SAT Transition Practice

It has long been thought that humans first crossed a land bridge into the Americas approximately 13,000 years ago. ______ based on radiocarbon dating of samples uncovered in Mexico, a research team recently suggested that humans may have arrived more than 30,000 years ago—much earlier than previously thought.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?

• As a result,

• Similarly,

• However,

• In conclusion,

A 2017 study of sign language learners tested the role of iconicity—the similarity of a sign to the thing it represents—in language acquisition. The study found that the greater the iconicity of a sign, the more likely it was to have been learned. ______ the correlation between acquisition and iconicity was lower than that between acquisition and another factor studied: sign frequency.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?

• In fact,

• In other words,

• Granted,

• As a result,

Alexander Lawrence Posey (1873–1908) varied his focus and tone depending on the genre in which he was writing. In his poetry, he used heartfelt language to evoke the beauty and peacefulness of his natural surroundings; in his journalism, ______ he employed humor and satire to comment on political issues affecting his Muskogee Creek community.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?

• by contrast,

• granted,

• that it,

• similarly,

O2 Arena, an award-winning science fiction story by Nigerian author Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki, takes place in an alternate version of Nigeria where breathable air is a rare commodity that is owned and sold by companies. ______ people must purchase it with a currency called O2 credits.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?

• Nevertheless,

• In any case,

• As a result,

• Earlier,

When one looks at the dark craggy vistas in Hitoshi Fugo's evocative photo series, one's mind might wander off to the cratered surfaces of faraway planets. ______ it's the series' title, Flying Frying Pan, that brings one back to Earth, reminding the viewer that each photo is actually a close-up view of a familiar household object: a frying pan.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?

• Alternatively,

• Consequently,

• Ultimately,

• Additionally,

Before the 1847 introduction of the US postage stamp, the cost of postage was usually paid by the recipient of a letter rather than the sender, and recipients were not always able or willing to pay promptly. ______ collecting this fee could be slow and arduous, and heaps of unpaid-for, undeliverable mail piled up in post offices.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?

• Regardless,

• On the contrary,

• For example,

• Consequently,

The number of dark spots that appear on the Sun, known as sunspots, can vary greatly. For example, there were about 180 sunspots in November 2001. ______ there were only about 2 sunspots in December 2008.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?

• In other words,

• Similarly,

• Therefore,

• By comparison,