Traditional sourdough bread-making requires patience and precision. The baker begins by feeding the starter to ensure it's active and bubbly....
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
Traditional sourdough bread-making requires patience and precision. The baker begins by feeding the starter to ensure it's active and bubbly. _____ the baker combines flour, water, and salt with the starter to form the initial dough. The final step involves shaping the risen dough and baking it until golden.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
In contrast,
Then,
For instance,
Similarly,
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Traditional sourdough bread-making requires patience and precision." |
|
| "The baker begins by feeding the starter to ensure it's active and bubbly." |
|
| "[MISSING TRANSITION]" |
|
| "the baker combines flour, water, and salt with the starter to form the initial dough." |
|
| "The final step involves shaping the risen dough and baking it until golden." |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Traditional sourdough bread-making follows a specific sequential process requiring patience and precision.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes that sourdough requires patience and precision, then walks through the sequential steps: feeding the starter first, then combining ingredients to form dough, and finally shaping and baking the bread.
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 table, we can see that the sentence before the blank describes the first step (feeding the starter), and the sentence after describes what happens next (combining ingredients)
- The missing connector needs to show this is the next step in a sequence
- The logical relationship here is temporal sequence: first you feed the starter, and then you move to the next step of combining ingredients
In contrast,
✗ Incorrect
- "In contrast" signals opposition or difference between ideas
- This doesn't fit because combining ingredients isn't contrasting with feeding the starter—both are necessary steps in the same process
Then,
✓ Correct
- "Then" indicates the next step in a sequence
- Perfectly matches our prethinking—shows temporal progression from feeding starter to combining ingredients
For instance,
✗ Incorrect
- "For instance" introduces a specific example of a general concept
- The combining step isn't an example of feeding the starter—it's the next distinct step
Similarly,
✗ Incorrect
- "Similarly" shows that two things are alike or parallel
- Feeding the starter and combining ingredients are different steps, not similar actions