Transitions

To demonstrate u,hat transitions are and horl' they're used, let's consider the follort'ing sentence:

It4nt1's caokies lre stueet nrtd sugortl. Ssnt ests thenr all the tinrc.

In this sentence, it's understood that Sam eats lvlay's cookies becnuse they are srveet and sLlgary Despite the
implied cause and effect relationsl'rip here, the reader can't be completely sure. It could be that ti-re trvo sen-
teuces represent trvo totaiiy independent ideas: May's cookies are srveet and sugary, and it just so l-rappens
tirat Sam eats them all the time. To make the cause-and-effect relationship absolutely clear, rve cottld insert a
transition:

lvIntl's cookies are stLteet nnd xtgary. Therefore, Snnt ents tlrcttt all tlrc tinrc.

This is a bit of an extreme example, but it illrrstrates an irnportant point-transitions harre mezutir-rg. They
express horl,' tn'o sentences or paragraphs relate to one alother, and they make that corurection explicit, even
if it's a bit unnecessary to do so. In this case, the therefore is probably not needed, but suppose r,r'e rvanted to
inply that sq'eet and srigary rvere bad quaiities:

h4nt1's caokies o.re sweet ottd sugnnl. Neaertheless, Slrrt ents tlrcnt sll the ttne .

\ryith one \,r,ord, we're able to shift the meaning entirelv. Non,, srveet ancl sugary cookles are rinhealthy snacks
to be avoided.
Hon sentences corrrrect to one alother cornes nafurally to nost sttrdents. The hard part is staying arvare of the
full context. In this one made-up example, u'e can't be completell. sure n'hat tl're author's intencled meaning is,
but on the SAI the author's intention rvill aln'ays be clear. Your job on SAT transition questions is to read tire
context, figure out the author's meaning, and choose the transition tt'ord that conveys that meanirrg. Alrt'ays
read the sentence before and the sentence after the orre in question.
Althorrgh you'li typically see transitions at the start of sentences, they can also be irserted into the middle of a
sertterrce:
Every cultr.rre holds on io its onn mvths and superstitions. Many Chinese
people, for example, believe the number "4" to be unlrrcky.
Arrd rvhile there are many transitions out there, as long as yoll are familiar rvith tl-re ones in the table belolt', vou
shouldl't need to memorize anything. lrr fact, this table includes almost all the transitions that have shorvn up
orr reieased past exams.

176
 THE COLLEGE PA]VDA

gonmon Transiflonwolds

Exarnple. ...

f fow qpting qe"-- Hortr-

evql too much"utin"'ie
of it yall -"
To

gives e$p_b4siq to a
poiff=*by -adding ''a
i!ise,.,'. ,
': '
sho*seause,&effe* "

conc$T a potnt to
make wav for vou! own
point

:':
jrro;.*,yn,
restattiirent

Some otlrer transitions that didn't quite fit in the table are nrcanu'hile, instead, and otlrcnuise'

Once you understand all these transition words and how they're used, you'll be well-equipped to handle any
SAT question that tests you on them. ]ust make sure to use process of elimination: plug each answer choice
back into the passage and eliminate the ones that don't express the right relationship between the sentences.
As always, the best way to get better is to practice and review practice and review.

Tip

r17
CHAPTER 19 IRATVSITIONS

Exercise 1: Choose tire best transitior-r. Anslvers for this chapter start on page 233.

1. Although rvomen in cities from Nen' York to Boston demanded equality in academic opportunities, most
East Coast turiversities did not ),ield to suclr demalrds. In fact, coeducational balance dicl not becotne a
prominent issrre for East Coast admissions officers r-rntil tl-re 1960s.
A) NOCHANCE
B) In addition,
C) For example,
D) Be that as it may,
As it turned orrt, Senator Aldrich did r-rot plan his Iekyll Island trip for relaxation purposes. Tl'rerefore, he
confidentially planned the u.eeklong affair to cor-rfer rvith Waii Street executives for a specific purpose-to
draft a banking reform bill that rvould create a centralized American banking system.
A) NOCHANGE
B) Nevertheless,
C) Irrstead,
D) Aftenvards.
3. Some consen'atives clain'r that America rvas founded as a Christian nation bV devout men tt'ho sor"rght
to establish a system of iaw and governance based on the Bible. N4ore secular voices, in surnmary, have
argued that the "Christian uation" concept is a rnist-romer.
A) NOCHANGE
B) liken'ise,
C) for instance,
D) on the other hand,
,'|
The general knelv that the price of victory r,vas enormous. N4oreover, there wottld be orrer a hlrndred
battles and thottsancls of cleaths by the tinre the \\/ar ivas nt'".
A) NOCHANGE
B) Yet,
C) Errentually,
D) tndeed,
Emily Dickinson is kno\4'n for her recltisiver-ress, her isolation from the rt'orld outside her home. Th.us,
she clid hal,e numerous famil-v members to interact lvith and keep her company n'hen she needed it.
A) NO CHANCE
B) L1eanr'r'hile,
C) Fortunately,
D) As a result,
6. Even as Emily Dickinson ivas never recognized as the poet sire rvas during her olvu lifetime, she is nor,r'
knorvrr as one of the greatest poets ever.
A) NOCHANGE
B) Before
C) Unless
D) Although

