To discover which fruit varieties were grown in Italy's Umbria region before the introduction of industrial farming, botanist Isabella Dalla...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
To discover which fruit varieties were grown in Italy's Umbria region before the introduction of industrial farming, botanist Isabella Dalla Ragione often turns to centuries-old lists of cooking ingredients. ______ she analyzes Renaissance paintings of Umbria, as they can provide accurate representations of fruits that were grown there long ago.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
In sum,
Instead,
Thus,
Additionally,
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'To discover which fruit varieties were grown in Italy's Umbria region before the introduction of industrial farming, botanist Isabella Dalla Ragione often turns to centuries-old lists of cooking ingredients.' |
|
| '[MISSING TRANSITION]' |
|
| 'she analyzes Renaissance paintings of Umbria, as they can provide accurate representations of fruits that were grown there long ago.' |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Botanist Isabella Dalla Ragione uses multiple historical sources, including old cooking lists and Renaissance paintings, to identify fruit varieties that existed before industrial farming.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes a research goal, presents one method, then introduces a second complementary method with explanation for why it works.
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 sentence before the blank describes one research method (using old cooking ingredient lists)
- The sentence after the blank describes a different research method (analyzing Renaissance paintings)
- Both methods serve the same research goal of discovering historical fruit varieties
- The logical relationship here is addition - we are adding a second method to the first method
- The transition should signal that she does this second thing in addition to the first thing, not instead of it or as a result of it
In sum,
- 'In sum' signals a summary or conclusion
- This does not make sense because we are not concluding anything - we are adding another method
Instead,
- 'Instead' signals replacement or contrast - doing one thing rather than another
- This suggests she uses paintings instead of cooking lists, but the passage indicates she uses both methods
Thus,
- 'Thus' signals a result or consequence
- This would suggest analyzing paintings is a result of looking at cooking lists, but they are two separate research methods
Additionally,
- 'Additionally' signals addition - doing something in addition to what was already mentioned
- This perfectly captures that she uses Renaissance paintings as well as cooking ingredient lists