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Difficulty: HardParagraph-Level Transitions

The following paragraphs are from an essay about eighteenth-century navigation.

[1]
For centuries, sailors navigated the open seas by measuring the angles of the sun and stars to determine their latitude, but calculating longitude remained a deadly puzzle. Without a reliable way to know their east-west position, ships frequently drifted off course, leading to disastrous shipwrecks and costly delays. Desperate for a solution, the British Parliament passed the Longitude Act of 1714, promising a fortune to anyone who could solve the problem.

[2]
____________________ Harrison, a self-educated clockmaker from Yorkshire, believed the key lay in precision timekeeping rather than stargazing. While astronomers searched the night sky for celestial patterns, Harrison spent decades constructing highly accurate clocks that could withstand the motion and temperature changes of a sea voyage, ultimately creating the marine chronometer.

Which choice provides the most effective transition from the preceding paragraph to the paragraph that follows?

  1. A
    Calculating latitude, by contrast, was a far simpler task that navigators had mastered long before the eighteenth century.
  2. This lucrative incentive attracted many competitors, but the most revolutionary proposal came from an unlikely source.Answer
  3. C
    Astronomers tried to map the motion of the moon to solve this puzzle, they believed celestial observation was the only reliable method.
  4. D
    Although the Board of Longitude favored astronomical methods, Harrison focuses instead on mechanical devices.

Answer

The correct option is the one stating that the lucrative incentive attracted many competitors, but the most revolutionary proposal came from an unlikely source.
This choice effectively bridges the two paragraphs by linking the financial incentive of the Longitude Act from the first paragraph to the introduction of John Harrison, the unlikely clockmaker, in the second paragraph.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the ending of the first paragraph and the beginning of the second paragraph.
The first paragraph ends with the British Parliament passing the Longitude Act of 1714 and promising a large reward. The second paragraph begins by introducing John Harrison, a self-educated clockmaker who rejected astronomical solutions.
Identifying the two main ideas that need to be connected is essential for selecting the correct paragraph transition.
2
Evaluate the choices for logical flow, relevance, and grammatical correctness.
The option referring to the lucrative incentive and an unlikely source directly connects the reward to Harrison's introduction. Other options either contain grammatical errors or focus on unrelated details.
A strong transition must bridge the preceding and succeeding thoughts logically and maintain standard grammar rules.

Key Concept

Paragraph-level transitions establish logical connections between the main idea of a preceding paragraph and the introduction of a new paragraph's focus, while maintaining grammatical correctness.
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Paragraph-Level Transitions

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