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Question

In this section, each item consists of six sentences of passage. The first and sixth sentences are given in the beginning as SI and S6. The middle four-sentence in each have been jumbled up and labelled as P, Q, R and S. You are required to find the proper sequence of the four sentences.

S1: We do not know, after 60 years of education, how to protect ourselves against epidemics like cholera and plague.

S6: This is the disastrous result of the system under which we are educated.

P: If our doctors could have started learning medicine at an earlier age, they would not make such a poor show as they do.

Q: I have seen hundreds of homes. I cannot say that I have found any evidence in them of knowledge of hygiene.

R: I consider it a very serious blot on the state of our education that our doctors have not found it possible to eradicate these diseases.

S: I also have the greatest doubt whether our graduates know what one should do in case one is bitten by a snake.

This question was previously asked in
CDS I 2019 Elementary Mathematics Previous Year Paper (03-Feb-2019)
The correct answer is

R P Q S

Understanding the Jumbled Sentences Question

This question asks us to arrange four jumbled sentences (P, Q, R, and S) into a coherent paragraph. The first sentence (S1) and the sixth sentence (S6) are fixed. We need to find the logical sequence of P, Q, R, and S that fits between S1 and S6 to form a meaningful passage.

Let's look at the given sentences:

  • S1: We do not know, after 60 years of education, how to protect ourselves against epidemics like cholera and plague.
  • S6: This is the disastrous result of the system under which we are educated.
  • P: If our doctors could have started learning medicine at an earlier age, they would not make such a poor show as they do.
  • Q: I have seen hundreds of homes. I cannot say that I have found any evidence in them of knowledge of hygiene.
  • R: I consider it a very serious blot on the state of our education that our doctors have not found it possible to eradicate these diseases.
  • S: I also have the greatest doubt whether our graduates know what one should do in case one is bitten by a snake.

Analysing the Sentence Connections

We need to find connections and flow between these sentences, starting from S1 and leading towards S6. The main theme introduced in S1 is the failure of the education system over 60 years in teaching protection against epidemics. S6 reinforces this, calling it a "disastrous result" of the system.

  • S1 talks about epidemics and lack of protection despite education.
  • R talks about doctors not eradicating diseases like epidemics, calling it a "blot on the state of our education". This sentence directly follows up on the theme of epidemics and links it to the failure of education concerning doctors. Therefore, R is a strong candidate to follow S1.
  • P talks about doctors and suggests a reason ("earlier age") for their "poor show". This sentence seems to explain *why* the doctors haven't been able to eradicate diseases as mentioned in R. So, P could logically follow R.
  • Q talks about hygiene in homes and lack of knowledge, providing a specific example of lacking practical knowledge related to health, which is a consequence of the poor education system mentioned in S1 and S6.
  • S talks about graduates not knowing what to do for snake bites, offering another specific example of lacking practical, life-saving knowledge among educated people. This sentence also supports the main theme of education failure.

Finding the Correct Sequence

Based on the analysis, the most logical flow seems to be:

  1. Start with S1 (general problem: education failure regarding epidemic protection).
  2. Follow with R, which narrows down the failure to doctors and their inability to eradicate diseases, directly related to the epidemic theme in S1.
  3. Next, P explains a possible reason for the doctors' failure mentioned in R (learning at an earlier age). This establishes the sequence S1 → R → P.
  4. After discussing doctors, the passage seems to provide further examples of the education system's failure in practical knowledge. Both Q (hygiene) and S (snake bites) fit this.
  5. Between Q and S, the flow seems to be from a general lack of hygiene knowledge (Q, observed in "hundreds of homes") to a specific doubt about graduates' knowledge (S, about snake bites). The phrase "I also have the greatest doubt whether our graduates know..." in S suggests it adds another point, possibly following other examples or observations like the one in Q. Thus, Q → S seems a reasonable order for these two sentences.
  6. Finally, S6 concludes by stating that the whole situation described (lack of knowledge, inability to deal with epidemics, poor show by doctors, lack of hygiene knowledge, ignorance about snake bites) is a "disastrous result of the system under which we are educated," tying everything together.

So, the proposed sequence is R P Q S, fitting between S1 and S6.

