The ancient Spartans were known for their bitingly concise—or laconic—wit, a quality they maintained even in the face of great...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
The ancient Spartans were known for their bitingly concise—or laconic—wit, a quality they maintained even in the face of great peril. ________ when Philip II of Macedon threatened Laconia (the region of Greece containing Sparta), he said, 'If I invade Laconia, I shall turn you out.' The Spartans replied with a single word: 'If.'
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
Rather,
In other words,
That said,
For instance,
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'The ancient Spartans were known for their bitingly concise—or laconic—wit, a quality they maintained even in the face of great peril.' |
|
| [MISSING TRANSITION] |
|
| 'when Philip II of Macedon threatened Laconia (the region of Greece containing Sparta), he said, 'If I invade Laconia, I shall turn you out.'' |
|
| 'The Spartans replied with a single word: 'If.'' |
|
Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: The ancient Spartans were famous for their extremely brief, witty responses that they maintained even when facing serious threats.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes the Spartans' reputation for concise wit, then presents a historical example where Philip II threatened them and they responded with just one word, perfectly demonstrating this characteristic trait.
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, the first sentence tells us about the Spartans' general reputation for laconic wit
- What follows the blank is a specific historical situation where Philip II threatens Sparta and they respond with just one word
- This concrete scenario perfectly demonstrates the trait mentioned in the opening
- So we need a transition that signals 'here's a specific example of what I just told you about'
- The relationship is: general trait → specific instance that illustrates it
Rather,
✗ Incorrect
- 'Rather' signals contrast or correction
- This would suggest the Philip II story contradicts what we learned about Spartan wit
- But the story actually supports and illustrates their reputation
In other words,
✗ Incorrect
- 'In other words' means restating the same idea in different terms
- The Philip II story isn't restating the concept of laconic wit—it's showing it in action
- This would suggest we're just rephrasing, not providing evidence
That said,
✗ Incorrect
- 'That said' introduces a concession or contrasting point
- This would imply the Philip II example somehow contradicts their reputation for wit
- But the example perfectly supports their reputation
For instance,
✓ Correct
- 'For instance' signals that a specific example follows
- This perfectly matches our passage structure: general claim about Spartan wit, then specific historical example
- The Philip II story serves as concrete evidence of the laconic wit described in sentence one