SAT Reading & Writing Question of the Day

After a two-year renovation added skylights, reopened galleries, and new ticketing kiosks, the museum expected crowds to return, yet attendance has remained below pre-pandemic levels, a shortfall administrators attribute to shifting tourism patterns and remote work, prompting a retooled marketing campaign to highlight neighborhood events. _____ annual memberships have climbed, suggesting that local residents are committing to the institution even if casual visits have not fully rebounded.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?