Transitions, organization, and using given notes to meet a stated goal. These questions name the goal explicitly, so the choice that best meets that goal wins even when another reads more smoothly.
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The alloy is light and resists corrosion. ______ it cannot be welded by any method available on site, which rules it out for the bridge repair.Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?The alloy is light and resists corrosion. ______ it cannot be welded by any method available on site, which rules it out for the bridge repair.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
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Answer: However,However,
The first sentence lists advantages and the second gives the reason the alloy is rejected, so the link is a reversal. The other three would make the drawback follow from the advantages, or match them, or illustrate them.The first sentence lists advantages and the second gives the reason the alloy is rejected, so the link is a reversal. The other three would make the drawback follow from the advantages, or match them, or illustrate them.
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The reservoir was built to hold three years of supply. ______ the catchment now delivers less rain than the design assumed, and the reservoir has not been full since 2016.Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?The reservoir was built to hold three years of supply. ______ the catchment now delivers less rain than the design assumed, and the reservoir has not been full since 2016.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
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Answer: In practice,In practice,
The design intention comes first and what actually happens comes second, which is the gap "in practice" marks. Nothing in the design causes the shortfall, so a consequence marker misstates the relationship.The design intention comes first and what actually happens comes second, which is the gap "in practice" marks. Nothing in the design causes the shortfall, so a consequence marker misstates the relationship.
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While researching a former mill, a student has taken these notes:•The mill closed in 1962.•At its peak it employed 1,100 people.•The building was converted into flats in 2004.•340 people live in it now.The student wants to emphasize how the building's use has changed. Which choice best accomplishes this goal?While researching a former mill, a student has taken these notes:
- The mill closed in 1962.
- At its peak it employed 1,100 people.
- The building was converted into flats in 2004.
- 340 people live in it now.
The student wants to emphasize how the building's use has changed. Which choice best accomplishes this goal?
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Answer: A building that once employed 1,100 people is now home to 340.A building that once employed 1,100 people is now home to 340.
Only one choice puts the old use beside the new one, which is what emphasizing a change requires. The first two give a single use each, and the fourth adds a fact the notes do not contain: they record a closure and a conversion, not what happened in between.Only one choice puts the old use beside the new one, which is what emphasizing a change requires. The first two give a single use each, and the fourth adds a fact the notes do not contain: they record a closure and a conversion, not what happened in between.
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A paragraph currently reads:(1) The first pillar boxes appeared in Jersey in 1852. (2) They were painted green. (3) Anthony Trollope, then a Post Office surveyor, had proposed them after seeing similar boxes in France. (4) Red was adopted in 1874 because the green boxes proved hard to see.Where should sentence 3 be placed?A paragraph currently reads:
(1) The first pillar boxes appeared in Jersey in 1852. (2) They were painted green. (3) Anthony Trollope, then a Post Office surveyor, had proposed them after seeing similar boxes in France. (4) Red was adopted in 1874 because the green boxes proved hard to see.
Where should sentence 3 be placed?
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Answer: Between sentences 1 and 2Between sentences 1 and 2
Sentences 2 and 4 are one thread about color and should run together, so sentence 3 has to come before them rather than between them. It cannot open the paragraph either: "them" would then have nothing to refer back to.Sentences 2 and 4 are one thread about color and should run together, so sentence 3 has to come before them rather than between them. It cannot open the paragraph either: "them" would then have nothing to refer back to.
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Bats hunt by echolocation, sending out calls and reading the echoes that come back. ______ several moth families have evolved ears tuned to precisely the frequencies bats use, and drop out of the air the moment they hear one.Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?Bats hunt by echolocation, sending out calls and reading the echoes that come back. ______ several moth families have evolved ears tuned to precisely the frequencies bats use, and drop out of the air the moment they hear one.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
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Answer: In response,In response,
The moths' hearing is tuned to the bats' calls, so the second sentence describes an answer to the first rather than a contrast with it. The moths are not an example of echolocation, and nothing in the first sentence is being conceded.The moths' hearing is tuned to the bats' calls, so the second sentence describes an answer to the first rather than a contrast with it. The moths are not an example of echolocation, and nothing in the first sentence is being conceded.
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A restaurant review opens on the noise of the room, spends its middle on three dishes, and closes by returning to the noise to say it made conversation impossible. A reader objects that the closing paragraph merely repeats the opening.Which response best defends the review's structure?A restaurant review opens on the noise of the room, spends its middle on three dishes, and closes by returning to the noise to say it made conversation impossible. A reader objects that the closing paragraph merely repeats the opening.
Which response best defends the review's structure?
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Answer: The opening raises the noise as an observation and the close turns it into a judgment, which is not repetition.The opening raises the noise as an observation and the close turns it into a judgment, which is not repetition.
A defense has to say what the second mention does that the first did not, and the shift from noticing the noise to weighing it is exactly that. Appealing to convention defends the shape without defending this use of it.A defense has to say what the second mention does that the first did not, and the shift from noticing the noise to weighing it is exactly that. Appealing to convention defends the shape without defending this use of it.
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While researching cycling provision, a student has taken these notes:•A survey of 1,500 commuters found 62 percent would cycle if there were separated lanes.•The same survey found 9 percent cycle now.•Separated lanes cost roughly 1.2 million pounds per kilometer.•The city has 40 km of arterial roads.The student wants to present the cost as a qualification on the survey's finding. Which choice best accomplishes this goal?While researching cycling provision, a student has taken these notes:
- A survey of 1,500 commuters found 62 percent would cycle if there were separated lanes.
- The same survey found 9 percent cycle now.
- Separated lanes cost roughly 1.2 million pounds per kilometer.
- The city has 40 km of arterial roads.
The student wants to present the cost as a qualification on the survey's finding. Which choice best accomplishes this goal?
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Answer: Sixty-two percent say they would cycle given separated lanes — a change costing roughly 1.2 million pounds for each of the city's 40 km of arterial roads.Sixty-two percent say they would cycle given separated lanes — a change costing roughly 1.2 million pounds for each of the city's 40 km of arterial roads.
