SAT OwlSunlight reaches only the upper part of the ocean; below about 1,000 meters, the water is completely dark. ______ no plants can grow in the deep ocean, and the animals that live there must rely on other sources of food, such as bits of dead matter sinking from above.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
However,
Consequently,
Likewise,
For instance,
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B
Plants need light, and the deep ocean has none. The absence of plants is a result of that darkness, so "Consequently" fits.
"However" signals a contrast, but the lack of plants follows from the darkness rather than contrasting with it.
Why the other choices are wrong
- A. The lack of plants is a direct result of the darkness, not a contrast to it. This choice incorrectly signals an opposing idea rather than a cause-and-effect relationship.
- C. This word implies the second sentence is similar to the first, but the absence of plants is a consequence of the darkness, not a parallel fact.
- D. This phrase introduces a specific example, but the second sentence states a general result of the darkness rather than providing an instance of it.
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