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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: Ramu was in a great hurry.

S6: Fortunately, it wasn’t a very serious one.

P: As a result of this carelessness, he met with an accident.

Q: The examination was to begin in five minutes time.

R: He just rushed across the road.

S: So he forgot to look to the left or right as he always did.

The proper sequence should be

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

QSRP

Understanding Paragraph Jumbling Questions

Paragraph jumbling questions require you to rearrange a set of jumbled sentences (often labelled P, Q, R, S) into a coherent passage that fits logically between a starting sentence (S1) and an ending sentence (S6). The key is to identify the logical connections, transitions, and cause-and-effect relationships between the sentences.

Analyzing the Jumbled Sentences

Let's look at the given sentences:

  • S1: Ramu was in a great hurry.
  • S6: Fortunately, it wasn’t a very serious one.
  • P: As a result of this carelessness, he met with an accident.
  • Q: The examination was to begin in five minutes time.
  • R: He just rushed across the road.
  • S: So he forgot to look to the left or right as he always did.

Step-by-Step Sequencing Process

We need to arrange P, Q, R, and S to form a logical sequence following S1 and leading to S6.

  1. Connect S1: S1 states Ramu was in a great hurry. Which of the jumbled sentences explains *why* he was in a hurry?
    • Sentence Q explains the reason: "The examination was to begin in five minutes time." This logically follows S1, explaining the cause of his hurry.

    So, Q is likely the first sentence in the sequence.

  2. Following Q: Since the examination was starting soon (Q), what would be a consequence of being in a great hurry (S1) and having very little time (Q)?
    • Sentence S describes a consequence of being in a hurry: "So he forgot to look to the left or right as he always did." The word "So" indicates it's a result of the preceding state (hurry/lack of time).

    Therefore, S logically follows Q.

  3. Following S: What action would someone take if they forgot to look while crossing the road (S)?
    • Sentence R describes such an action: "He just rushed across the road." This action is a direct result of not looking carefully (S).

    Thus, R follows S.

  4. Following R and leading to S6: What would be the likely outcome of rushing across the road carelessly (R)?
    • Sentence P describes the consequence: "As a result of this carelessness, he met with an accident." The phrase "As a result of this carelessness" refers back to the actions described (forgetting to look in S and rushing in R).
    • Sentence S6 talks about the accident not being serious, which directly relates to the mention of an accident in P.

    So, P follows R and leads naturally into S6.

The Proper Sequence

Based on the logical flow, the sequence of the jumbled sentences is Q > S > R > P.

Let's read the complete paragraph with this sequence:

S1: Ramu was in a great hurry.
Q: The examination was to begin in five minutes time.
S: So he forgot to look to the left or right as he always did.
R: He just rushed across the road.
P: As a result of this carelessness, he met with an accident.
S6: Fortunately, it wasn’t a very serious one.

This forms a cohesive and logical story.

Final Answer Sequence

The correct sequence of the middle sentences is QSRP.

Revision Table: Key Sequencing Tips

Tip Explanation
Identify Connectors Look for words like "So," "Therefore," "As a result," "However," "But," "Also," "In addition," etc., which indicate relationships between sentences.
Find Cause and Effect Determine which sentence describes a cause and which describes its effect.
Check Pronoun References Ensure pronouns (he, she, it, they) refer back to nouns or phrases introduced earlier in the passage.
Look for Time or Sequence Words Words like "first," "then," "next," "finally," specific dates or times can help establish chronological order.
General to Specific Often, a paragraph moves from a general statement to more specific details or examples.

Additional Information: Improving Reading Comprehension for Jumbles

Mastering paragraph jumbling requires strong reading comprehension skills. Practicing with different types of passages helps. Focus on understanding the main idea of the passage and the role each sentence plays in developing that idea. Try to predict what kind of information should come next based on the sentence you just read. Pay attention to the topic being discussed and how it evolves throughout the passage. Regular practice improves your ability to spot the subtle links and transitions between sentences, making these jumbling questions easier to solve during exams.

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Important Questions from Para Jumbles

  1. Rearrange the 4 disorganized sentences P, Q, R and S to form a meaningful paragraph.

    P : cricket is a religion in India and

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    A. PQSR

    B. PSQR

    C. QSPR

    D. SPRQ

  2. Rearrange the 4 disorganized sentences P, Q, R and S to form a meaningful paragraph.

    P : is mostly produced in rural farms

    Q : India is a leading producer of

    R : milk is the most important of them and

    S : dairy products by volume

    Proper order is

    A. SRPQ

    B. QSPR

    C. QPSR

    D. QSRP

  3. Rearrange the 4 disorganized sentences P, Q, R and S to form a meaningful paragraph.

    P: mostly decided by the market conditions

    Q: Sometimes, a United States dollar is worth only 12 pesos in Mexico

    R: the rates of exchange between them vary from time to time

    S: and some other time it can be 100 pesos

    Proper order is -

    A. PRSQ

    B. QPRS

    C. QSRP

    D. QSPR

  4. Directions: Given below are four jumbled sentences. Out of the given options select the one that gives their correct order.

    A. Anush was very afraid of stray dogs.

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  5. Sentences of a paragraph are given below in jumbled order. Arrange the sentences in the right order to form a meaningful and coherent paragraph.

    A. In arid regions it may form an almost erect shrub.
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    C. Small greenish flowers, in clusters, precede the fruit, which varies in colour from almost black to green, red and amber.
    D. The edible leaves are alternate, palmately lobed and always tooth-edged.

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