118
 THECOLLECE PANDA

Dogs use their excellent sense of smeli to detect friends and foe arounci them. Nevertireless, bats relv on
their incredible ears to navigate the n'orid using echolocatiotr.
A) NO CHANGE
B) In the sarne u'av,
C) On tl-re one hanc-I,
D) Otherrvise,

fonas becane fascinated b-y the variety of seafood in Japan. Nonetheless, the people there ate everything
from rarv fish over rice, kuou'u as srrsl'ri, to dried squid and octoptts.
A) NO CHANGE
B) Converseiy, the people
C) Additior-rally, tire peopie
D) The people
Tl"re cooks first beat the mixture until the batter conres togetirer in tl-re patr. 'fhe pan is theu put irrto the
olren and the cake is baked for 30 minr,rtes. Meat*vhile, the cake is taken out and put into a decorative
box as it cools.
A) NOCHANCE
B) Secondlv,
C) Finail,v,
D) lrr concltrsiorr,
10. My consin in Vielnam told me irr advance tirat a gift n'ould be arriving at my doorstep. Nerrertheless, it
surprised me to see a package frorn such a fararvav place reach a small sttbttrban ton'n in Miruresota.
A) NO CHANGE
B) In fact,
C) Furthermore,
D) Therefore,
11. ivlany students at the university copy their homelvork assignments, store test anslvers in their calcrtlators,
a1d colh.rde in groups. Adclitionall)', professors 11or\/ use muitipie versions of their tests, along rt'ith
qtrestions that are open resPonse and cannot be copied.
A) NOCHANCE
B) To illustrate,
C) As a resnlt,
D) Jttst il case,

12. If nothing is done, marly sea creatrlres n'ill soon die off in the face of illegal irunting and the destruction
of tl-reir nattrral habitats. Similarl)., the leatherback ttrrtle is predictecl to be extinct *'ithin 20 vears.
A) NO CHANCE
B) In other n'ords,
C) Iu contrast,
D) In particuiar;

179
CHAPTER 19 TRAATSITIONS

13. When I visitecl Neu' York City for the first time, seeing all those densely packed streets didn't intirnidate
me. Regardless, the), just reminded me of mv chilclhood in Hong Kong, n'ltere I rvould lvalk from sirop
to shop selling nelvspapers.
A) NOCHANCE
B) They
C) Similarly, they
D) Finaliy, thsy

14. Even though they all senre sushi, there are rnany types of sushi restaurants ir-r Japan. Accordingi)', kaiten
sushi restaurants use a conveyor belt from r,vhich cttstomers can pick orrt rvhat they lvant to eat.
A) l'IO CHANGE
B) Thus,
C) Otheru.ise,
D) For example,
15. Tl're United States upholds free speecl-r and the right to bear arms. In addition, the Singapore govenment
bans tire chen'ing of gum and fines its citizens if they forgei to flush a public toilet.
A) NOCHANGE
B) In contrast,
C) Otirern'ise,
D) Similarll',

Exercise 2: Ansrvers for this cirapter stad on page 233'

1. As most people associate fortune cookies n'ith Cl-rinese cuisine, tirey u'ere deveioped entireiy in America
and are not at all a Chilese inveution.
A) NOCHANCE
B) Because
C) So that
D) Even though
2. Globai rvarming has leacl to the melting of the polar ice caps, hanning ecosystems and dismpting natural
habitats that har.e existed for centuries. Everr so, ihere has been a scramble to redttce carbon dioxide
emissions and slolv the rate of ent'ironmental change'
A) NO CHANCE
B) For this reason,
C) lt4eanr,r'hile,
D) Be that as it may,
3. A vital part of any school curriculnm, physical ec-lucation gives students a mucl'r needed break il tl-re mid-
dle of the day Consequently, tire ciasses prornote heaith,v eating and exercise, something most Americaus
don't get enough of.
A) NO CHANCE
B) However,
C) Likervise,
D) Moreover;

