Earth's auroras—colorful displays of light seen above the northern and southern poles—result, broadly speaking, from the Sun's activity. ________ the...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
Earth's auroras—colorful displays of light seen above the northern and southern poles—result, broadly speaking, from the Sun's activity. ________ the Sun releases charged particles that are captured by Earth's magnetic field and channeled toward the poles. These particles then collide with atoms in the atmosphere, causing the atoms to emit auroral light.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
Specifically,
Similarly,
Nevertheless,
Hence,
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'Earth's auroras—colorful displays of light seen above the northern and southern poles—result, broadly speaking, from the Sun's activity.' |
|
| '[MISSING TRANSITION]' |
|
| 'the Sun releases charged particles that are captured by Earth's magnetic field and channeled toward the poles.' |
|
| 'These particles then collide with atoms in the atmosphere, causing the atoms to emit auroral light.' |
|
Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Auroras are created through a specific process where the Sun's charged particles interact with Earth's magnetic field and atmosphere.
Argument Flow: The passage moves from a broad, general statement about what causes auroras to a detailed, step-by-step explanation of exactly how this process works. The missing transition needs to signal this shift from general to specific.
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 passage analysis, we need a transition that connects the general statement about auroras being caused by 'the Sun's activity' with the detailed explanation that follows
- The sentence before the blank gives us the broad concept, and the sentences after provide the specific mechanism
- The relationship we need is one that signals 'I'm about to give you the specific details of what I just mentioned generally'
- This is a classic general-to-specific transition where we zoom in from the big picture to the exact process
- So the right answer should signal that we're moving from a broad statement to specific details or explanation
Specifically,
✓ Correct
- 'Specifically' perfectly signals the shift from general concept (Sun's activity causes auroras) to detailed explanation (here's exactly how it works)
- Creates the logical flow our passage analysis revealed: broad claim to specific process steps
Similarly,
✗ Incorrect
- 'Similarly' suggests we're comparing two like things or showing resemblance
- There's nothing being compared in this passage - we're explaining one process, not showing how two things are alike
Nevertheless,
✗ Incorrect
- 'Nevertheless' indicates contrast or contradiction
- The detailed explanation that follows doesn't contradict the opening statement - it supports and explains it
Hence,
✗ Incorrect
- 'Hence' suggests we're drawing a conclusion or showing a result
- The sentences after the blank aren't concluding anything - they're explaining the process mentioned in the first sentence