Qualifying a finding means keeping it and attaching the condition, which only one choice does. The first drops the cost, the second drops the finding, and the fourth turns notes into a recommendation the student was not asked to make.Qualifying a finding means keeping it and attaching the condition, which only one choice does. The first drops the cost, the second drops the finding, and the fourth turns notes into a recommendation the student was not asked to make.
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The 1918 census recorded 4,000 residents and the 1921 census 2,900, and the fall has been read as evidence of the influenza epidemic. The parish burial register, ______ records 210 deaths across those three years, a number far too small to account for a loss of 1,100.Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?The 1918 census recorded 4,000 residents and the 1921 census 2,900, and the fall has been read as evidence of the influenza epidemic. The parish burial register, ______ records 210 deaths across those three years, a number far too small to account for a loss of 1,100.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
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Answer: however,however,
The register cuts against the reading of the fall, so the transition has to signal opposition. It neither follows from the census figures nor adds to them, and 210 deaths is not an instance of a loss of 1,100 but an argument against it.The register cuts against the reading of the fall, so the transition has to signal opposition. It neither follows from the census figures nor adds to them, and 210 deaths is not an instance of a loss of 1,100 but an argument against it.
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The species was recorded in the estuary every summer until 1974 and then not at all for thirty years. ______ two breeding pairs returned in 2006, and the population has grown slowly since.Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?The species was recorded in the estuary every summer until 1974 and then not at all for thirty years. ______ two breeding pairs returned in 2006, and the population has grown slowly since.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
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Answer: Unexpectedly,Unexpectedly,
A thirty-year absence followed by a return is a reversal, and nothing in the absence brings the birds back, so a consequence marker misstates it. The return is not an instance of the absence, nor a comparison with it.A thirty-year absence followed by a return is a reversal, and nothing in the absence brings the birds back, so a consequence marker misstates it. The return is not an instance of the absence, nor a comparison with it.
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A paragraph currently reads:(1) Cochineal dye comes from an insect that feeds on prickly pear. (2) Spanish traders kept its source secret for more than two centuries. (3) It produces a red that no European plant could match. (4) The secret held until a French botanist smuggled live insects out of Oaxaca in 1777.Where should sentence 3 be placed?A paragraph currently reads:
(1) Cochineal dye comes from an insect that feeds on prickly pear. (2) Spanish traders kept its source secret for more than two centuries. (3) It produces a red that no European plant could match. (4) The secret held until a French botanist smuggled live insects out of Oaxaca in 1777.
Where should sentence 3 be placed?
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Answer: Between sentences 1 and 2Between sentences 1 and 2
Sentence 3 explains why the source was worth keeping secret, so it has to arrive before the secrecy rather than in the middle of it. It cannot open the paragraph either: "It produces" would have nothing to refer back to.Sentence 3 explains why the source was worth keeping secret, so it has to arrive before the secrecy rather than in the middle of it. It cannot open the paragraph either: "It produces" would have nothing to refer back to.
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While researching a suspension bridge, a student has taken these notes:•The bridge opened in 1826.•At 176 m it was then the longest suspension span in the world.•The longest suspension span today is 2,023 m.•The 1826 bridge still carries traffic.The student wants to emphasize the bridge's durability. Which choice best accomplishes this goal?While researching a suspension bridge, a student has taken these notes:
- The bridge opened in 1826.
- At 176 m it was then the longest suspension span in the world.
- The longest suspension span today is 2,023 m.
- The 1826 bridge still carries traffic.
The student wants to emphasize the bridge's durability. Which choice best accomplishes this goal?
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Answer: The bridge that opened in 1826 still carries traffic two centuries later.The bridge that opened in 1826 still carries traffic two centuries later.
Durability is about lasting, so the note that does the work is the one about traffic today, paired with the opening date. The other three are about the record, which is a claim about size rather than about survival.Durability is about lasting, so the note that does the work is the one about traffic today, paired with the opening date. The other three are about the record, which is a claim about size rather than about survival.
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A student is working from these notes:•The bridge opened in 1826.•At 176 m it was then the longest suspension span in the world.•The longest suspension span today is 2,023 m.•The 1826 bridge still carries traffic.This time the student wants to emphasize how much the scale of suspension bridges has changed. Which choice best accomplishes this goal?A student is working from these notes:
- The bridge opened in 1826.
- At 176 m it was then the longest suspension span in the world.
- The longest suspension span today is 2,023 m.
- The 1826 bridge still carries traffic.
This time the student wants to emphasize how much the scale of suspension bridges has changed. Which choice best accomplishes this goal?
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Answer: The record span of 176 m set in 1826 is under a tenth of today's longest, at 2,023 m.The record span of 176 m set in 1826 is under a tenth of today's longest, at 2,023 m.
A change in scale needs both figures and the relation between them, which only one choice supplies. Note that the same notes served a different goal a moment ago: what makes a choice best is the goal, not the notes.A change in scale needs both figures and the relation between them, which only one choice supplies. Note that the same notes served a different goal a moment ago: what makes a choice best is the goal, not the notes.
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A profile of a violin maker is arranged chronologically: the apprenticeship, the first workshop, the years of obscurity, and the late recognition. The writer is considering opening with the recognition instead and then going back.Which is the strongest reason to make that change?A profile of a violin maker is arranged chronologically: the apprenticeship, the first workshop, the years of obscurity, and the late recognition. The writer is considering opening with the recognition instead and then going back.
Which is the strongest reason to make that change?
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Answer: It gives the reader a reason to care about the obscure years before reading them.It gives the reader a reason to care about the obscure years before reading them.
Moving the recognition forward tells the reader where the obscurity leads, which is what makes it worth following. Rearranging cuts nothing and omits nothing, and no order is better in every case.Moving the recognition forward tells the reader where the obscurity leads, which is what makes it worth following. Rearranging cuts nothing and omits nothing, and no order is better in every case.
