Question 244·Medium·Transitions
For decades, historians portrayed the poet Isabella di Morra as an isolated genius whose verses circulated only after her death. Recently discovered correspondence reveals that di Morra exchanged manuscripts with several contemporaries. ______ she was an active participant in her era's literary network.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
For transition questions, first ignore the choices and read just the surrounding sentences, then describe in your own words how the second idea relates to the first (e.g., adds more of the same, contrasts, gives an example, or shows a result). Next, categorize each answer choice by the type of relationship it usually signals and quickly eliminate any that don’t match your description. Be careful not to be distracted by contrasts or themes elsewhere in the paragraph; the correct transition must fit the immediate logical relationship between the clauses on either side of the blank.
Hints
Look closely at the sentence around the blank
Read the entire second sentence: from “Recently discovered correspondence…” through the blank and into “she was an active participant…”. How is that last idea related to the information about the correspondence?
Identify the relationship between evidence and conclusion
Ask yourself: Is the final clause (“she was an active participant…”) giving a contrasting idea, something happening at the same time, or something that follows from the new evidence about her exchanging manuscripts?
Match each option to a relationship type
Think about what each choice usually signals: time/simultaneity, contrast, or a statement that follows as a result. Eliminate any option whose usual purpose does not match the relationship you found.
Step-by-step Explanation
Summarize the two sentences
First sentence: Historians used to portray Isabella di Morra as an isolated genius whose poems only circulated after her death.
Second sentence (before the blank): New correspondence has been found showing she exchanged manuscripts with contemporaries. After the blank: “she was an active participant in her era's literary network.”
So the structure is: old view → new evidence → conclusion about what she was actually like.
Decide how the second sentence relates to the new evidence
Focus on the part right before the blank: “Recently discovered correspondence reveals that di Morra exchanged manuscripts with several contemporaries.”
The clause after the blank (“she was an active participant…”) is not contrasting with that; it is what we infer from it. The writer is drawing a conclusion from the evidence in the first part of the sentence.
So the missing transition should show that the second clause is a result or conclusion based on the new evidence.
Classify each transition type
Now think about what each choice generally does in a sentence:
- “Meanwhile,” usually shows two things happening at the same time.
- “Conversely,” introduces something that is in contrast or the opposite of what was just said.
- “Nevertheless,” signals a surprising contrast or “in spite of that.”
- One choice in the list indicates that what follows is a logical result of what came before.
Only the last type matches the relationship we identified: evidence → conclusion.
Match the correct transition to the relationship
Because the clause after the blank (“she was an active participant…”) is a logical conclusion drawn from the evidence about her correspondence, the only transition that correctly shows a result is “Therefore,”.
So the best answer is A) Therefore,.