Question 53·Medium·Transitions
Many oceanic species rely on bioluminescence, the ability of living organisms to produce light, for communication and defense. ______ the deep-sea squid Heteroteuthis dispar releases a cloud of glowing particles to distract predators when threatened.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
For transition questions, first ignore the answer choices and focus on the relationship between the sentences or clauses: is it cause-and-effect, contrast, addition, example, or something else? Briefly label that relationship in your own words (e.g., "general → specific case"). Then check each option’s actual meaning—not just how it sounds—and eliminate any that signal the wrong relationship. Choose the transition whose definition precisely matches the logical connection you identified.
Hints
Consider the relationship between the two sentences
Ask yourself: Is the second sentence showing something that happens because of the first, contradicting it, or illustrating it with more specific detail?
Focus on what the second sentence adds
The first sentence talks about many oceanic species. The second sentence focuses on one named species. Think about what kind of connection word links a broad statement to one detailed case.
Use the meanings of the choices
Recall what each transition usually signals: cause/effect, contrast/alternative, or similarity. Match those meanings to how the ideas in the two sentences relate.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand how the two sentences relate
Read both sentences together:
- First sentence: Many oceanic species use bioluminescence for communication and defense.
- Second sentence: A particular deep-sea squid species releases glowing particles to distract predators.
The second sentence zooms in on one species and describes what it does with bioluminescence.
Identify the type of connection
Ask: What is the logical relationship between the general statement and the specific squid description?
The first sentence makes a broad claim about many species. The second sentence provides one detailed case that fits that broad claim. This is a general-to-specific relationship (a specific instance of the broader idea), not a cause, contrast, or simple similarity between two examples.
Match and eliminate based on meanings of transitions
Now consider what each transition word usually signals:
- Consequently = as a result; shows cause-and-effect.
- Instead = as an alternative; shows contrast or replacement.
- Likewise = in the same way; compares two similar things already mentioned.
None of these meanings fit a move from a general statement to a single detailed case. So these three options should be eliminated.
Choose the transition that introduces a specific instance
The remaining choice is the one that clearly introduces a specific instance of the general idea in the first sentence. That is D) For example, which smoothly sets up the squid as one example of oceanic species that use bioluminescence.