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The trial found no difference between the two treatments. ______ it was designed to detect a difference of ten percentage points or more, and a smaller real difference would have gone unnoticed.Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?The trial found no difference between the two treatments. ______ it was designed to detect a difference of ten percentage points or more, and a smaller real difference would have gone unnoticed.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
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Answer: That said,That said,
The second sentence limits what the first can be taken to mean, so the transition has to signal a qualification. The design of the trial is not a consequence of its result, nor an example of it, nor a parallel to it.The second sentence limits what the first can be taken to mean, so the transition has to signal a qualification. The design of the trial is not a consequence of its result, nor an example of it, nor a parallel to it.
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While writing about a bird survey, a student has taken these notes:•Volunteers counted birds at 340 sites.•All counts were made on one morning in May.•Some species are hard to see but easy to hear.•22 volunteers reported that they could not identify calls.The student wants to note a limitation of the survey. Which choice best accomplishes this goal?While writing about a bird survey, a student has taken these notes:
- Volunteers counted birds at 340 sites.
- All counts were made on one morning in May.
- Some species are hard to see but easy to hear.
- 22 volunteers reported that they could not identify calls.
The student wants to note a limitation of the survey. Which choice best accomplishes this goal?
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Answer: Because some species are easier to hear than to see, the 22 volunteers who could not identify calls may have undercounted them.Because some species are easier to hear than to see, the 22 volunteers who could not identify calls may have undercounted them.
A limitation names something that could have gone wrong and why, and only one choice connects the two relevant notes. The last choice also misreads them: 22 is the number who reported a difficulty, not the number who took part.A limitation names something that could have gone wrong and why, and only one choice connects the two relevant notes. The last choice also misreads them: 22 is the number who reported a difficulty, not the number who took part.
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A paragraph explaining a change in the law runs in this order: (1) the problem the old rule caused, (2) the wording of the new rule, (3) an example of the old rule going wrong, (4) the date the change took effect.Which revision most improves the paragraph?A paragraph explaining a change in the law runs in this order: (1) the problem the old rule caused, (2) the wording of the new rule, (3) an example of the old rule going wrong, (4) the date the change took effect.
Which revision most improves the paragraph?
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Answer: Move sentence 3 to follow sentence 1, so that the problem and its illustration stay together.Move sentence 3 to follow sentence 1, so that the problem and its illustration stay together.
As written, the new rule interrupts the account of the old one. An example is not a repetition of the claim it illustrates, so deleting it loses the evidence, and neither the date nor the wording is the paragraph's organizing idea.As written, the new rule interrupts the account of the old one. An example is not a repetition of the claim it illustrates, so deleting it loses the evidence, and neither the date nor the wording is the paragraph's organizing idea.
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The vaccine must be held between 2 and 8° Celsius. ______ the clinics furthest from the depot receive it in insulated boxes with a temperature logger packed inside.Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?The vaccine must be held between 2 and 8° Celsius. ______ the clinics furthest from the depot receive it in insulated boxes with a temperature logger packed inside.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
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Answer: Accordingly,Accordingly,
The insulated boxes exist because of the temperature requirement, so the second sentence follows from the first. Nothing is being contrasted, and the clinics are not an exception to the rule.The insulated boxes exist because of the temperature requirement, so the second sentence follows from the first. Nothing is being contrasted, and the clinics are not an exception to the rule.
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A paragraph currently reads:(1) The lock was built in 1810. (2) It could raise a barge nine feet. (3) Its gates were replaced in oak in 1972. (4) The original gates were elm.Where should sentence 4 be placed?A paragraph currently reads:
(1) The lock was built in 1810. (2) It could raise a barge nine feet. (3) Its gates were replaced in oak in 1972. (4) The original gates were elm.
Where should sentence 4 be placed?
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Answer: Between sentences 2 and 3Between sentences 2 and 3
What was there originally has to come before what replaced it, or sentence 3 introduces a replacement for something the reader has not met. The detail is not redundant: without it, the change of timber in 1972 says nothing.What was there originally has to come before what replaced it, or sentence 3 introduces a replacement for something the reader has not met. The detail is not redundant: without it, the change of timber in 1972 says nothing.
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While researching a river gauge, a student has taken these notes:•The gauge has recorded river levels since 1893.•The highest level recorded is 4.7 m, in 1947.•The second highest is 4.6 m, in 2020.•No records exist for this river before 1893.The student wants to caution against calling the 2020 flood unprecedented. Which choice best accomplishes this goal?While researching a river gauge, a student has taken these notes:
- The gauge has recorded river levels since 1893.
- The highest level recorded is 4.7 m, in 1947.
- The second highest is 4.6 m, in 2020.
- No records exist for this river before 1893.
The student wants to caution against calling the 2020 flood unprecedented. Which choice best accomplishes this goal?
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Answer: The 2020 level of 4.6 m was exceeded in 1947, and nothing is known about the years before 1893.The 2020 level of 4.6 m was exceeded in 1947, and nothing is known about the years before 1893.
Two things undercut "unprecedented": a higher level inside the record, and a record that does not go back far. Only one choice carries both, and either alone leaves the claim half-standing.Two things undercut "unprecedented": a higher level inside the record, and a record that does not go back far. Only one choice carries both, and either alone leaves the claim half-standing.
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A paragraph about a bakery runs in this order: (1) how the sourdough starter is fed, (2) the bakery's opening hours, (3) how long the dough is left to prove, (4) the temperature of the oven.Which revision most improves the paragraph?A paragraph about a bakery runs in this order: (1) how the sourdough starter is fed, (2) the bakery's opening hours, (3) how long the dough is left to prove, (4) the temperature of the oven.
Which revision most improves the paragraph?
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Answer: Move sentence 2 out of the sequence, so the three stages of baking run together.Move sentence 2 out of the sequence, so the three stages of baking run together.
Sentences 1, 3 and 4 are one process in order, and the opening hours interrupt it. The fix is to move the interruption rather than to rearrange the process, which is already in the right sequence.Sentences 1, 3 and 4 are one process in order, and the opening hours interrupt it. The fix is to move the interruption rather than to rearrange the process, which is already in the right sequence.
