Reading and Writing: Expression of Ideas
SAT Question of the Day for October 7, 2026
Historian Mariana Vasconcelos has argued that the 1789 Inconfidencia Mineira in colonial Brazil was driven primarily by local tax grievances rather than Enlightenment ideology. Other scholars, however, point to the conspirators' extensive correspondence with French philosophes as evidence of ideological motivation. __________ Vasconcelos does not deny that the conspirators read Enlightenment texts; she contends that their rhetoric borrowed Enlightenment language to legitimize what were fundamentally economic demands.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
- A.To be sure,Correct answer
- B.By contrast,
- C.In addition,
- D.As a result,
Explanation
The third sentence acknowledges a point raised by the opposing scholars (that the conspirators did read Enlightenment texts) before reasserting Vasconcelos's position that this reading served economic rather than ideological ends. "To be sure," correctly introduces a concessive acknowledgment that sets up the rebuttal in the second half of the sentence. "By contrast," implies the third sentence introduces a wholly opposing viewpoint, but it actually concedes part of the opposing argument before refining Vasconcelos's original claim. "In addition," suggests an additive relationship, failing to capture the concessive structure of the sentence. "As a result," implies causation, but the third sentence does not follow as a consequence of the scholars' counterargument; it is Vasconcelos's nuanced response to it.
How to use this question
Try the question before you read the explanation: cover it, commit to an answer, and then compare your reasoning with the worked solution. If you missed it, note the step where your approach went wrong rather than only the correct letter, and look for that same step the next time you see a similar question.
Every past question stays here with its answer and explanation, and a new question is posted every day.