The following passage describes historical migration patterns in the American Southwest. Which transition word most logically completes the blank in the text to signal a cause-and-effect relationship?
Answer:In the thirteenth century, the ancestral Puebloan people of the American Southwest faced prolonged droughts that decimated their maize crops. This severe agricultural disruption threatened their entire societal structure. They, 【therefore】, abandoned their cliff dwellings and migrated southward to regions with more reliable water sources, establishing new communities along the Rio Grande.
Answer
therefore (or thus, hence, accordingly)
The migration of the ancestral Puebloan people was a direct consequence of the prolonged droughts that ruined their crops and threatened their societal structure. Therefore, a cause-and-effect transition is required. The words 'therefore', 'thus', 'hence', or 'accordingly' correctly establish this relationship when embedded in the sentence.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Transitions: Cause and Effect