The introduction of the smartphone in 2007 revolutionized personal communication and created entirely new technological possibilities. Companies world...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
The introduction of the smartphone in 2007 revolutionized personal communication and created entirely new technological possibilities. Companies worldwide rushed to develop applications and services for these devices. _____ the global app economy grew from virtually nothing to over $100 billion in annual revenue within a decade.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
Meanwhile,
However,
As a result,
For instance,
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "The introduction of the smartphone in 2007 revolutionized personal communication and created entirely new technological possibilities." |
|
| "Companies worldwide rushed to develop applications and services for these devices." |
|
| "[MISSING TRANSITION]" |
|
| "the global app economy grew from virtually nothing to over $100 billion in annual revenue within a decade." |
|
Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Visual Structure Map:
[BACKGROUND: 2007 smartphone revolution] → [RESPONSE: Companies rush to develop apps/services] → [MISSING CONNECTOR] → [OUTCOME: App economy grows to $100B+]
Main Point: The smartphone revolution sparked massive business activity that created an enormous new economic sector.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes the 2007 smartphone revolution as a catalyst, describes how companies immediately responded by developing applications and services, and then shows the dramatic economic result - though the logical connection between the business response and economic outcome needs to be established with the right transition.
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, we have companies rushing to develop apps and services (the cause), and then we have the app economy growing dramatically (the effect)
- The transition word needs to show this cause-and-effect relationship clearly
Meanwhile,
Meanwhile - ✗ Incorrect
- "Meanwhile" suggests two things happening simultaneously
- This doesn't show the causal relationship between companies developing apps and the economic growth that followed
However,
However - ✗ Incorrect
- "However" introduces a contrast or contradiction
- There's no contradiction between companies developing apps and the economy growing - they're actually connected
As a result,
As a result - ✓ Correct
- Shows the direct cause-and-effect relationship we identified
- Companies rushing to develop apps and services (cause) led to the dramatic growth of the app economy (effect)
For instance,
For instance - ✗ Incorrect
- "For instance" introduces a specific example
- The \(\$100\text{ billion}\) app economy isn't an example of companies developing apps - it's the result of that development