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While writing about a translated poem, a student has taken these notes:•The poem was written in Persian in the twelfth century.•The best-known English version is Edward FitzGerald's, of 1859.•FitzGerald reorders and combines stanzas the original kept separate.•A literal translation published in 1967 sold poorly.The student wants to raise the question of what a translation is for. Which choice best accomplishes this goal?While writing about a translated poem, a student has taken these notes:
- The poem was written in Persian in the twelfth century.
- The best-known English version is Edward FitzGerald's, of 1859.
- FitzGerald reorders and combines stanzas the original kept separate.
- A literal translation published in 1967 sold poorly.
The student wants to raise the question of what a translation is for. Which choice best accomplishes this goal?
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Answer: FitzGerald's 1859 version reorders and combines stanzas the twelfth-century poet wrote separately, and it is the version people read.FitzGerald's 1859 version reorders and combines stanzas the twelfth-century poet wrote separately, and it is the version people read.
Raising a question means putting two facts in tension: the version that departs furthest from the original is the one that found readers. A single date or a single fact leaves nothing for the reader to weigh.Raising a question means putting two facts in tension: the version that departs furthest from the original is the one that found readers. A single date or a single fact leaves nothing for the reader to weigh.
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Peer review was introduced to catch errors before publication. ______ studies that ask reviewers to find deliberately inserted errors find that most go unnoticed.Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?Peer review was introduced to catch errors before publication. ______ studies that ask reviewers to find deliberately inserted errors find that most go unnoticed.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
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Answer: In practice,In practice,
The first sentence gives the intention and the second gives what actually happens, which is the gap "in practice" marks. The studies are not a consequence of the intention, and they do not run parallel to it.The first sentence gives the intention and the second gives what actually happens, which is the gap "in practice" marks. The studies are not a consequence of the intention, and they do not run parallel to it.
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While writing about a heritage orchard, a student has taken these notes:•The orchard holds 62 apple varieties.•48 of them are grown commercially nowhere in the country.•The orchard was planted in 1954.•It is maintained by nine volunteers.The student wants to emphasize what would be lost if the orchard closed. Which choice best accomplishes this goal?While writing about a heritage orchard, a student has taken these notes:
- The orchard holds 62 apple varieties.
- 48 of them are grown commercially nowhere in the country.
- The orchard was planted in 1954.
- It is maintained by nine volunteers.
The student wants to emphasize what would be lost if the orchard closed. Which choice best accomplishes this goal?
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Answer: Of the orchard's 62 varieties, 48 are grown commercially nowhere else in the country.Of the orchard's 62 varieties, 48 are grown commercially nowhere else in the country.
What would be lost is what exists nowhere else, so the note about commercial rarity is the one that answers the question. A count of varieties or of volunteers describes the orchard without saying what its disappearance would cost.What would be lost is what exists nowhere else, so the note about commercial rarity is the one that answers the question. A count of varieties or of volunteers describes the orchard without saying what its disappearance would cost.
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An essay argues that a law had consequences nobody intended. Its material is: (1) the law's stated aim, (2) the consequences that followed, (3) the text of the law itself, (4) what the law's supporters predicted.Which order best serves that argument?An essay argues that a law had consequences nobody intended. Its material is: (1) the law's stated aim, (2) the consequences that followed, (3) the text of the law itself, (4) what the law's supporters predicted.
Which order best serves that argument?
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Answer: 1, 4, 3, 21, 4, 3, 2
An unintended consequence is only visible against an intention, so the aim and the prediction come first; the text then shows what was actually enacted; and the consequences land last, where the gap the essay is arguing for is at its widest. Ending on the prediction would leave the argument unfinished.An unintended consequence is only visible against an intention, so the aim and the prediction come first; the text then shows what was actually enacted; and the consequences land last, where the gap the essay is arguing for is at its widest. Ending on the prediction would leave the argument unfinished.
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The lamp uses a fifth of the electricity of the bulb it replaces. ______ it costs six times as much and lasts only twice as long.Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?The lamp uses a fifth of the electricity of the bulb it replaces. ______ it costs six times as much and lasts only twice as long.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
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Answer: On the other hand,On the other hand,
The first sentence is an advantage and the second is a drawback, so the link is a contrast. Neither the price nor the lifetime follows from the electricity use, and a summary marker would promise a conclusion the sentence does not give.The first sentence is an advantage and the second is a drawback, so the link is a contrast. Neither the price nor the lifetime follows from the electricity use, and a summary marker would promise a conclusion the sentence does not give.
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While writing about a dialect survey, a student has taken these notes:•The survey recorded speakers in 313 locations.•Fieldwork ran from 1950 to 1961.•Most informants were over 60.•The aim was to record forms thought to be disappearing.The student wants to explain why the informants were mostly elderly. Which choice best accomplishes this goal?While writing about a dialect survey, a student has taken these notes:
- The survey recorded speakers in 313 locations.
- Fieldwork ran from 1950 to 1961.
- Most informants were over 60.
- The aim was to record forms thought to be disappearing.
The student wants to explain why the informants were mostly elderly. Which choice best accomplishes this goal?
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Answer: Because the aim was to record forms thought to be vanishing, fieldworkers sought out speakers over 60.Because the aim was to record forms thought to be vanishing, fieldworkers sought out speakers over 60.
An explanation joins the fact to its reason, and the reason here is the survey's purpose. Restating the age of the informants describes what is to be explained without explaining it.An explanation joins the fact to its reason, and the reason here is the survey's purpose. Restating the age of the informants describes what is to be explained without explaining it.
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A paragraph currently reads:(1) The vaccine reached the village in June. (2) Cases fell from 40 a week to under 5. (3) The nearest clinic was 60 km away. (4) A refrigerated van was borrowed from a dairy.Where should sentence 3 be placed?A paragraph currently reads:
(1) The vaccine reached the village in June. (2) Cases fell from 40 a week to under 5. (3) The nearest clinic was 60 km away. (4) A refrigerated van was borrowed from a dairy.
Where should sentence 3 be placed?
