Riley Black—the author of critically acclaimed books such as My Beloved Brontosaurus (2013)—is best known for writing about dinosaurs, but...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
Riley Black—the author of critically acclaimed books such as My Beloved Brontosaurus (2013)—is best known for writing about dinosaurs, but she has also conducted hands-on fieldwork. ________ her fieldwork has included paleontological digs in Utah, Montana, and Wyoming, and her dinosaur fossil discoveries can be seen at places such as the Carnegie Museum of Natural History.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
Regardless,
Subsequently,
Specifically,
Conversely,
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Riley Black—the author of critically acclaimed books such as My Beloved Brontosaurus (2013)—is best known for writing about dinosaurs," |
|
| "but she has also conducted hands-on fieldwork." |
|
| "[MISSING TRANSITION]" |
|
| "her fieldwork has included paleontological digs in Utah, Montana, and Wyoming, and her dinosaur fossil discoveries can be seen at places such as the Carnegie Museum of Natural History." |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Visual Structure Map:
RILEY BLACK'S REPUTATION: Riley Black = famous dinosaur author → ADDITIONAL DIMENSION: But also conducted fieldwork → MISSING CONNECTOR → SPECIFIC DETAILS: Examples: digs in 3 states, museum displays
Main Point:
Riley Black is known primarily as a dinosaur author but has also contributed through hands-on paleontological fieldwork.
Argument Flow:
The passage establishes Riley Black's reputation as a writer, then broadens our understanding by mentioning her fieldwork, and follows with specific examples of that fieldwork and its tangible results.
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, the sentence before the blank mentions that Riley Black "has also conducted hands-on fieldwork" in general terms
- The sentence after the blank gives us concrete details: exactly where the fieldwork happened (Utah, Montana, Wyoming) and what happened to her discoveries (displayed in museums like Carnegie)
- This is a classic general-to-specific relationship
- We need a transition that signals moving from a general statement to specific supporting details or examples
Regardless,
✗ Incorrect
- This word suggests dismissing what came before, but the sentence after the blank supports and elaborates on the fieldwork claim, not dismisses it
Subsequently,
✗ Incorrect
- This indicates a time sequence, but the sentence describes the same fieldwork activities, not what happened afterward
Specifically,
✓ Correct
- This signals that we're about to get specific details about the general claim just made
- Perfectly matches our passage flow: general mention of fieldwork → specific examples of where and what happened
Conversely,
✗ Incorrect
- This indicates opposition or contrast, but the sentence after the blank supports the fieldwork claim rather than contrasting with it