Recent excavations at the ancient settlement site have revealed pottery fragments and tool remnants dating back over 3,000 years. The...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
Recent excavations at the ancient settlement site have revealed pottery fragments and tool remnants dating back over 3,000 years. The artifacts show clear evidence of advanced metalworking techniques previously unknown in this region during that time period. _____ the archaeological team has decided to extend the dig season by six months to fully explore the area's potential significance.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
Similarly,
In other words,
As a result,
To be exact,
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'Recent excavations at the ancient settlement site have revealed pottery fragments and tool remnants dating back over 3,000 years.' |
|
| 'The artifacts show clear evidence of advanced metalworking techniques previously unknown in this region during that time period.' |
|
| [MISSING TRANSITION] |
|
| 'the archaeological team has decided to extend the dig season by six months to fully explore the area's potential significance.' |
|
Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Archaeological discoveries of unexpectedly advanced ancient metalworking techniques have prompted researchers to extend their investigation.
Argument Flow: The passage moves from discovery (ancient artifacts found) to significance (they show advanced techniques unknown for that time/place) to response (team decides to extend dig time). The blank connects the discovery's importance to the team's decision to investigate further.
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 analysis, we have a significant discovery (advanced metalworking techniques previously unknown in this region) followed by an action (extending the dig season)
- The logical relationship here is cause and effect - because they found something unexpectedly significant, therefore they decided to investigate more thoroughly
- The right answer should signal that the team's decision to extend the dig is a direct consequence of discovering these significant artifacts
Similarly,
- Incorrect - 'Similarly' suggests a comparison to something that happened before
- We don't have any previous situation being compared - this is the first action described
- The team's decision isn't similar to anything mentioned earlier
In other words,
- Incorrect - 'In other words' signals that we're about to restate or clarify the same information
- Extending the dig season isn't restating the discovery - it's a new action taken because of it
- This would suggest the team's decision is just another way of expressing the artifact discovery, which doesn't make logical sense
As a result,
- Correct - This creates a clear cause-and-effect relationship between the significant discovery and the team's response
- The discovery of advanced, previously unknown techniques naturally leads to extending research time
- Matches our prethinking perfectly - the team's decision is a direct consequence of what they found
To be exact,
- Incorrect - 'To be exact' introduces more specific details about something already mentioned
- The team's decision to extend the dig isn't providing more exact details about the artifacts
- This transition suggests precision or clarification, not a logical next step