Step-by-Step Solution

Let's trace the connections using the sequence R P Q S:

  • S1: We don't know how to protect against epidemics like cholera and plague after 60 years of education.
  • R: (It's a blot) our doctors haven't eradicated these diseases. (Connects the epidemic theme of S1 to doctors and educational failure).
  • P: (If doctors learned earlier) they wouldn't make such a poor show. (Explains *why* doctors haven't eradicated diseases, building on R).
  • Q: (I've seen homes) no evidence of hygiene knowledge. (Provides an example of general lack of practical knowledge).
  • S: (I also doubt) graduates know about snake bites. (Provides another example of specific practical ignorance among the educated).
  • S6: (This is the disastrous result) of our education system. (Summarizes that the preceding failures are due to the education system).

This sequence creates a logical flow from a general problem related to health/epidemics and education (S1), focusing on the medical profession (R, P), expanding to general practical knowledge (Q, S), and concluding with the overall cause (S6, the education system).

Sentence Content & Connection
S1 Introduces the theme: education failure & lack of protection against epidemics.
R Connects to S1, focusing on doctors and their inability to eradicate diseases – a failure of education.
P Explains the reason for doctors' "poor show" mentioned implicitly in R. Follows R logically.
Q Provides a general example of education failure: lack of hygiene knowledge in homes. Follows the discussion about doctors, broadening the scope.
S Provides another specific example of education failure: graduates' ignorance about snake bites. "Also" suggests it adds another point to Q. Follows Q.
S6 Concluding sentence, stating the previous points are results of the education system. Follows Q and S, summarizing the examples.

The sequence R P Q S provides the most coherent and logical flow for the passage.

Revision Table: Key Strategies for Para Jumbles

Strategy Description
Identify S1 & S6 Understand the opening and closing themes/arguments.
Look for Connections Find links between sentences based on:
  • Cause and Effect
  • Problem and Solution
  • General to Specific
  • Chronology
  • Pronoun references (he, she, it, they, this, that)
  • Transition words (therefore, however, moreover, also)
  • Keywords repetition
Form Pairs Identify sentences that clearly follow each other (e.g., R→P in this case).
Eliminate Options Use identified pairs or starting/ending sentences to rule out incorrect options.
Read Aloud Once a potential sequence is found, read the full passage (S1 + sequence + S6) to check for flow and coherence.

Additional Information: Types of Sentence Links in Passage Ordering

Understanding how sentences connect is crucial for solving jumbled sentences questions (para jumbles). Here are some common types of links:

  • Pronoun Reference: A pronoun (he, she, it, they, this, that, these, those) often refers back to a noun mentioned in the previous sentence. Ensure the pronoun has a clear antecedent.
  • Transition Words/Phrases: Words like "however," "therefore," "moreover," "in addition," "for example," "similarly," "on the other hand" indicate the relationship between the current sentence and the previous one.
  • Keyword Repetition or Synonyms: Sentences often link by repeating a key word or using a synonym or related concept from the previous sentence.
  • Cause and Effect: One sentence might describe a cause, and the next might describe its effect or result.
  • Problem and Solution: A sentence might state a problem, and the next might propose a solution or discuss aspects of the problem.
  • General to Specific: A paragraph often starts with a general statement and then provides specific examples or details.
  • Chronological Order: Sentences might describe events in the order they happened (especially in narratives).
  • Idea Development: Each sentence builds upon the idea of the previous one, adding more information or a different perspective.

By identifying these links, you can piece together the correct sequence of the jumbled sentences.

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Similar Questions

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Important Questions from Para Jumbles

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    P: the prize money

    Q: for refusing her

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    S: to compensate the woman

  2. Each of the following items in this section consists of a sentence, the part of which have been jumbled. These parts have been labelled as P, Q, R and S.You are required to re-arrange the jumbled parts of the sentence.

    P: the university authorities cancelled the ongoing student's union election and

    Q: following student's unrest on campus

    R: closed till further orders

    S: declared the institution 

  3. Each of the following items in this section consists of a sentence, the part of which have been jumbled. These parts have been labelled as P, Q, R and S. You are required to re-arrange the jumbled parts of the sentence and mark your response accordingly.

    P: an earthquake and tsunami

    Q: the disaster mitigation agency

    R: said that the death toll from

    S: in Indonesia has crossed 1500

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    P: scientists say they have developed a new

    Q: illnesses such as heart disease and cancer

    R: DNA tool that uses machine learning to accurately

    S: predict people's height and access their risk for serious

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    P: a rare evergreen tree in the Southern Western Ghats

    Q: but researchers have found that

    R: common white-footed ants are the best pollinators of

    S: bees might be the best-known pollinators 

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