ignore which option 'sounds' nice. Instead, match the meaning of each transition (contrast, similarity, cause/effect) with the actual relationship between the two sentences.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand what the first sentence says
Read the first sentence: it explains that many bird species migrate thousands of miles each year to find food and good climates. The key idea is long-distance migration as a behavior to survive seasonal changes.
Understand what the second sentence adds
The second sentence talks about monarch butterflies taking an impressive southward journey from Canada to Mexico as winter approaches. This is also describing a long-distance seasonal migration to cope with changing conditions.
Decide the logical relationship
Ask: How does the monarch butterfly information relate to the bird information? It is not the opposite of what birds do, and it is not a result caused by bird migration. Instead, the butterfly example matches the same type of behavior described for birds: another creature doing a similar kind of migration.
Match the relationship to the transition word
Now check each option:
- "Nevertheless," and "In contrast," both signal a contrast, which does not fit because the second sentence is not opposing the first.
- "As a result," signals a cause-and-effect pattern, but butterfly migration is not caused by birds migrating.
- The only choice that correctly signals that the second sentence is giving a comparable example of the same type of behavior is "Similarly,", so the correct answer is B) Similarly,.