Set 10: Transitions
Explanation
PASSAGE
The construction of the Panama Canal required removing over 200 million cubic yards of earth and rock. Workers had to battle tropical diseases, particularly malaria and yellow fever. _______ the project was plagued by engineering challenges, including unpredictable landslides that repeatedly blocked the excavation.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
Detailed Answer Explanation
This question asks you to choose the transition that best connects two ideas. The passage lists multiple challenges: disease AND engineering problems. 'Moreover' adds another challenge to the existing list. Transitions signal the relationship between sentences or paragraphs. Determine the logical relationship (addition, contrast, cause-effect, example) and select the transition that accurately expresses it. The right transition makes the relationship between ideas crystal clear. Consider what logical connection exists: Is the second idea adding to the first? Contrasting it? Showing a result? The transition should accurately reflect this relationship.
Key Evidence:
• "tropical diseases"
• "engineering challenges"
Why others are wrong: C (Restatement - landslides are a different challenge, not a restatement of disease.), B (Cause/effect - engineering challenges weren't caused by diseases.), D (Alternative - both problems existed simultaneously, not as alternatives.).
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