The following question consists of six sentences of a passage. The first and the sixth sentences are given in the beginning as S1 and S6. The middle four sentences in each have been jumbled up and labelled P, Q, R and S. You are required to find the proper sequence of the four sentences and mark your response accordingly. S1: Phatik was a mischievous boy of fourteen. S6: Ultimately he distinguished himself as a scholar. P: It was then that Phatik’s uncle offered to take the boy to Kolkata. Q: She was much worried about his education. R: His mother found it difficult to bring him up. S: Away from his home Phatik became sober and industrious. The correct sequence should be
R Q P S
Understanding Paragraph Jumbling
Paragraph jumbling questions require arranging a set of jumbled sentences (usually four) between a fixed starting sentence (S1) and a fixed ending sentence (S6) to form a coherent and logical paragraph. The key is to identify connections between sentences based on ideas, transition words, pronouns, and chronology.
Analyzing the Given Sentences for Phatik's Story
We are given the following sentences:
- S1: Phatik was a mischievous boy of fourteen.
- S6: Ultimately he distinguished himself as a scholar.
Jumbled Sentences:
- P: It was then that Phatik’s uncle offered to take the boy to Kolkata.
- Q: She was much worried about his education.
- R: His mother found it difficult to bring him up.
- S: Away from his home Phatik became sober and industrious.
Step-by-Step Sequencing Process
Let's analyze how the jumbled sentences logically connect S1 to S6.
- Start with S1: S1 introduces Phatik and describes his nature as "mischievous". We need to find a sentence that follows from this introduction.
- Finding the next sentence after S1: R says "His mother found it difficult to bring him up." This sentence explains a consequence of Phatik's mischievous nature mentioned in S1. It establishes a problem related to his upbringing. So, R is likely the sentence following S1.
- Connecting R and Q: R talks about the mother's difficulty. Q says "She was much worried about his education." The pronoun "She" in Q refers back to "His mother" in R. Worrying about education is a specific aspect of the difficulty in bringing up a mischievous child. Therefore, Q logically follows R. The sequence so far is R Q.
- Connecting Q and P: Q highlights the mother's worry about education. P says "It was then that Phatik’s uncle offered to take the boy to Kolkata." The phrase "It was then" suggests a solution or reaction to the situation described in the preceding sentences (R and Q - the mother's difficulty and worry). The uncle offering to take him away to Kolkata could be a way to address the problem of his upbringing and education. So, P logically follows Q. The sequence is now R Q P.
- Connecting P and S: P mentions the offer to take him to Kolkata. S says "Away from his home Phatik became sober and industrious." This describes the transformation that occurred as a result of being away from home, which P suggests is Kolkata. This transformation directly leads towards the final outcome mentioned in S6. Thus, S follows P. The complete sequence of jumbled sentences is R Q P S.
- Connecting S to S6: S describes Phatik becoming "sober and industrious" away from home. S6 states that he "ultimately distinguished himself as a scholar." Becoming sober and industrious are qualities that would enable someone to study diligently and become a scholar. This provides a logical link from S to S6.
Forming the Coherent Paragraph
Putting all the sentences in the determined sequence, we get:
- S1: Phatik was a mischievous boy of fourteen.
- R: His mother found it difficult to bring him up.
- Q: She was much worried about his education.
- P: It was then that Phatik’s uncle offered to take the boy to Kolkata.
- S: Away from his home Phatik became sober and industrious.
- S6: Ultimately he distinguished himself as a scholar.
This sequence forms a smooth and logical flow, describing Phatik's initial nature, his mother's difficulties, the solution offered, his transformation away from home, and his eventual success.
