Examkin

Question

Difficulty: HardParagraph-Level Transitions

The following paragraphs are from an essay about the history of cartography.

Paragraph 1
Early modern cartographers relied on highly artistic, hand-drawn maps that blended geography with folklore, often filling unexplored ocean territories with drawings of mythical sea monsters. These maps served not only as navigational aids but also as status symbols for wealthy merchants and monarchs who commissioned them. However, as trade routes expanded across the Atlantic and Pacific, sailors demanded maps that prioritized mathematical precision over aesthetic embellishment.

Paragraph 2
[1] This projection preserved straight lines of constant bearing, allowing sailors to chart courses by drawing a single straight line across the map. Despite distorting the relative size of landmasses near the poles, the map revolutionized maritime navigation and became the standard for sea travel.

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

  1. A
    Cartographers started using mathematical grids to help sailors, Gerardus Mercator designed a new type of projection in 1569.
  2. B
    Gerardus Mercator was highly interested about cartography and spent years working on geographic problems.
  3. In 1569, Gerardus Mercator resolved this issue by developing a grid-based projection.Answer
  4. D
    To satisfy this demand, Gerardus Mercator creates a new grid system in 1569 that will help sailors chart their courses.

Answer

The transition that mentions Gerardus Mercator resolving the navigation issue by developing a grid-based projection in 1569.
The correct option, which states that Mercator resolved the issue by developing a grid-based projection in 1569, is correct because it links the demand for mathematical precision in the first paragraph with the mention of 'This projection' at the start of the second paragraph, while remaining grammatically correct and consistent with the passage's past-tense narrative.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the end of the first paragraph and the beginning of the second paragraph.
The first paragraph ends by noting that sailors demanded maps prioritizing mathematical precision. The second paragraph begins with a reference to 'This projection.'
An effective paragraph-level transition must bridge these two points by introducing a specific map projection that addresses the demand for precision.
2
Evaluate the choices for grammatical correctness.
Three options contain grammatical errors: one has a comma splice, one has an incorrect preposition ('interested about'), and one has an inconsistent tense shift ('creates' and 'will help').
Eliminating grammatically incorrect distractors narrows down the choices to the grammatically correct options.
3
Evaluate the remaining grammatically correct option for rhetorical cohesion.
The option introducing the grid-based projection in 1569 directly resolves the demand for precision and introduces the noun 'projection' to serve as the antecedent for 'This projection' in the next sentence.
This establishes a logical, coherent flow between the two paragraphs.

Key Concept

Paragraph-Level Transitions
Rate this question

Topics

Paragraph-Level Transitions

More questions from this topic