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Difficulty: HardTransitions: Cause and Effect

Complete the passage with the transition word or phrase that most logically connects the ideas.

Answer:Deep-sea hydrothermal vents spew toxic, sulfur-rich fluids into the ocean, creating a highly hostile environment for most marine life. However, certain specialized bacteria have evolved the ability to convert these chemical compounds into usable organic energy through chemosynthesis. 【As a result】 entire ecosystems can thrive in the dark ocean depths, supported by a food web that does not depend on sunlight.

Answer

A cause-and-effect transition such as 'As a result', 'Consequently', 'Therefore', or 'Thus' is required to connect the two sentences logically.
The correct transitions (such as 'Consequently', 'Therefore', 'Thus', or 'As a result') establish a cause-and-effect relationship, indicating that the thriving of the deep-sea ecosystem is a direct result of the bacteria's ability to perform chemosynthesis.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the relationship between the sentences.
The second sentence explains that specialized bacteria convert toxic compounds into organic energy. The third sentence states that entire ecosystems can thrive in the dark depths based on this energy source.
To determine the logical relationship between the ideas before and after the blank.
2
Identify the type of connection needed.
The ability of bacteria to convert chemical compounds into energy directly causes or enables the entire ecosystem to thrive. Therefore, a cause-and-effect connection is required.
The second sentence describes the cause (energy production), and the third sentence describes the effect (thriving ecosystem).
3
Select a fitting transition word or phrase.
Transitions such as 'Consequently', 'Therefore', 'Thus', or 'As a result' correctly signal this causal relationship.
These transition words establish that the second idea is a direct consequence of the first.

Key Concept

Identifying cause-and-effect logical connections between sentences to select the appropriate transition word.
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Transitions: Cause and Effect

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