Set 11: Transitions (Intermediate)
Explanation
PASSAGE
The Meiji Restoration of 1868 transformed Japan from a feudal society into a modern industrial power in just a few decades. The government dispatched students abroad to study Western technology and institutions. _______ it selectively adopted foreign innovations while preserving elements deemed essential to Japanese identity, such as the emperor system.
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 selective nature of adoption is a key point about Meiji modernization. 'Crucially' emphasizes this important characteristic. 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:
• "study Western technology"
• "selectively adopted... while preserving"
Why others are wrong: D (Contrast - the selectivity complements, not contradicts, the learning abroad.), A (Alternative - both learning abroad and selective adoption occurred.), B (Example - the selectivity is a general principle, not an example of studying abroad.).
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