Question

Read the following paragraphs:

Dessert is a sign of love. My grandmother always had a carton of chocolate bars hidden in the kitchen. Grandma would ask us kids to come help her clean, but it was really a ploy to slip us candy out of sight of our parents. My gram would greet us right at the door with a pan of hot cinnamon rolls or a plate of fresh molasses tarts.

It’s my turn to carry on the tradition. I always have chocolate on hand when my nieces come by. I bake cakes for every family birthday and pies for every gathering, and everyone who marries into the clan gets a mixer and a book of handed-down cookie recipes.

There is one thing we all agree on: “the secret ingredient is love.”



This essay would benefit from transitional words and phrases. Choose the option below that uses transitions most effectively.


Dessert is a sign of love. Thus, one of my grandmothers always had a carton of chocolate bars hidden in the kitchen. Later, Grandma would ask us kids to come help her clean, but it was really a ploy to slip us candy out of sight of our parents. Then, my other grandma would greet us right at the door with a pan of hot cinnamon rolls or a plate of fresh molasses tarts.



Now, it’s my turn to carry on the tradition. Similarly, I always have chocolate on hand when my nieces come by. I bake cakes for every family birthday and pies for every gathering. Indeed, everyone who marries into the clan gets a mixer and a book of handed-down cookie recipes.



Hence, there is one thing we all agree on: “the secret ingredient is love.”


As defined by my grandmothers, dessert is a sign of love. One of them always had a carton of chocolate bars hidden in the kitchen. Grandma would ask us kids to come help her clean, but it was really a ploy to slip us candy out of sight of our parents. In contrast, the other one would greet us right at the door with a pan of hot cinnamon rolls or a plate of fresh molasses tarts.



Similarly, it’s my turn to carry on the tradition. For example, I always have chocolate on hand when my nieces come by. Also, I bake cakes for every family birthday and pies for every gathering. Finally, everyone who marries into the clan gets a mixer and a book of handed-down cookie recipes.



In the same way as my grandmothers, there is one thing we all agree on: “the secret ingredient is love.”


Dessert is a sign of love. Specifically, one of my grandmothers always had a carton of chocolate bars hidden in the kitchen. Grandma would ask us kids to come help her clean, but it was really a ploy to slip us candy out of sight of our parents. My other grandma would greet us right at the door, such as with a pan of hot cinnamon rolls or a plate of fresh molasses tarts.



On the other hand, it’s my turn to carry on the tradition. I always have chocolate on hand when my nieces come by. I bake cakes for every family birthday and pies for every gathering. Everyone who marries into the clan gets a mixer and a book of handed-down cookie recipes.



As these examples show, there is one thing we all agree on: “the secret ingredient is love.”


In my family, dessert is a sign of love. For example, when I was growing up, one of my grandmothers always had a carton of chocolate bars hidden in the kitchen. She’d ask us kids to come help her clean, but it was really a ploy to slip us candy out of sight of our parents. Likewise, my other grandma would greet us right at the door with a pan of hot cinnamon rolls or a plate of fresh molasses tarts.

Now that I am an adult, it’s my turn to carry on the tradition. Just like my grandmothers did, I always have chocolate on hand when my nieces come by. I bake cakes for every family birthday and pies for every gathering, and everyone who marries into the clan gets a mixer and a book of handed-down cookie recipes.

For me and my grandmothers, there has always been one thing we all agree on: “the secret ingredient is love.”

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Answer 1

The fourth option is best.

Its transitions (For example, Likewise, Now that I am an adult, Just like, For me and my grandmothers) are natural and accurate — they show time, continuity, and similarity without misusing contrast or result markers. The other choices use awkward or inappropriate transitions (e.g., "In contrast"/"On the other hand" where there is no contrast, or odd uses of "Thus"/"Later"/"such as") that disrupt the essay’s flow.