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Answer: Before sentence 1Before sentence 1
Sentence 3 is the obstacle that explains why a van had to be borrowed and why the arrival in June was notable. Placed where it is, it interrupts the result with a fact that belongs to the setup.Sentence 3 is the obstacle that explains why a van had to be borrowed and why the arrival in June was notable. Placed where it is, it interrupts the result with a fact that belongs to the setup.
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Anaerobic digesters turn food waste into gas and fertiliser. ______ they need a steady, sorted supply, which a town without separate collection cannot provide.Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?Anaerobic digesters turn food waste into gas and fertiliser. ______ they need a steady, sorted supply, which a town without separate collection cannot provide.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
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Answer: However,However,
The first sentence gives the benefit and the second the condition that blocks it, so the connection is a reversal. The requirement is not a consequence of the technology working, nor an example of it.The first sentence gives the benefit and the second the condition that blocks it, so the connection is a reversal. The requirement is not a consequence of the technology working, nor an example of it.
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While writing about a wind farm, a student has taken these notes:•The farm has 14 turbines.•It generates enough electricity for about 21,000 homes.•Output varies with wind speed.•On still days it generates nothing.The student wants to qualify the figure of 21,000 homes. Which choice best accomplishes this goal?While writing about a wind farm, a student has taken these notes:
- The farm has 14 turbines.
- It generates enough electricity for about 21,000 homes.
- Output varies with wind speed.
- On still days it generates nothing.
The student wants to qualify the figure of 21,000 homes. Which choice best accomplishes this goal?
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Answer: The farm can supply about 21,000 homes, though output varies with the wind and falls to nothing on still days.The farm can supply about 21,000 homes, though output varies with the wind and falls to nothing on still days.
Qualifying a figure means keeping it and attaching the condition, which one choice does and the others do not: two drop the condition and one drops the figure.Qualifying a figure means keeping it and attaching the condition, which one choice does and the others do not: two drop the condition and one drops the figure.
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An article about a museum reopening is arranged as: (1) the closure, (2) the fundraising, (3) the rehang, (4) the opening night. The editor wants a reader who gets no further than the first paragraph to know the museum has reopened.Which change best achieves that?An article about a museum reopening is arranged as: (1) the closure, (2) the fundraising, (3) the rehang, (4) the opening night. The editor wants a reader who gets no further than the first paragraph to know the museum has reopened.
Which change best achieves that?
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Answer: Open with the reopening, then tell the story that led to it.Open with the reopening, then tell the story that led to it.
The requirement is about what the first paragraph carries, so the news has to move to the front. Deleting the closure and the fundraising would meet the requirement by destroying the article, and the other two changes leave the opening untouched.The requirement is about what the first paragraph carries, so the news has to move to the front. Deleting the closure and the fundraising would meet the requirement by destroying the article, and the other two changes leave the opening untouched.
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The two manuscripts share nineteen identical errors. ______ neither can be a copy of the other, since each preserves passages the other omits.Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?The two manuscripts share nineteen identical errors. ______ neither can be a copy of the other, since each preserves passages the other omits.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
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Answer: Even so,Even so,
Shared errors point towards copying and the second clause rules it out, so the transition has to mark the turn. "Therefore" would make the shared errors the reason neither is a copy, which is the opposite of what they suggest.Shared errors point towards copying and the second clause rules it out, so the transition has to mark the turn. "Therefore" would make the shared errors the reason neither is a copy, which is the opposite of what they suggest.
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A paragraph about a canal contains: (1) the canal's length, (2) the cargo it carried, (3) why it was built, (4) the year it closed.Which order best suits a paragraph explaining the canal's purpose?A paragraph about a canal contains: (1) the canal's length, (2) the cargo it carried, (3) why it was built, (4) the year it closed.
Which order best suits a paragraph explaining the canal's purpose?
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Answer: 3, 1, 2, 43, 1, 2, 4
A paragraph about purpose opens with the purpose, and the length and cargo then show how that purpose was served. Leaving the reason until third makes the reader hold two facts without knowing why either matters.A paragraph about purpose opens with the purpose, and the length and cargo then show how that purpose was served. Leaving the reason until third makes the reader hold two facts without knowing why either matters.
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The bridge was designed to carry 40 tons. ______ the trucks now using it routinely weigh 44, and the deck is inspected every quarter.Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?The bridge was designed to carry 40 tons. ______ the trucks now using it routinely weigh 44, and the deck is inspected every quarter.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
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Answer: In practice,In practice,
The design figure comes first and what actually crosses comes second, which is the gap "in practice" marks. Heavier trucks are not a consequence of the design limit, nor an example of it.The design figure comes first and what actually crosses comes second, which is the gap "in practice" marks. Heavier trucks are not a consequence of the design limit, nor an example of it.
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While writing about a moth survey, a student has taken these notes:•The survey has run every July since 1968.•It uses the same trap design at the same 12 sites.•Catch numbers have fallen by 63 percent.•Neighboring land use has changed considerably over the period.The student wants to explain why the survey's figures are worth taking seriously. Which choice best accomplishes this goal?While writing about a moth survey, a student has taken these notes:
- The survey has run every July since 1968.
- It uses the same trap design at the same 12 sites.
- Catch numbers have fallen by 63 percent.
- Neighboring land use has changed considerably over the period.
The student wants to explain why the survey's figures are worth taking seriously. Which choice best accomplishes this goal?
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Answer: Because the survey has used the same traps at the same 12 sites every July since 1968, its 63 percent fall is a like-for-like comparison.Because the survey has used the same traps at the same 12 sites every July since 1968, its 63 percent fall is a like-for-like comparison.
What makes a long series trustworthy is that the method did not change, so the sentence has to join the constancy to the finding. Length alone is not the argument, and the figure alone is what needs supporting.What makes a long series trustworthy is that the method did not change, so the sentence has to join the constancy to the finding. Length alone is not the argument, and the figure alone is what needs supporting.
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A paragraph currently reads:(1) The reservoir was drained for repairs in 2018. (2) The remains of a village flooded in 1936 became visible. (3) Photographs taken that summer are the only detailed record of the site. (4) The dam had developed a leak along its eastern face.Where should sentence 4 be placed?A paragraph currently reads:
(1) The reservoir was drained for repairs in 2018. (2) The remains of a village flooded in 1936 became visible. (3) Photographs taken that summer are the only detailed record of the site. (4) The dam had developed a leak along its eastern face.
