Question 75·Hard·Transitions
Astronomers hoped the new observatory would detect the universe’s earliest galaxies by collecting faint infrared light, a task possible only if the telescope’s instruments remained extremely cold. ______ the construction of the James Webb Space Telescope required the inclusion of a five-layer sunshield the size of a tennis court, and the mission team spent months rehearsing its complex deployment sequence.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
For transition questions, first ignore the answer choices and decide the logical relationship between the ideas on either side of the blank: cause-and-effect, contrast, similarity, or simple addition. Then, quickly match each choice to its function (for example, “however” = contrast, “therefore” = result, “likewise” = similarity). Eliminate any options whose function does not match the relationship you identified from the sentence itself, and only then choose the one that best preserves the logic and tone.
Hints
Look at the sentence before and after the blank
Reread the part before the blank (about needing extremely cold instruments) and the part after the blank (about the sunshield and deployment rehearsals). Think about how these two ideas are related.
Decide what type of relationship is expressed
Ask yourself: Is the second part showing a contrast, an alternative, a similar example, or something that happens as a result of the first part?
Match transition types to answer choices
Think about what each option usually signals:
- One suggests a result.
- One suggests contrast despite something.
- One suggests an alternative.
- One suggests similarity. Pick the one whose function fits the relationship you identified.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand the relationship between the two parts
Read the sentence without the blank and notice what each part is saying:
- First part: Astronomers wanted to detect the earliest galaxies by collecting faint infrared light, which is only possible if the telescope stays extremely cold.
- Second part: The construction of the James Webb Space Telescope included a huge sunshield and months of rehearsal for its complex deployment.
Ask: Is the second part a result of, a contrast to, or a similar example to the first part?
Identify the logical connection
The need for the telescope to remain extremely cold explains why the telescope needed a large sunshield and why the team rehearsed the deployment. In other words, the design and preparation choices are caused by or follow from the requirement stated in the first part.
So the transition should show a cause-and-effect/result relationship, not opposition or simple comparison.
Match each option’s meaning to the context and choose
Now consider what each transition usually signals:
- “Instead,” signals a replacement or alternative to something previously mentioned.
- “Likewise,” signals a similar example or addition that is like what came before.
- “Nonetheless,” signals a contrast or something that happens despite what was just said.
- “Consequently,” signals a result or effect of what came before.
Because the design choices (sunshield and rehearsals) are a result of the need to keep the telescope extremely cold, the best transition is “Consequently,”, which correctly shows cause and effect.