Dr. Sarah Chen's groundbreaking study on urban soil contamination revealed complex pollution patterns across metropolitan areas. Her research demonstr...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
Dr. Sarah Chen's groundbreaking study on urban soil contamination revealed complex pollution patterns across metropolitan areas. Her research demonstrated that contamination levels varied significantly depending on multiple environmental factors. _____ the study found that proximity to industrial zones, traffic density, and historical land use all contributed to soil quality degradation.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
Specifically,
Nevertheless,
Furthermore,
As a result,
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Dr. Sarah Chen's groundbreaking study on urban soil contamination revealed complex pollution patterns across metropolitan areas." |
|
| "Her research demonstrated that contamination levels varied significantly depending on multiple environmental factors." |
|
| "[MISSING TRANSITION]" |
|
| "the study found that proximity to industrial zones, traffic density, and historical land use all contributed to soil quality degradation." |
|
Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Dr. Chen's study identified specific environmental factors that cause varying levels of soil contamination in urban areas.
Argument Flow: The passage moves from introducing a study and its general findings about complex pollution patterns, to explaining that contamination varies based on multiple factors, then provides the specific factors discovered.
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 our table, we see the sentence before the blank talks about multiple environmental factors in general terms
- The sentence after the blank lists three specific factors: proximity to industrial zones, traffic density, and historical land use
- We're moving from general (multiple factors) to specific (these exact three factors)
- The right transition should signal that we're about to get specific examples or details of what was just mentioned generally
Specifically,
✓ Correct
- Specifically signals we're moving from general to specific
- Perfectly matches the relationship between multiple environmental factors and the three concrete examples that follow
Nevertheless,
✗ Incorrect
- Nevertheless indicates contrast or opposition
- There's no contrasting relationship here
Furthermore,
✗ Incorrect
- Furthermore suggests adding new information
- The sentence after isn't adding new information but specifying what the multiple factors actually are
As a result,
✗ Incorrect
- As a result indicates cause and effect
- The three factors aren't a result of the variation but the cause of it