Traditional sourdough bread requires a living starter culture that must be maintained with regular feedings. Modern commercial breads, _____ rely...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
Traditional sourdough bread requires a living starter culture that must be maintained with regular feedings. Modern commercial breads, _____ rely on instant yeast and can be made quickly without the lengthy fermentation process. This difference in timing affects both the flavor and nutritional profile of the final product.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
Therefore,
by contrast,
Next,
In addition,
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'Traditional sourdough bread requires a living starter culture that must be maintained with regular feedings.' |
|
| '[MISSING TRANSITION]' |
|
| 'Modern commercial breads, ______ rely on instant yeast and can be made quickly without the lengthy fermentation process.' |
|
| 'This difference in timing affects both the flavor and nutritional profile of the final product.' |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Visual Structure Map:
[TRADITIONAL METHOD] - living starter, regular feeding, lengthy fermentation
[MISSING CONNECTOR]
[MODERN METHOD] - instant yeast, quick process, no lengthy fermentation
[CONSEQUENCE] - timing difference affects flavor and nutrition
Main Point: Traditional and modern bread-making methods differ significantly in their requirements and timing, which impacts the final product's characteristics.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes traditional sourdough's demanding requirements, then presents modern commercial bread's contrasting approach, concluding with how these different methods affect the bread's qualities.
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 transition must connect two different bread-making approaches
- We need a word that signals the relationship between traditional (complex, time-consuming) and modern (simple, quick) methods
- The blank comes right before describing how modern breads work differently from traditional ones
- This is clearly setting up a contrast between old and new methods
- The right answer should signal a contrast or difference between the two approaches
Therefore,
- Signals cause and effect or logical conclusion
- Doesn't fit because modern bread isn't a result of traditional bread's requirements
- Would suggest modern methods follow logically from traditional ones, which doesn't match the contrasting relationship
by contrast,
- Perfectly signals the contrasting relationship between traditional and modern methods
- Matches our prethinking by highlighting how modern breads work differently
- Creates the logical flow: traditional requires X, by contrast modern requires Y
Next,
- Indicates sequence or temporal order
- Doesn't fit because we're not describing steps in a process
- Would suggest modern bread comes after traditional bread in some sequence, which isn't the relationship here
In addition,
- Shows continuation or additional information in the same direction
- Would incorrectly suggest modern bread has similar requirements to traditional bread
- What trap this represents: Students might think this adds more information about bread-making, missing that we're contrasting two different approaches