Where should sentence 4 be placed?
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Answer: Before sentence 1Before sentence 1
Sentence 4 is the reason for the draining, so it belongs before the draining rather than three sentences after it. Left at the end, it interrupts a paragraph that has moved on to the village and the photographs.Sentence 4 is the reason for the draining, so it belongs before the draining rather than three sentences after it. Left at the end, it interrupts a paragraph that has moved on to the village and the photographs.
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Sea walls protect the land directly behind them. ______ they reflect wave energy sideways, and the beaches at either end erode faster than before.Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?Sea walls protect the land directly behind them. ______ they reflect wave energy sideways, and the beaches at either end erode faster than before.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
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Answer: However,However,
The first sentence gives the benefit and the second the cost that comes with it, so the link is a reversal. "In addition" would present the erosion as a further benefit.The first sentence gives the benefit and the second the cost that comes with it, so the link is a reversal. "In addition" would present the erosion as a further benefit.
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While writing about a language with few remaining speakers, a student has taken these notes:•Around 40 fluent speakers remain, all over 60.•A dictionary was completed in 2019.•A school program began in 2021 with 90 pupils.•None of the pupils yet uses the language outside lessons.The student wants to present the school program without overstating what it has achieved. Which choice best accomplishes this goal?While writing about a language with few remaining speakers, a student has taken these notes:
- Around 40 fluent speakers remain, all over 60.
- A dictionary was completed in 2019.
- A school program began in 2021 with 90 pupils.
- None of the pupils yet uses the language outside lessons.
The student wants to present the school program without overstating what it has achieved. Which choice best accomplishes this goal?
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Answer: A school program begun in 2021 now teaches 90 pupils, though none has yet taken the language outside the classroom.A school program begun in 2021 now teaches 90 pupils, though none has yet taken the language outside the classroom.
Not overstating means carrying the limit in the same sentence as the achievement. Calling the pupils speakers is the overstatement the notes explicitly rule out: pupils in lessons are not yet speakers.Not overstating means carrying the limit in the same sentence as the achievement. Calling the pupils speakers is the overstatement the notes explicitly rule out: pupils in lessons are not yet speakers.
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An obituary is arranged: (1) the subject's childhood, (2) her first published paper, (3) the discovery she is known for, (4) her decades of teaching. A reader objects that the discovery arrives too late for anyone who stops reading early.Which response best defends the arrangement?An obituary is arranged: (1) the subject's childhood, (2) her first published paper, (3) the discovery she is known for, (4) her decades of teaching. A reader objects that the discovery arrives too late for anyone who stops reading early.
Which response best defends the arrangement?
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Answer: The chronological order shows how long the discovery took to arrive, which is part of what it is.The chronological order shows how long the discovery took to arrive, which is part of what it is.
A defense has to say what the order accomplishes that another would not, and only one choice does. Appealing to convention explains the shape without justifying it here, and the other two answer the objection by dismissing it.A defense has to say what the order accomplishes that another would not, and only one choice does. Appealing to convention explains the shape without justifying it here, and the other two answer the objection by dismissing it.
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The two paintings were cataloged as a pair for two centuries. ______ they are painted on panels cut from different trees, and the frames were made forty years apart.Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?The two paintings were cataloged as a pair for two centuries. ______ they are painted on panels cut from different trees, and the frames were made forty years apart.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
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Answer: As it turns out,As it turns out,
The evidence in the second sentence undercuts the long-standing catalog entry, so the transition has to signal a discovery that cuts against what preceded it. Both causal markers would make the pairing the reason for the differences.The evidence in the second sentence undercuts the long-standing catalog entry, so the transition has to signal a discovery that cuts against what preceded it. Both causal markers would make the pairing the reason for the differences.
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While writing about a coastal path, a student has taken these notes:•The path runs for 47 miles.•9 miles were rerouted inland after cliff falls in 2020.•The rerouted section adds 200 meters of climbing.•Walkers can complete the path in four days.The student wants to warn readers planning the walk about the change. Which choice best accomplishes this goal?While writing about a coastal path, a student has taken these notes:
- The path runs for 47 miles.
- 9 miles were rerouted inland after cliff falls in 2020.
- The rerouted section adds 200 meters of climbing.
- Walkers can complete the path in four days.
The student wants to warn readers planning the walk about the change. Which choice best accomplishes this goal?
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Answer: Nine of the 47 miles now run inland, adding 200 meters of climbing to the walk.Nine of the 47 miles now run inland, adding 200 meters of climbing to the walk.
A warning has to say what the change costs the walker, and only one choice gives both the extent and the effort. The others report that a reroute happened without saying what it means for a planned walk.A warning has to say what the change costs the walker, and only one choice gives both the extent and the effort. The others report that a reroute happened without saying what it means for a planned walk.
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Peat bogs hold more carbon than the world's forests. ______ they are drained for agriculture across much of northern Europe, releasing it.Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?Peat bogs hold more carbon than the world's forests. ______ they are drained for agriculture across much of northern Europe, releasing it.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
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Answer: Nevertheless,Nevertheless,
The second sentence works against the first, so the link is concessive. Draining is not a consequence of the carbon store, nor an instance of it.The second sentence works against the first, so the link is concessive. Draining is not a consequence of the carbon store, nor an instance of it.
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While writing about a rescued archive, a student has taken these notes:•The archive holds 40,000 photographic negatives.•It was found in a skip in 2004.•6,000 negatives have been scanned.•Scanning is done by two volunteers.The student wants to convey the scale of the work still to do. Which choice best accomplishes this goal?While writing about a rescued archive, a student has taken these notes:
- The archive holds 40,000 photographic negatives.
- It was found in a skip in 2004.
- 6,000 negatives have been scanned.
- Scanning is done by two volunteers.
The student wants to convey the scale of the work still to do. Which choice best accomplishes this goal?
