In the 1880s, inventor Lewis Latimer improved upon Thomas Edison's design for the electric light bulb. ______ Latimer made the...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
In the 1880s, inventor Lewis Latimer improved upon Thomas Edison's design for the electric light bulb. ______ Latimer made the light bulb more durable by placing cardboard around its carbon filament. With this innovation, Latimer became the first Black inventor to contribute to the electrification of the world.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
Soon,
Regardless,
However,
Specifically,
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "In the 1880s, inventor Lewis Latimer improved upon Thomas Edison's design for the electric light bulb." |
|
| "[MISSING TRANSITION]" |
|
| "Latimer made the light bulb more durable by placing cardboard around its carbon filament." |
|
| "With this innovation, Latimer became the first Black inventor to contribute to the electrification of the world." |
|
Part B: Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Lewis Latimer improved Edison's light bulb design by making it more durable, becoming the first Black inventor to contribute to world electrification.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes Latimer's general improvement to Edison's design, then needs to connect to the specific technical method he used, concluding with the historical significance of his innovation.
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
- We need a connector that bridges the general claim about improvement to the specific explanation of how that improvement was made
- The sentence before the blank makes a broad statement about Latimer improving the light bulb design
- The sentence after the blank gives us the exact technical details of how he did this - using cardboard around the carbon filament
- The right answer should introduce specific details that explain or elaborate on the improvement mentioned in the previous sentence
Soon,
- "Soon" indicates time sequence
- This doesn't create a logical relationship between the improvement claim and the specific method
- We need logical connection, not temporal progression
Regardless,
- "Regardless" suggests dismissing or contrasting with what came before
- This would imply Latimer's specific method somehow contradicts or ignores the improvement claim
- The specific method actually supports and explains the improvement, not contradicts it
However,
- "However" signals contrast or opposition
- This would suggest the specific method somehow opposes the improvement claim
- The cardboard technique actually fulfills the improvement promise, not contrasts with it
Specifically,
- "Specifically" indicates that detailed explanation or elaboration follows
- This perfectly connects the general improvement claim to the exact technical method
- Creates the logical flow: "he improved it" → "specifically, here's how he improved it"