Question 80·200 Super-Hard SAT Reading Questions·Expression of Ideas
Archaeologists often rely on satellite imagery to spot buried structures in arid regions. ______ dense vegetation can mask similar features in tropical landscapes, making aerial surveys less revealing.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
For transition questions, always read at least one sentence before and after the blank, then briefly state in your own words how the ideas relate: Are they similar, opposite, cause-and-effect, or example/detail? Next, classify each answer choice by its function (addition, contrast, cause/effect, example) and eliminate any whose function doesn’t match the relationship you identified. Finally, plug the remaining option into the sentence to confirm it reads smoothly and logically.
Hints
Look at the overall relationship
Read both sentences and ask: Is the second sentence continuing the same idea, giving an opposite idea, explaining a result, or giving an example?
Focus on the key content words
Pay attention to the phrases "arid regions" and "tropical landscapes" and to the ideas "rely on" versus "dense vegetation can mask"—do these point in the same direction or in different directions?
Match transition types to ideas
Think about what each transition type usually does: one shows cause and effect, one gives an example, one adds similar information, and one shows a difference. Which type fits how the two sentences relate?
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand the first sentence
Read the first sentence: "Archaeologists often rely on satellite imagery to spot buried structures in arid regions." This tells us that in dry areas, satellite imagery is useful for finding buried structures.
Understand the second sentence
Now read the second part: "dense vegetation can mask similar features in tropical landscapes, making aerial surveys less revealing." This tells us that in tropical areas, dense vegetation hides those features, so aerial/satellite surveys are less useful.
Identify the relationship between the two ideas
Compare the two situations:
- Arid regions: satellite imagery is helpful.
- Tropical regions: dense vegetation makes imagery less revealing. These are opposite outcomes: one situation makes imagery effective, the other makes it less effective. So the sentences are being contrasted, not listed, explained by cause, or given as an example.
Match the relationship to the correct transition
Now match each choice to its function:
- "As a result," = cause and effect
- "For example," = giving an example
- "In addition," = adding similar information
- "By contrast," = showing an opposite or different situation Because the second sentence contrasts the first (arid vs. tropical, effective vs. less effective), the transition that fits best is "By contrast,".