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Answer: Two volunteers have scanned 6,000 of the archive's 40,000 negatives.Two volunteers have scanned 6,000 of the archive's 40,000 negatives.
Scale needs the fraction and the size of the team in one sentence: 6,000 of 40,000, done by two people. Either number alone leaves the remaining work invisible.Scale needs the fraction and the size of the team in one sentence: 6,000 of 40,000, done by two people. Either number alone leaves the remaining work invisible.
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A paragraph currently reads:(1) The lighthouse was automated in 1989. (2) Its lens floats on a bath of mercury. (3) The last keepers left that October. (4) The lens still turns on the original mechanism.Where should sentence 2 be placed?A paragraph currently reads:
(1) The lighthouse was automated in 1989. (2) Its lens floats on a bath of mercury. (3) The last keepers left that October. (4) The lens still turns on the original mechanism.
Where should sentence 2 be placed?
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Answer: Between sentences 3 and 4Between sentences 3 and 4
Sentences 1 and 3 are one thread about automation and sentences 2 and 4 are another about the lens. Sentence 2 currently splits the first thread; moving it beside sentence 4 keeps both threads whole.Sentences 1 and 3 are one thread about automation and sentences 2 and 4 are another about the lens. Sentence 2 currently splits the first thread; moving it beside sentence 4 keeps both threads whole.
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The alloy resists corrosion better than steel. ______ it is three times the price, and the bridge was built in steel.Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?The alloy resists corrosion better than steel. ______ it is three times the price, and the bridge was built in steel.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
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Answer: In the event,In the event,
The second sentence reports what actually happened despite the advantage just given, which is what "in the event" marks. A consequence marker would make the price follow from the corrosion resistance.The second sentence reports what actually happened despite the advantage just given, which is what "in the event" marks. A consequence marker would make the price follow from the corrosion resistance.
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While writing about a bird count, a student has taken these notes:•The count records 220 species in the county.•40 of those were recorded once only, by a single observer.•The county list before 1990 held 180 species.•Observer numbers have risen from 30 to 400 since 1990.The student wants to caution against reading the rise from 180 to 220 as a rise in bird diversity. Which choice best accomplishes this goal?While writing about a bird count, a student has taken these notes:
- The count records 220 species in the county.
- 40 of those were recorded once only, by a single observer.
- The county list before 1990 held 180 species.
- Observer numbers have risen from 30 to 400 since 1990.
The student wants to caution against reading the rise from 180 to 220 as a rise in bird diversity. Which choice best accomplishes this goal?
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Answer: The list grew from 180 to 220 as observers rose from 30 to 400, and 40 of the species were seen once, by one person.The list grew from 180 to 220 as observers rose from 30 to 400, and 40 of the species were seen once, by one person.
The caution is that more looking finds more species, so the sentence has to put the growth beside the effort and the thin evidence for the additions. Each other choice gives one piece and leaves the inference standing.The caution is that more looking finds more species, so the sentence has to put the growth beside the effort and the thin evidence for the additions. Each other choice gives one piece and leaves the inference standing.
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A report on a factory closure is arranged: (1) the announcement, (2) the redundancy terms, (3) the town's dependence on the plant, (4) what happens to the site. An editor wants readers to understand the closure's significance before its details.Which change best achieves that?A report on a factory closure is arranged: (1) the announcement, (2) the redundancy terms, (3) the town's dependence on the plant, (4) what happens to the site. An editor wants readers to understand the closure's significance before its details.
Which change best achieves that?
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Answer: Move sentence 3 to the beginning.Move sentence 3 to the beginning.
Significance is what the town stands to lose, so the dependence has to come before the terms and the site. Opening on the site or ending on the announcement both bury the news rather than framing it.Significance is what the town stands to lose, so the dependence has to come before the terms and the site. Opening on the site or ending on the announcement both bury the news rather than framing it.
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Both manuscripts descend from a lost original. ______ the errors they share tell us about that original, while the errors each makes alone tell us only about the scribe.Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?Both manuscripts descend from a lost original. ______ the errors they share tell us about that original, while the errors each makes alone tell us only about the scribe.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
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Answer: Accordingly,Accordingly,
The second sentence follows from the shared descent: a common ancestor is exactly what makes shared errors informative. Nothing is being contrasted with the first sentence or offered as an example of it.The second sentence follows from the shared descent: a common ancestor is exactly what makes shared errors informative. Nothing is being contrasted with the first sentence or offered as an example of it.
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While writing about a footpath survey, a student has taken these notes:•The county has 3,100 miles of public footpath.•480 miles were found obstructed.•The survey was carried out by 60 volunteers over two summers.•Obstructions include locked gates, plowing and fallen trees.The student wants to state the survey's central finding. Which choice best accomplishes this goal?While writing about a footpath survey, a student has taken these notes:
- The county has 3,100 miles of public footpath.
- 480 miles were found obstructed.
- The survey was carried out by 60 volunteers over two summers.
- Obstructions include locked gates, plowing and fallen trees.
The student wants to state the survey's central finding. Which choice best accomplishes this goal?
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Answer: The survey found 480 of the county's 3,100 miles of footpath obstructed.The survey found 480 of the county's 3,100 miles of footpath obstructed.
A central finding is what the survey discovered, stated against the total that makes it meaningful. Who did it, how long it took and what counts as an obstruction are all method rather than result.A central finding is what the survey discovered, stated against the total that makes it meaningful. Who did it, how long it took and what counts as an obstruction are all method rather than result.
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The vaccine is stable at room temperature for six weeks. ______ it can be distributed by ordinary post, which the earlier formulation could not.Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?The vaccine is stable at room temperature for six weeks. ______ it can be distributed by ordinary post, which the earlier formulation could not.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
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Answer: Accordingly,Accordingly,
Room-temperature stability is what makes ordinary post possible, so the second sentence follows from the first. Every other choice would set the two against each other.Room-temperature stability is what makes ordinary post possible, so the second sentence follows from the first. Every other choice would set the two against each other.
