Explanation
Correct answer: C.
Choice C is the best answer. “Consequently” logically signals that the information in this sentence—that many individual gold prospectors gave up their fortune-hunting dreams and became employees of mining companies—is a result or consequence of the previous information about the inaccessibility of the state’s gold deposits.
Why the other choices are wrong
Choice A
Choice A is incorrect because “furthermore” illogically signals that the information in this sentence merely adds to the previous information about the inaccessibility of the state’s gold deposits. Instead, it’s a result or consequence of that information.
Choice B
Choice B is incorrect because “still” illogically signals that the information in this sentence offers a contrast or exception to the previous information about the inaccessibility of the state’s gold deposits. Instead, it’s a result or consequence of that information.
Choice D
Choice D is incorrect because “next” illogically signals that the information in this sentence is the next step in a process. Instead, it’s a result or consequence of the previous information about the inaccessibility of the state’s gold deposits.