Software developers often create tools that become essential to industries outside their original target market. _____ the team at DataFlow...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
Software developers often create tools that become essential to industries outside their original target market. _____ the team at DataFlow designed their program for financial analysts, but it's now widely used by climate researchers to process environmental datasets. The software's flexibility has made it valuable across multiple scientific disciplines.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
Similarly,
Nevertheless,
For example,
Therefore,
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Software developers often create tools that become essential to industries outside their original target market." |
|
| "[MISSING TRANSITION]" |
|
| "the team at DataFlow designed their program for financial analysts, but it's now widely used by climate researchers to process environmental datasets." |
|
| "The software's flexibility has made it valuable across multiple scientific disciplines." |
|
Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Software tools often become valuable outside their intended markets due to their flexibility.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes a general pattern about software crossing industry boundaries, then provides a specific example with DataFlow moving from finance to climate research, and concludes by explaining that flexibility drives this cross-industry adoption.
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
- The first sentence establishes a general pattern about software tools crossing industry boundaries
- The sentence after the blank provides a specific instance of DataFlow doing exactly that
- So the transition needs to signal that we're about to see a concrete example of the general pattern we just learned about
Similarly,
- "Similarly" suggests we're comparing two parallel examples
- We only have one example (DataFlow), not a comparison between similar cases
Nevertheless,
- "Nevertheless" signals contrast or opposition
- The DataFlow example supports the opening claim rather than contradicting it
For example,
- Signals that DataFlow is a specific instance of the general pattern
- Creates the perfect logical bridge from general claim to specific case
Therefore,
- "Therefore" indicates cause-and-effect or conclusion
- The DataFlow case isn't a result of the opening statement - it's an illustration of it