Question

Difficulty: MediumSelecting Concluding Sentences and Transitions

When chief engineer Washington Roebling became bedridden with decompression sickness during the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge, his wife, Emily Warren Roebling, stepped in to facilitate communication between her husband and the construction site. She began by taking detailed notes, delivering messages, and representing him at official gatherings. Over the next decade, Emily studied higher mathematics, civil engineering, and cable construction, effectively managing the daily operations of one of the nineteenth century's greatest engineering feats.

Upon the bridge's grand opening in 1883, Emily was the first person to cross it by carriage, carrying a rooster as a symbol of victory. Today, a plaque on the bridge honors her, noting that back of every great work we can find the self-sacrificing devotion of a woman. _________

Which of the following concluding sentences best wraps up the passage while emphasizing Emily Roebling's key contribution to the bridge's completion?

  1. Ultimately, her dedication and leadership ensured that the monumental project was successfully completed, cementing her legacy as a pioneering figure in engineering history.Answer
  2. B
    She later went on to advocate for women's suffrage and traveled extensively throughout Europe, which became her main focus after the bridge was done.
  3. C
    Her work paved the way for future female engineers, her husband remained grateful to her for the rest of his life.
  4. D
    Although she had no formal degree, she successfully manages the site and earned the respect of the entire crew.

Answer

Ultimately, her dedication and leadership ensured that the monumental project was successfully completed, cementing her legacy as a pioneering figure in engineering history.
The correct option successfully summarizes Emily Roebling's central role in the Brooklyn Bridge project and provides a strong, grammatically correct conclusion that ties back to the thesis of her leadership and legacy. It avoids grammatical errors and does not introduce new, unrelated topics.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the passage to identify the main topic and thesis.
The passage describes Emily Warren Roebling's crucial role in managing the daily construction of the Brooklyn Bridge after her husband fell ill.
An effective concluding sentence must summarize the passage's central theme and tie back to the main thesis without introducing new, unrelated information.
2
Evaluate each option for grammatical correctness and relevance to the passage's main focus.
The option ending with 'engineering history' summarizes her role cleanly and remains grammatically sound. The option about 'suffrage and Europe' introduces unrelated facts. The option about 'her husband remained grateful' contains a comma splice. The option with 'successfully manages' has a tense shift.
This process eliminates grammatically incorrect options and options that fail to conclude the specific topic discussed.
3
Select the option that is both grammatically correct and serves as a strong conclusion.
The correct option is the one stating that her dedication and leadership ensured the project was completed, cementing her legacy in engineering history.
It wraps up the narrative of the bridge's completion and reinforces her lasting contribution.

Key Concept

Selecting Concluding Sentences and Transitions
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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