Question 46·Easy·Transitions
Many city dwellers believe that rooftop gardens are merely decorative features. ______ these gardens can significantly reduce urban heat and provide habitats for wildlife.
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 decide the exact relationship between them (addition, contrast, correction, cause/effect, example, emphasis). Then translate that relationship into a simple phrase in your own words (for example, "People think X, but actually Y"), and eliminate any choices whose typical function does not match that relationship, even if they sound smooth in the sentence. This meaning-first approach is faster and more reliable than picking what "sounds good."
Hints
Look at the meaning of each sentence
Focus on how the second sentence relates to the first: does it agree with the belief, correct it, contrast two different things, or show a result of it?
Ask what is happening to the belief
The first sentence presents what many city dwellers believe. Does the second sentence support that belief, challenge it, or show something caused by it?
Match transition types to relationships
Think about what each option usually signals: addition/similarity, contrast, cause/effect, or a statement that highlights what is actually true.
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify the relationship between the two sentences
Read both parts together:
- First: "Many city dwellers believe that rooftop gardens are merely decorative features."
- Second: "____ these gardens can significantly reduce urban heat and provide habitats for wildlife."
The second sentence shows that rooftop gardens do much more than people think, so it is correcting or challenging the belief in the first sentence.
Decide what kind of transition is needed
We need a transition that signals: "People believe X, but actually Y is true (and stronger)." That is a move from a misconception to the more important reality, often used to emphasize surprising or corrective information.
Match each choice to its typical use
Now match each option to the type of relationship it usually shows:
- "Similarly," adds another idea that is alike or consistent with the previous one.
- "By contrast," shows a clear difference between two separate things or situations.
- "Consequently," shows a result or effect of something that was just mentioned.
- One option is commonly used to introduce information that corrects or strengthens the previous statement by showing what is actually true.
Ask: Which of these functions best fits "People think X, but actually Y"?
Choose the transition that signals correction/emphasis
The passage moves from a mistaken belief (rooftop gardens are only decorative) to the stronger truth (they significantly reduce heat and support wildlife). The transition that introduces this kind of correcting, emphasizing information is "In fact,", so the correct answer is B) In fact,.