Question 3·Easy·Transitions
In the lunar daytime, direct sunlight heats the Moon's surface to well above 100 °C. ______ its lack of atmosphere allows heat to escape quickly once the Sun sets, causing nighttime temperatures to plunge to −150 °C.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
For transition questions, first read the sentence (or sentences) around the blank and decide, in your own words, how the ideas relate: contrast, cause-effect, example, or addition. Then predict the type of transition (not the exact word), and eliminate any choices whose meanings don’t match that relationship, even if they sound smooth. Only after you’re clear on the logic should you pick the word that best matches that relationship; ignore punctuation and style until you’ve confirmed the logical fit.
Hints
Identify what changes between the two clauses
Compare the daytime and nighttime descriptions. How do the temperatures during the day and at night relate to each other?
Think about the function of the second clause
Is the second clause supporting the first with a similar idea, giving an example, explaining a result, or introducing a different or opposite condition?
Match the relationship to transition meanings
Review what each transition generally signals: similarity, contrast, example, or cause-effect. Which type fits the relationship you identified?
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand what each part of the sentence is saying
Read the two parts of the sentence:
- First: In daylight, direct sunlight heats the Moon’s surface to well above 100 °C.
- Second: Its lack of atmosphere lets heat escape quickly after sunset, so nighttime temperatures plunge to −150 °C.
So, the sentence contrasts very hot daytime conditions with very cold nighttime conditions because of no atmosphere.
Decide the logical relationship between the two parts
Ask: Is the second part
- giving a similar point,
- giving an example of the first point,
- giving a result of the first point, or
- contrasting with it?
Here, the key idea is the contrast between being extremely hot during the day and extremely cold at night. The second part is not a similar example or a result of the first; it introduces an opposite condition.
Match the relationship to the correct transition type
Now match each transition type to its meaning:
- A word that shows contrast or opposition fits the shift from hot days to very cold nights.
- A word that means similarly would be wrong because the ideas are not similar.
- A word that introduces an example is wrong because the second clause is not just an example of the first—it adds a different point.
- A cause-effect transition is wrong because the Moon’s lack of atmosphere is not caused by sunlight.
Only “However,” correctly signals the contrast between the two ideas, so the best choice is A) However,.