Conclusion on Sequence
Based on the logical connections between the sentences, the correct sequence of the jumbled sentences P, Q, R, and S is R Q P S.
| Sentence | Content | Role/Connection |
|---|---|---|
| S1 | Phatik was a mischievous boy of fourteen. | Introduction of character and initial state. |
| R | His mother found it difficult to bring him up. | Consequence of S1's description (problem). |
| Q | She was much worried about his education. | Specific aspect of the problem in R (mother's worry). |
| P | It was then that Phatik’s uncle offered to take the boy to Kolkata. | Solution or action taken due to the situation in R & Q. |
| S | Away from his home Phatik became sober and industrious. | Result of P's action (transformation). |
| S6 | Ultimately he distinguished himself as a scholar. | Final outcome connected to S's transformation. |
Revision Table: Checking Connections
| Transition | Reasoning |
|---|---|
| S1 → R | Mischievous nature (S1) causes difficulty in upbringing (R). |
| R → Q | Mother's difficulty (R) includes worry about education (Q). "She" links to "mother". |
| Q → P | The difficult situation (R, Q) leads to the uncle's offer ("It was then that..."). |
| P → S | Going away (P implies this) results in becoming sober and industrious (S). "Away from his home" links to P. |
| S → S6 | Becoming sober and industrious (S) leads to becoming a scholar (S6). |
Additional Information: Tips for Solving Paragraph Jumbling
Here are some useful tips for approaching paragraph jumbling questions:
- Identify the Topic: Read S1 and S6 carefully to understand the main theme and the overall flow from beginning to end.
- Find the Opening Sentence: Look for sentences that introduce a person, concept, or situation, often without referring to anything previous. In this case, R naturally follows S1.
- Look for Connections: Identify sentences that logically follow each other. This can be through:
- Pronoun Reference (e.g., "She" referring to "mother").
- Transition Words (e.g., "then," "therefore," "however," "similarly").
- Cause and Effect (e.g., mischievousness causing difficulty).
- Chronological Order (events happening in sequence).
- Idea Flow (moving from general to specific, problem to solution).
- Check for Closing Sentences: Look for sentences that summarize, conclude, or lead directly into S6. S here leads perfectly into S6.
- Form Pairs or Triples: Sometimes, two or three jumbled sentences form a clear mini-sequence. For example, R and Q form a pair.
- Read the Formed Paragraph: Once you have a potential sequence, read the complete paragraph (S1 + sequence + S6) to see if it reads smoothly and makes sense logically.
Similar Questions
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S1: Egypt lies in the north-east corner of Africa.
S6: The whole country depends on the water of the Nile.
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Q: It has very little rainfall.
R: It is four times as big as Great Britain in size.
S: Only a twenty-fifth of the total area is cultivable.
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S1: In mechanical efforts, you improve by perpetual practice.
S6: There is neither excuse nor temptation for the latter.
P: He cannot go on shooting wide or falling short, and still fancy that he is making progress.
Q: This is so because the object to be attained is a matter of actual experiment in which you either succeed or fail.
R: He must either correct his aim or persevere in his error with his eyes open.
S: If a man aims at a mark with a bow and arrow, he must either hit it or aim it.
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S1: Isaac’s mother married again.
S6: He had a set of little tools and saw of various sizes made by himself.
P: But he was known to be very clever at making things.
Q: She sent him to school.
R: Isaac was left to the care of his good old grandmother.
S: In his early years Isaac did not appear to be a very bright student.
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S1: The examination system must be regarded as the chief wrecker of young nerves.
S6: If I become a Vice-Chancellor, my first act would be to abolish all examinations in my university.
P: It makes me jump out of the bed, all in a sweat.
Q: It does this by building up a tension, for a part of the year, all through one’s youth.
R: And after four decades, the same nervousness sometimes recurs to me in nightmares.
S: I remember the desperate nervousness that used to grip me from January to April every year.
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The following question consists of six sentences of a passage. The first and the sixth sentences are given in the beginning as S1 and S6. The middle four sentences in each have been jumbled up and labelled P, Q, R and S. You are required to find the proper sequence of the four sentences and mark your response accordingly.
S1: History is a subject that is so little valued today that it is almost impossible to win world fame as a historian, yet that is exactly what Toynbee was able to.
S6: Among the civilizations that he studied was that of India.
P: We usually think of history as a chronological account of the development of various states and empires under the ruler.
Q: Toynbee’s view of history was different.
R: He tries to find the pattern behind the birth, growth and decay of civilization.
S: Though he used the recorded history of mankind, he was interested not merely in the chronology of single states or group but in the rise and fall of whole civilizations.
The correct sequence should be
