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Question

Difficulty: Very hardSentence-Level Transitions

The passage below is from an article about the history of chemistry.

In 2009, chemist Mas Subramanian and his team at Oregon State University accidentally discovered YInMn Blue, a vibrant and highly stable blue pigment, while testing materials for electronics applications. The pigment's unique crystal structure absorbs red and green wavelengths while reflecting blue light, making it highly durable and resistant to fading. Consequently, scientists had long assumed that the synthesis of a durable, non-toxic inorganic blue pigment was chemically improbable.

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

  1. A
    NO CHANGE
  2. Prior to this breakthrough,Answer
  3. C
    For this reason,
  4. D
    Indeed,

Answer

Prior to this breakthrough,
The sentence describing the long-held assumption that synthesizing a durable, non-toxic inorganic blue pigment was chemically improbable represents a historical state of belief that existed before the 2009 discovery of YInMn Blue. The transition 'Prior to this breakthrough' correctly establishes this chronological relationship, signaling that the assumption was held before the discovery occurred.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the relationship between the two sentences separated by the transition.
The first sentence describes the 2009 discovery of a durable and stable blue pigment. The second sentence describes a belief held by scientists ('had long assumed') that creating such a pigment was chemically improbable.
Identifying the core ideas of both sentences is necessary to determine how they connect logically.
2
Identify the chronological and logical relationship between the discovery and the assumption.
The assumption of impossibility occurred before the 2009 discovery, meaning the discovery eventually disproved the long-held assumption.
Understanding the timeline helps select the transition that correctly frames the past assumption in relation to the new discovery.
3
Evaluate the choices to find the transition that reflects this temporal relationship.
'Prior to this breakthrough' correctly establishes that the assumption was held before the discovery of YInMn Blue.
Selecting the option that matches the identified chronological relationship ensures text coherence.

Key Concept

Selecting the transition word or phrase that accurately reflects the chronological and logical relationship between two sentences.
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Sentence-Level Transitions

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