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Question

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: There have been two schools of thought which deal with the errors of learners.

S6: Both views are popular today but the second is gaining ground fast.

P: The philosophy of the second school is that errors are natural and they will occur in any learning.

Q: So- errors, they say, is a sign of faulty teaching methods.

R: The first school maintains that if teaching methods are perfect, errors will never occur.

S: They argue that we should concentrate on how to deal with errors, instead of on method of teaching.

The correct sequence should be

This question was previously asked in
CDS I 2017 General Knowledge Previous Year Paper (05-Feb-2017)
The correct answer is

R Q P S

Understanding Passage Sequence and Sentence Arrangement

The question asks us to arrange four jumbled sentences (P, Q, R, S) to form a coherent paragraph between a starting sentence (S1) and an ending sentence (S6).

Let's first look at the fixed sentences:

  • S1: There have been two schools of thought which deal with the errors of learners.
  • S6: Both views are popular today but the second is gaining ground fast.

S1 introduces the topic: two different perspectives on learner errors. S6 talks about the popularity of these two views, specifically highlighting the increasing acceptance of the second view.

Now let's examine the jumbled sentences:

  • P: The philosophy of the second school is that errors are natural and they will occur in any learning.
  • Q: So- errors, they say, is a sign of faulty teaching methods.
  • R: The first school maintains that if teaching methods are perfect, errors will never occur.
  • S: They argue that we should concentrate on how to deal with errors, instead of on method of teaching.

Step-by-Step Analysis for Correct Sentence Sequence

We need to identify the logical connections between the sentences to form a smooth flow of ideas, describing the two schools of thought mentioned in S1 and leading to S6.

  1. Identifying the First School: S1 mentions "two schools of thought." Sentence R directly talks about "The first school" and its belief that perfect methods prevent errors. This sentence seems like a natural follow-up to S1, introducing the first of the two schools.
  2. Connecting R and Q: Sentence R states that perfect teaching methods mean no errors. Sentence Q starts with "So-" and claims errors are a "sign of faulty teaching methods." This aligns perfectly with the logic presented in R. If errors *shouldn't* occur with perfect methods (R), then their occurrence implies the methods *aren't* perfect, i.e., they are faulty (Q). Thus, Q logically follows R. So far, we have the sequence R Q, describing the first school's perspective.
  3. Introducing the Second School: After discussing the first school (R Q), the passage needs to introduce the second school. Sentence P does exactly this by stating, "The philosophy of the second school is that errors are natural..." P logically follows the discussion of the first school. So, R Q P seems likely.
  4. Connecting P and S: Sentence P describes the second school's view that errors are natural. Sentence S starts with "They argue..." The "They" likely refers to the proponents of the second school discussed in P. S presents their argument: focus on dealing with errors rather than just the method. This directly follows from the belief that errors are natural (P). Thus, S logically follows P. So, P S seems likely.

Combining these connections, the sequence R Q P S emerges:

  • R introduces the first school.
  • Q provides a consequence of the first school's view.
  • P introduces the second school.
  • S provides an argument from the second school's perspective.

Let's read the full passage with the proposed sequence:

S1: There have been two schools of thought which deal with the errors of learners.

R: The first school maintains that if teaching methods are perfect, errors will never occur.

Q: So- errors, they say, is a sign of faulty teaching methods.

P: The philosophy of the second school is that errors are natural and they will occur in any learning.

S: They argue that we should concentrate on how to deal with errors, instead of on method of teaching.

S6: Both views are popular today but the second is gaining ground fast.

This sequence flows logically, presenting the two schools and their views sequentially and fitting well between S1 and S6. The views described in R Q and P S are indeed the "Both views" mentioned in S6.

Conclusion on Correct Sequence

Based on the logical connections and flow of ideas, the correct sequence of the jumbled sentences is R Q P S.

Revision Table: Sentence Sequence Analysis

Sentence Content / Clues Connection
S1 Introduces two schools on learner errors. Starts the passage.
R "The first school..."; perfect methods = no errors. Introduces one of the two schools from S1. Follows S1.
Q "So- errors, they say, is a sign of faulty teaching methods." "So-" links to the consequence of R's statement (errors imply methods aren't perfect). Follows R.
P "The philosophy of the second school..."; errors are natural. Introduces the other school mentioned in S1, contrasting with R/Q. Follows R Q.
S "They argue..."; deal with errors, not just methods. "They" refers to the second school (P). Provides their argument based on P's idea. Follows P.
S6 Popularity of both views; second gaining ground. Concluding statement referring to the two views discussed (R/Q and P/S). Follows S.

Additional Information: Tips for Sentence Arrangement

  • Always read S1 and S6 first to understand the context and overall theme.
  • Read the jumbled sentences (P, Q, R, S) to get a sense of their individual topics.
  • Look for transitional words or phrases like "So," "Therefore," "However," "Moreover," "They," "This," "That," which indicate connections between sentences.
  • Identify sentences that introduce a topic or idea (like R introducing the first school or P introducing the second school). These often come earlier in the sequence.
  • Identify sentences that provide examples, explanations, or consequences (like Q explaining the consequence of R's idea or S explaining the argument based on P's idea). These often follow introductory sentences.
  • Try forming pairs of sentences that logically fit together (like R Q and P S in this case).
  • Once a potential sequence is formed, read the complete passage (S1 + proposed sequence + S6) to check for smooth flow and coherence.
  • Consider the options provided. Sometimes, eliminating options based on clear misfits can help narrow down the possibilities.
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