Transitions “To demonstrate what transitions are and how they're used, let's consider the following sentence: May's cookies are sweet and sugary. Sam eats theme all the time. In this sentence, it's understood that Sam eats May's cookies because they are sweet and sugary. Despite the implied cause and effect relationship here, the reader can’t be completely sure. It could be that the two sen- tonces cepresent two totally independent ideas: May's cookies are swee! and sugary, and it just so happens that Sam eats them all the time. To make the cause-and-effect relationship absolutely clear, we could insert @ transition: May's cookies are sweet and sugary. Therefore, Sart eats them all the time. This is a bit of an extreme example, but it illustrates an important point—transitions have meaning. They express how two sentences or paragraphs relate to one another, and they make that connection explicit, even if it's a bit unnecessary to do so. In this case, the therefore is probably not needed, but suppose we wanted to imply that sweet and sugary were bad qualities ‘May's cookies are sweet and sugary. Nevertheless, Sam eats them all the time With one word, we're able to shift the meaning entirely. Now, sweet and sugary cookies are unhealthy snacks tobe avoided. How sentences connect to one another comes naturally to most students, The hard partis staying aware of the full context, In this one made-up example, we can’t be completely sure what the author's intended meaning is, but on the SAT, the author’s intention will always be clear. Your job on SAT transition questions is to read the context, figure out the author's meaning, and choose the transition word that conveys that meaning. Always read the sentence before and the sentence after the one in question. Although you'l typically se transitions atthe start of sentences, they can also be inserted into the middle of a sentence: Every culture holds on to its own myths and superstitions. Many Chinese people, for example, believe the number “4” to be unlucky. ‘And while there are many transitions out there, as long as you are familiar with the ones in the table below, you shouldn’t need to memorize anything. In fact, this table includes almost all the transitions that have shown up on released past exams. 116‘Common Tratisition Words Example love eating vanilla ice cream. How- ever, $00 much of it makes me sick. Math trains you to approach prob- lems more analytically, Furthermore, ithelps you calculate the minimum tip ‘when you eat oul. Pandas are rapidly becoming extinct. In fact, some experts predict that pan- as will die out in 50 years, The state is facing a flu epidemic. Consequently, all hospital rooms axe filled at the moment. Granted, the SAT isa long and tedious ‘exam, but it's necessary for college ad- missions. Place the bread on an ungreased bak- ing sheet, Finally, bake in a preheated ‘oven for 10 minutes. Social security numbers uniquely iden- tify citizens. In the same way, IP ad- dresses identify computers. In conclusion, the world would be a happier piace without nuclear weapons. ‘Transition... Presents an opposing Point or balances a previous statement adds new and support- ‘ng information gives emphasis to a point by adding a specific detail case shows cause & effect concedes a point to make way for your own point shows order or sequence shows similarity gives a summery or restatement THE COLLEGE PANDA Similar Transitions fortunately, on the other hand, conversely, whereas, while, in contrast, on the contrary, yet in addition, also, moreover, and, too, as well, additionally, rot to mention 4s a matter of fact, indeed, to illustrate, for instance, for example a a result, because, hence, therefore, thus, accordingly, so, for this reason nevertheless, although, regardless, despite, even if, nonetheless, still, even so subsequently, previously, afterwards, next, then, eventually, before similarly, likewise, by the same taken in summary, to sum up, in short, in other words Some other transitions that didn’t quite fit in the table are neanwhil, iastend, and otherwise, 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. just 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 vay to get better is to practice and review, practice and review. ™) ‘The most commonly tested transition is however and it's not even clese, It also turns out to be the correct, answer most of the time. Know this transition well, 7£ CHAPTER 19_ TRANSITIONS Exercise 1: Choose the best transition, Answers for this chapter start on page 233. 1. Although women in cities from New York to Boston demanded equality in academic opportunities, most 7 Fast Coast universities dic not yield to such demands. In fact, coeducational belance did not become a prominent issue for East Coast admissions oflicers until the 1960s. A) NOCHANGE B) Inaddition, C) For example, 1D) Be that as it may, 2, Asit tumed out, Senator Aldrich did not plan his Jekyll Island trip for relaxation purposes. Therefore, he confidentially planned the weeklong affair to confer with Wall Street executives for a specific purpose—to draft a banking reform bill that would create a centralized American banking system. A) NOCHANGE B) Nevertheless, C) Instead, D) Afterwards, 3, Some conservatives claim that America was founded as a Christian nation by devout men who sought to establish a system of law and governance based on the Bible, More secular voices, in summary, have argued that the "Christian nation” concept is a misnomer. A) NO CHANGE B) likewise, ©) forinstance, D) on the other hand, 4, The general knew that the price of victory was enormous. Moreover, there would be over a hundred battles and thousands of deaths by the time the war wes over A) NO CHANGE B) Yet, ©) Eventually, D) Indeed, 5. Emily Dickinson is known for her reclusiveness, her isolation from the werld outside her home. Thus, she did have numerous family members to interact with and keep her company when she needed it 4 A) NOCHANGE B) Meanwhile, ) Fortunately, D) Asa result, 6. Evenas Emily Dickinson was never recognized as the poet she was during her own lifetime, she is now known as one of the greatest poets ever. A) NO CHANGE, B) Before ©) Unless D) although 187 10, nL 12. THE COLLEGEPANDA ‘Dogs use their excellent sense of smell to detect friends and foe around