Question 61·Easy·Transitions
First, the engineer 3D-prints a scaled prototype and checks it for structural flaws. ______ the circuitry is installed, and the device undergoes a series of functional tests.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
For transition questions, first ignore the answer choices and decide on the relationship between the ideas on your own (sequence, contrast, cause-effect, example, addition, etc.). Use clues like "First," "However," or time order to guide you. Then pick the option whose meaning matches that relationship exactly, and quickly reread the sentence with your choice inserted to confirm it reads smoothly and logically.
Hints
Use the signal word already in the sentence
Look at the word "First" at the beginning. What does that tell you about how the actions are being described?
Figure out how the two actions are related
Is installing the circuitry a contrast to printing the prototype, a result of it, an example of it, or simply another step that happens after it?
Test each transition in the blank
Read the sentence with each option in the blank and ask, "Does this word match the relationship I just identified, or does it suggest a different relationship like contrast, example, or cause-and-effect?"
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand the sentence structure and context
Read the full sentence: "First, the engineer 3D-prints a scaled prototype and checks it for structural flaws. ______ the circuitry is installed, and the device undergoes a series of functional tests."
The word "First" tells you this is describing steps in a procedure in time order. The blank must introduce what happens after the first step.
Identify the relationship between the two clauses
Ask: How is installing the circuitry related to printing and checking the prototype?
- It is not a contrast or exception; it is just the next thing that happens.
- It is not an example of printing; it is a different step.
- It is not clearly a result stated as "because of this, that happened"; it is simply the following action.
So the relationship is a straightforward sequence: step one, then step two.
Match each option’s meaning to the needed relationship
Check each transition’s basic meaning:
- "Nevertheless," signals contrast ("in spite of that").
- "For example," introduces an example of what was just mentioned.
- "Consequently," signals a result ("as a result").
- One option indicates the next step in a sequence.
Only the last option fits a simple step‑by‑step order that follows "First," so the correct transition is "Next,".