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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: There were shots as I ran.

S6: Staying submerged was only too easy with so much clothing and my army boots.

P: The water was icy, but I stayed until I thought my lungs would burst.

Q: I tripped at the edge and went in with a splash.

R: The minute I came up I took a breath and plunged down again.

S: I ducked down, pushed between two men and ran for the river.

The proper sequence should be-

This question was previously asked in
CDS I 2016 English Previous Year Paper (14-Feb-2016)
The correct answer is

S Q P R

Sequencing Jumbled Sentences: The Task

This task involves arranging a series of sentences to create a coherent narrative passage. We are given the first (S1) and the last (S6) sentences of a passage, and the middle four sentences (P, Q, R, S) are presented in a jumbled order. The objective is to identify the correct sequence of these jumbled sentences to logically connect S1 and S6.

Analysis of Passage Elements and Key Sentences

To find the proper order, we first analyze the content and potential connections of each sentence:

  • S1: There were shots as I ran.
    This sentence establishes an immediate situation of danger and the action of running away from it. It sets a tense opening for the narrative.
  • S6: Staying submerged was only too easy with so much clothing and my army boots.
    This sentence provides a reason or explanation for why submersion was feasible. It describes a condition ('so much clothing', 'army boots') that aided staying underwater. This sentence acts as a concluding observation related to being in the water, likely coming after actions involving submersion.
  • P: The water was icy, but I stayed until I thought my lungs would burst.
    This sentence describes the physical experience of being in the water. It highlights the cold temperature ('icy') and the immense effort required to hold one's breath for an extended period ('lungs would burst').
  • Q: I tripped at the edge and went in with a splash.
    This sentence details the moment of entering the water. The action of tripping and the resulting 'splash' suggest an entry that was perhaps not entirely controlled, occurring as the narrator reached the river's edge.
  • R: The minute I came up I took a breath and plunged down again.
    This describes a specific sequence of actions in the water: surfacing briefly to breathe and then immediately submerging again. This indicates a strategy to remain hidden or survive.
  • S: I ducked down, pushed between two men and ran for the river.
    This sentence describes the immediate actions taken to escape the situation presented in S1. It details physical movements ('ducked down', 'pushed between two men') and the direction of the escape ('ran for the river').

Step-by-Step Construction of the Narrative Sequence

Let's piece together the logical flow:

  • Step 1: Establishing the Escape Route.
    S1 sets the scene with danger ('shots'). S describes the immediate response: escaping by running towards the river. Thus, S directly follows S1.
  • Step 2: Entering the Water.
    After running for the river as described in S, the natural next event is entering the water. Q perfectly fits here, detailing the act of entering the water with a splash after tripping. The sequence so far is S1 -> S -> Q.
  • Step 3: Experiencing the Water Conditions.
    Once in the water (Q), the narrator experiences its effects. P describes the coldness and the struggle to hold breath, indicating the duration and difficulty of staying submerged. P logically follows Q. The sequence becomes S1 -> S -> Q -> P.
  • Step 4: Detailing Submersion Actions.
    Following the description in P of staying in the water, R describes a specific action: surfacing for air and then re-submerging. This portrays a continuous effort to manage being underwater. R follows P naturally, elaborating on the actions within the water. The sequence is now S1 -> S -> Q -> P -> R.
  • Step 5: Explaining the Submersion Ease.
    S6 provides the reason why staying submerged was manageable, attributing it to the character's clothing and army boots. This sentence serves as an explanation for the actions described in R and the general state in P, concluding the passage. Thus, S6 follows R.

The complete logical sequence connecting S1 and S6 is S1 -> S -> Q -> P -> R -> S6.

Identifying the Correct Order of Sentences

The middle four sentences that form the core of the narrative are S, Q, P, and R. Their arrangement in this specific order ensures a coherent flow from the initial danger (S1) through the escape, entry into the water, the experience within the water, and the methods used to survive submerged, culminating in the explanation provided by S6.

Therefore, the correct sequence of the jumbled sentences P, Q, R, and S is S Q P R.

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