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While writing about a river restoration, a student has taken these notes:•The river was straightened in 1962.•Meanders were reinstated along 3 km in 2018.•Otters returned to the stretch in 2021.•Otters were already present upstream.The student wants to report the otters' return without overstating what it shows. Which choice best accomplishes this goal?While writing about a river restoration, a student has taken these notes:
- The river was straightened in 1962.
- Meanders were reinstated along 3 km in 2018.
- Otters returned to the stretch in 2021.
- Otters were already present upstream.
The student wants to report the otters' return without overstating what it shows. Which choice best accomplishes this goal?
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Answer: Otters returned to the restored stretch in 2021, having been present upstream throughout.Otters returned to the restored stretch in 2021, having been present upstream throughout.
The upstream population is what stops the return being evidence that the restoration created the habitat rather than that animals moved into it. Reporting the date alone leaves the causal reading standing unchallenged.The upstream population is what stops the return being evidence that the restoration created the habitat rather than that animals moved into it. Reporting the date alone leaves the causal reading standing unchallenged.
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A paragraph currently reads:(1) The kiln was rediscovered in 1974. (2) It had been buried when the field was plowed in the 1950s. (3) Its floor is intact. (4) Only two kilns of this type survive anywhere.Where should sentence 4 be placed?A paragraph currently reads:
(1) The kiln was rediscovered in 1974. (2) It had been buried when the field was plowed in the 1950s. (3) Its floor is intact. (4) Only two kilns of this type survive anywhere.
Where should sentence 4 be placed?
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Answer: Before sentence 1Before sentence 1
Sentence 4 says why any of this matters, and a reader who meets it first understands the rediscovery as significant rather than merely local. At the end it arrives after the reader has already decided how much to care.Sentence 4 says why any of this matters, and a reader who meets it first understands the rediscovery as significant rather than merely local. At the end it arrives after the reader has already decided how much to care.
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The alloy is half the weight of steel at the same strength. ______ it cannot be welded outside a controlled atmosphere, which rules it out for site repairs.Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?The alloy is half the weight of steel at the same strength. ______ it cannot be welded outside a controlled atmosphere, which rules it out for site repairs.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
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Answer: However,However,
A decisive advantage followed by a disqualifying drawback is a reversal. The welding requirement does not follow from the weight, nor illustrate it.A decisive advantage followed by a disqualifying drawback is a reversal. The welding requirement does not follow from the weight, nor illustrate it.
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While writing about a night bus, a student has taken these notes:•The service runs hourly between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.•It replaced a service that ran every 30 minutes until 1 a.m.•Total nightly passengers have fallen by 12 percent.•Passengers traveling after 1 a.m. have risen from 40 to 260.The student wants to show that the headline fall conceals a change in who is served. Which choice best accomplishes this goal?While writing about a night bus, a student has taken these notes:
- The service runs hourly between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.
- It replaced a service that ran every 30 minutes until 1 a.m.
- Total nightly passengers have fallen by 12 percent.
- Passengers traveling after 1 a.m. have risen from 40 to 260.
The student wants to show that the headline fall conceals a change in who is served. Which choice best accomplishes this goal?
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Answer: Overall numbers are down 12 percent, while passengers traveling after 1 a.m. have gone from 40 to 260.Overall numbers are down 12 percent, while passengers traveling after 1 a.m. have gone from 40 to 260.
A headline that conceals something needs both the headline and the thing concealed. The total and the late-night figure move in opposite directions, and only one choice puts them side by side.A headline that conceals something needs both the headline and the thing concealed. The total and the late-night figure move in opposite directions, and only one choice puts them side by side.
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An article about a hospital closure contains: (1) what the hospital treated, (2) the distance to the nearest alternative, (3) the closure date, (4) the consultation that preceded it. A reader complains that the article reads as neutral reporting when it is plainly an argument.Which response best defends the article?An article about a hospital closure contains: (1) what the hospital treated, (2) the distance to the nearest alternative, (3) the closure date, (4) the consultation that preceded it. A reader complains that the article reads as neutral reporting when it is plainly an argument.
Which response best defends the article?
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Answer: Setting out what was treated and how far the alternative is lets a reader draw the conclusion, which is different from asserting it.Setting out what was treated and how far the alternative is lets a reader draw the conclusion, which is different from asserting it.
A defense has to explain what the arrangement does. Facts ordered so that an inference is available are not the same as an assertion, and the other choices appeal to convention, to balance, or to a general claim that would excuse anything.A defense has to explain what the arrangement does. Facts ordered so that an inference is available are not the same as an assertion, and the other choices appeal to convention, to balance, or to a general claim that would excuse anything.
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Both editions were printed from the same setting of type. ______ the second contains four corrections, so it was proofread while the press was running.Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?Both editions were printed from the same setting of type. ______ the second contains four corrections, so it was proofread while the press was running.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
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Answer: However,However,
The corrections cut against the expectation the first sentence creates, so a contrastive marker is needed — and of the four offered, only "however" reads naturally at the head of a clause introducing new evidence rather than conceding ground already given.The corrections cut against the expectation the first sentence creates, so a contrastive marker is needed — and of the four offered, only "however" reads naturally at the head of a clause introducing new evidence rather than conceding ground already given.
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While writing about a hedgerow survey, a student has taken these notes:•340 km of hedgerow were surveyed.•62 km were classified as species-rich.•Species-rich hedgerows are typically over 400 years old.•The survey took three summers.The student wants to state the survey's main finding. Which choice best accomplishes this goal?While writing about a hedgerow survey, a student has taken these notes:
- 340 km of hedgerow were surveyed.
- 62 km were classified as species-rich.
- Species-rich hedgerows are typically over 400 years old.
- The survey took three summers.
The student wants to state the survey's main finding. Which choice best accomplishes this goal?
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Answer: Sixty-two of the 340 km surveyed were species-rich, a category typically over 400 years old.Sixty-two of the 340 km surveyed were species-rich, a category typically over 400 years old.
A finding is what the survey established, stated against the total that gives it scale, with the detail that says why it matters. Duration and method are how the finding was reached rather than what it was.A finding is what the survey established, stated against the total that gives it scale, with the detail that says why it matters. Duration and method are how the finding was reached rather than what it was.
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