them. Nevertheless, bats rely on, their incredible ears to navigate the world using echolocation. A) NO CHANGE B) Inthe same way, C) Onthe onehand, D) Otherwise, . Jonas became fascinated by the variety of seafood in Japan. Nonetheless, the people there ate everything from raw fish over rice, known as sushi, to dried squid and octopus. A) NO CHANGE B) Conversely, the people C) Additionally, the people D) The peopie The cooks fist teat the mixture until the batter comes together in the pan. The pan is then put into the oven and the cake is baked for 30 minutes, Meanwhile, the cake is taken out and put into a decorative boxasit cools. A) NO CHANGE B) Secondly, ©) Finally, D} Inconclusion, My cousin in Vietnam told me in advance that a gift would be arriving at my doorstep. Nevertheless, it surprised me tosee a package from such a faraway place reach a small suburban town in Minnesota A) NO CHANGE B) In fact, ©) Furthermore, D) Therefore, ‘Many students at the university copy theic homework assignments, store test answersin their calculators, and collude in groups. Additionally, professors now use multiple versions of their tests, along with «questions that ere open response and cannot be copied. A) NOCHANGE B) Toillustrate, © Asarresult, D) Justin case, If nothing is done, many sea creatures will soon die off in the face of illegal hunting and the destruction of their natural habitats. Similarly, the leatherback turtle is predicted to be extinct within 20 yeas. A) NO CHANGE B) Inother words, ©) Incontresi, D) In particular, 9~ CHAPIER 19 TRANSITIONS 13. When I visited New York City for the first time, seeing all those densely packed streets didn’t intimidate me. Regardless, they just reminded me of my childhood in Hong Kong, where I would walk from shop a to shop selling newspapers. A) NO CHANGE y B) They 4 ©) Similarly, they D) Finally, they 14, Even though they all serve sushi, there are many types of sushi restaurants in Japan. Accordingly, kaiten . sushi restaurants use a conveyor belt from which customers can pick out what they want to eat q A) NOCHANGE B) Thus, a ©) Otherwise, D) For examgle, 15, The United States upholds free speech and the right to beararms. in addition, the Singapore government co bans the chewing of gum and fines its citizens if they forget to flush a public toilet. ‘ A) NOCHANGE B) Incontras:, ) Otherwise, D) Similarly, Exercise 2: Answers for this chapter start on page 233. 1. Asmost people associate fortune cookies with Chinese cuisine, they were developed entirely in America and are notat all a Chinese invention. A) NO CHANGE, B) Because ) So that D) Even though 2. Global warring has lead to the melting ofthe polar ice caps, harming ecosystems and disrupting natural habitats that have existed for centuries. Even so, there has been a scramble to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and slow the rate of environmental change. A) NO CHANGE B) For this reason, © Meanwhile, D) Be that as it may, 3. A vital part ofany school curriculum, physical education gives students @ much needed break in the mid- die ofthe day. Consequently, the classes promote healfhy eating and exercise, something most Americans don’t get enough of A) NOCHANGE B) However, ) Likevrise, D) Moreover, 120THE COLLECE PANDA . One of the mast densely populated areas in the world, Hong Kong is a city bustling with tourists and foreign businessmen, not to mention the 7 million people who live there. A) NO CHANGE B) furthermore C) don’t forget about D) also plus’ 5, The President must maintain his position on this issue provided that the public does not think he is indecisive and easily swayed. A) NO CHANGE B) sothat ©) in spite of the fact that D) because 6. Where the government breaks up the monopoly of the cable companies to allow for more competition, Service outagesand high monthly charges will continue to be the norm, A) NOCHANGE 8) IF ©) Unless. 1D) Assoon as 7. Sam likes to keep his finances in check with spreadsheets that track where he spends his money, alterna ‘ively, Juno impulsively spends money on things she doesn’tneed. A) NOCHANGE B) rather than C) so D) whereas 8. The Mongols are better equipped, have more men, and know exactly how to dismantle our defenses. Anyway. fighting them is a hopeless endeavor, A) NO CHANGE, B) inshort, ©) Nevertheless, D) Specifically, 9. Guavas originated from Mexico or Central America and were distributed throughout tropical America and the Caribbean region. They ace now cultivated in many different places around the world, including Africa and the Mediterranean coest. A) NO CHANCE B) Later, they C) For instance, they D) In summary, they 121CHAPTER 19_ TRANSITIONS 410, Allover the world remain fantastic objects, vestiges of people or forces which the theories of archeeology, history, and religion cannot explain. They have found electric batteries many thousands of years old and strange entities inspace-suits with platinum fasteners. A) NOCHANGE B) In addition, researchers ) Im particular, they D) For instance, researchers 41, The idea that life can flourish only under terrestrial conditions has been mace obsolete by space research. Despite the findings, there are forms of life atthe bottom of oceans that don’t need oxygen. A) NO CHANGE B) Asaspecificexample, © Even on Barth, D) Asa result of the research, 12. Both rock and pop can be considered movements in society; the motivations behind these movements, in fact, were not the same. A) NOCHANGE B) therefore, ©) however, D) furthermore, 13, Four guys were brought together by a few corporate bigwigs to create an American version of The Beetles—The Monkeys. Little did the public know they were not even singing their own songs; they were lip-syneing the whole time. Subsequently, The Monkeys managed to top the charts and make young girls faint. A) NO CHANGE B) Allin al, C) Nevertheless, D) Asamatter of fact 14, Developed biomedical methods such as cloning are very controversial. Due to this, 9% of all Americans oppose cloning A) NOCHANGE B) Infect, ©) Asyoucan see, D) Inconclusion, 15. In any ongan donation, blood types and other characteristics must match before organs can be trans- ferred. According to some people, unexpected incompatibilities may exist, resulting in further medical problems. A) NOCHANCE B) tnsammary, ©) Similarly, D) Even ther, 122