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Difficulty: MediumSentence-Level Transitions

In 1948, graduate student Bernard Silver overheard a supermarket executive asking a university dean to develop a system that could automatically capture product information at checkout. Silver mentioned this challenge to his friend Norman Joseph Woodland, who became obsessed with finding a solution. Woodland initially tried using ultraviolet ink, but the ink faded too quickly and was expensive. Indeed, he focused his efforts on creating a physical pattern of lines inspired by Morse code.

Which choice provides the most logical transition from the preceding sentence?

  1. A
    NO CHANGE
  2. expensive. Instead, heAnswer
  3. C
    expensive, instead, he
  4. D
    expensive. Likewise, he

Answer

expensive. Instead, he
The correct option is the one that reads 'expensive. Instead, he'. This choice properly identifies the transition as an alternative action after the ultraviolet ink experiment failed, and it uses a period to avoid a comma splice between two independent clauses.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the logical relationship between the sentence about the failed ultraviolet ink and the sentence about the Morse code pattern.
The second sentence describes an alternative path Woodland took after the first method failed, indicating a relationship of contrast or replacement.
Identifying the logical connection is necessary to choose the correct transition word.
2
Evaluate the transition words in the choices based on this relationship.
The word 'Instead' correctly represents a replacement or alternative action. 'Indeed' shows confirmation, and 'Likewise' shows similarity, neither of which fit the context.
Filtering out transitions that establish the wrong logical relationship narrows down the choices.
3
Check the punctuation joining the two independent clauses.
The clauses before and after the transition are both independent. A period is required to separate them. Using a comma with the conjunctive adverb 'instead' creates a comma splice.
Proper punctuation must be used to avoid structural sentence errors.

Key Concept

Identifying the logical relationship between consecutive sentences and punctuating conjunctive adverbs correctly to avoid comma splices.
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Topics

Sentence-Level Transitions

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