120
 THE COLLEGE PATVDA

4. Orre of the most clensely populated areas irr the n'orld, Horrg Kong is a city bustling n'ith tourists and
foreign btisinessmen, not to mentiotr the 7 miiiion peopie u'ho lil'e there.
A) NOCHANGE
B) fulrthermore
C) don't forget about
D) also plus
5. The Presic.lent tnust maintain iris position on this issue provided that the public does uot think he is
indecisive and easilv slvayed.
A) NO CHANCE
B) so that
C) irr spite of tire fact tl-rat
D) because
6. Wl'rere the governnent breaks rip the rnor-ropoly of the cabie companies to allon' for more competitioll,
sen'ice outages and high monthly charges u'ill contintte to be the uonn.
,,\) NO CHru "ntGH
B) If
C) Unless
D) As soon as
7. Sam likes io keep his finances in cireck n'ith spreadsheets that track lt'here he spends his money, altema-
tively, Juno impulsively sPencis morlev on things she doesn't need.
A) NOCHANGE
B) ratirer than
C) so
D) u'hereas
8. The lvlorrgols are better equipped, have rnore rnen, and knols exactly how to dismantle our defeuses.
An,vrva-y, fighting them is a hopeless endeavor.

A) NOCHANCE
B) hr sl-rort,
C) Nevertheiess,
D) Specifically,
9. Gnavas originated from Mexico or Cerltral Anrerica and rvere distributed throttghout tropical America
and the Caribbean region. The)'are norv cultivated in many different places aroturd the world, includi,ng
-:\frica and the Mecliterratrean coast.
A) NO CHAI\GI:
B) Later, they
C) For instance, they
D) In summary, 11'tuy

t21
CHAPTER 19 TRAAISIT/OAJS

10. All over the world remaill fantastic objects, vestiges of people or forces rvhich the theories of arciraeologli
history', and religion camrot explain. They have found eiectric batteries many thottszurds of )'ears old and
strange entities itr space-sr-rits u'ith platinum fastetrers.
A) NOCHANGE
B) In addition, researchers
C) In particular, they
D) For instance, researchers
11. The iclea that life can flotrrish only unrler terrestrial conditions has been made obsolete by space research.
Despite the findings, there are forms of life ai ihe boitom of oceans that don't need oxygen.
A) NO CHANCE
B) As a specific example,
C) Even orr Earth,
D) As a result of the research,

12. Both rock and pop can be consiciered movements in society; the motivations behind these rnorrements,
in fact, were not the same.
A) NOCHANGE
B) therefore,
C) hou.'ever,
D) furthermore,
13. Four gllys \vere brought together by a fen' corporate bigrvigs to create an American version of The
Beetles-The Monkevs. Littie did tire public larorv thev r,vere not even singrng their orvn songs; tirey rt ere
iip,syncing the wllole tirne. Subsequently, The Monkeys managed to top the chatts and make young girls
faint.
A) NO CHANCE
B) All irr all,
C) Nevertheless,
D) As a matter of fact,
14. Developed biomedical methods such as cloning are ver\r contror,ersial. Due to tiris, 93"/r, of all Americals
oppose cloning.
A) NO CHANCE
B) In fact,
C) As yorl can see,
D) in conclusion,
15. In any organ donation, bloocl types and other characteristics must match before organs can be trans-
ferred. According to some people, urrexpected incompatibilities may exist, restilting in ftlrtirer medical
problems.
A) NO CHANGE
B) In summary',
C) SimilarlV
D) Even then.

r22
 THE COLI-ECEPAAIDA

Chapter 18: Word Choice

Exercise 1:

l. D 5.C 9.8 J.J. D

2,C o.D 10. c 14. D

3.D i. u 11. B 15. C

4,C 8.D 12. A

Exercise 2:

1.C 5.A 9.D ' 13.A

2.8 o. \_ 10. c ' 14.8

1l a
J.A 7.C LI. L

4,A 8.D 12. C

Chapter 19: Transitions

Exercise L:

1,A 9.C

2.C 10. A

1i. C

4.D 12. D

5.C 13. B

6.D 14. D

/. D 15. B

8.D

ZJJ