Question 109·200 Super-Hard SAT Reading Questions·Expression of Ideas
After a university library digitized a substantial portion of its manuscript collection, the digitized works were cited in scholarly publications more often than they had been previously. Library administrators took the increase as evidence that digitization had broadened researchers' engagement with the collection. ______ a later analysis found that almost all of the new citations referred to a small group of manuscripts that had already been well known, while citation rates for less familiar works remained nearly unchanged.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
For transition questions, determine not only the broad relationship between the ideas but also its degree. Words such as “almost” and “nearly” may distinguish evidence that limits a conclusion from evidence that rejects it completely; choose the option that represents the relationship without overstating it.
Hints
Separate evidence from interpretation
Distinguish the overall increase in citations from the administrators' claim about how widely engagement increased.
Notice expressions of degree
Consider what “almost all” and “nearly unchanged” imply about whether the initial claim is completely disproved or only limited.
Compare the closest relationships
Decide whether the later analysis supports the original interpretation, rules it out entirely, or narrows its scope.
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify the initial conclusion
The administrators infer from the overall citation increase that digitization broadened researchers' engagement with the manuscript collection.
Assess the later evidence precisely
The increase was concentrated among already well-known manuscripts, so the evidence weakens the claim of broad engagement. However, the phrases “almost all” and “nearly unchanged” do not establish that broader engagement was entirely absent.
Select the precise relationship
The later analysis limits the scope of the administrators' interpretation rather than confirming or completely rejecting it. Therefore, the best transition is “Qualifying that conclusion,” which precisely describes the relationship.