Archaeologist Maria Santos needed to document the recently discovered Viking settlement before winter weather could damage the exposed artifacts. She...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
Archaeologist Maria Santos needed to document the recently discovered Viking settlement before winter weather could damage the exposed artifacts. She spent weeks carefully mapping the locations of pottery fragments, metal tools, and structural remains scattered across the excavation site. _____ she began the delicate process of removing each item for laboratory analysis and preservation.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
Next,
For instance,
In contrast,
In sum,
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'Archaeologist Maria Santos needed to document the recently discovered Viking settlement before winter weather could damage the exposed artifacts.' |
|
| 'She spent weeks carefully mapping the locations of pottery fragments, metal tools, and structural remains scattered across the excavation site.' |
|
| '[MISSING TRANSITION]' |
|
| 'she began the delicate process of removing each item for laboratory analysis and preservation.' |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Archaeologist Maria Santos systematically documented and then began preserving Viking artifacts under time pressure from weather threats.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes an urgent archaeological situation, describes the initial documentation work Santos completed over several weeks, and then moves to the next phase of her preservation efforts. The missing transition needs to connect these two sequential phases of archaeological work.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
This is a fill-in-the-blank question asking us to choose the best logical connector. The answer must create the right relationship between what comes before and after the blank.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- Looking at what comes before the blank: Santos spent weeks mapping and documenting artifacts across the excavation site. This was her initial documentation phase.
- Looking at what comes after the blank: She began the delicate process of removing each item for laboratory analysis. This represents moving to a new phase of work.
- The relationship needed here is sequential - after completing the documentation phase, Santos moved to the next logical step in the archaeological process. We need a transition that shows this is the chronological next step in her systematic approach to preserving the Viking settlement.
Next,
✓ Correct
- 'Next,' indicates the logical next step in a sequence of actions
- Perfectly fits the chronological progression from mapping/documenting to removing artifacts
- Matches our prethinking about needing a sequential transition
For instance,
✗ Incorrect
- 'For instance,' introduces an example of something previously mentioned
- There is nothing in the previous sentences that the removal process would be an example of
- Students might think this works because it connects two related archaeological activities, but it creates the wrong logical relationship
In contrast,
✗ Incorrect
- 'In contrast,' introduces something that opposes or differs from what came before
- The removal process does not contrast with the mapping - it is actually the logical continuation
- Creates an illogical opposition between two complementary phases of the same project
In sum,
✗ Incorrect
- 'In sum,' introduces a summary or conclusion of previous points
- The removal process is not a summary of the mapping work - it is the next distinct phase
- Students might see this as wrapping up Santos work, but she is actually beginning a new phase, not concluding