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. SI: Why do the English travel? S6: For here, in cosmopolitan England, one is always exposed to the danger of meeting all sorts of peculiar aliens. P: Besides, they are taught that travel broadens the mind. Q: They do so mainly because their neighbour does this and they have caught the bug from him. R: Although they have now discovered the sad truth that whatever travel may do to the mind, it certainly broadens other parts of the body. S: But, and perhaps mainly, they travel to avoid foreigners. The proper sequence should be
Q P R S
Solving Jumbled Sentences: Finding the Proper Sequence
This question asks us to arrange four jumbled sentences (P, Q, R, S) into a logical paragraph sequence, given the starting sentence (S1) and the ending sentence (S6).
Let's first look at the fixed sentences:
- S1: Why do the English travel?
- S6: For here, in cosmopolitan England, one is always exposed to the danger of meeting all sorts of peculiar aliens.
S1 poses a direct question about the reasons behind English people traveling. S6 provides a reason related to avoiding certain people ("aliens") back home in England.
Now, let's examine the jumbled sentences:
- P: Besides, they are taught that travel broadens the mind.
- Q: They do so mainly because their neighbour does this and they have caught the bug from him.
- R: Although they have now discovered the sad truth that whatever travel may do to the mind, it certainly broadens other parts of the body.
- S: But, and perhaps mainly, they travel to avoid foreigners.
Analyzing Sentence Connections
We need to find a flow starting from S1 and leading to S6.
S1 asks "Why do the English travel?". We need a sentence that offers a direct answer or a primary reason.
- Sentence Q starts with "They do so mainly because...", which directly answers the "Why" from S1 by giving a primary reason (imitation of neighbours). This makes Q a strong candidate to follow S1.
So, we likely start with S1 → Q.
Now, let's see what could follow Q. Q gives one reason (imitation). P starts with "Besides," indicating an additional reason is being introduced.
- Sentence P ("Besides, they are taught that travel broadens the mind") adds another common justification for travel. This logically follows Q, adding to the list of reasons.
So, the sequence continues with Q → P.
P mentions "travel broadens the mind". R comments on this very idea.
- Sentence R starts with "Although they have now discovered the sad truth that whatever travel may do to the mind...", which directly refers to the idea of travel broadening the mind mentioned in P, and introduces a contrasting reality (broadening other parts of the body). This creates a clear link between P and R.
So, the sequence progresses with P → R.
R discusses the physical consequence versus the mental benefit of travel. S introduces a different, perhaps main, reason using a contrastive word "But".
- Sentence S starts with "But, and perhaps mainly, they travel to avoid foreigners." This introduces a less conventional, possibly primary, reason that contrasts with the more common ones given in Q and P. It follows well after R, shifting focus to a different kind of reason.
So, the sequence continues with R → S.
Finally, S talks about avoiding "foreigners". S6 elaborates on this idea by mentioning the danger of meeting "peculiar aliens" in England, implying that travel is a way to escape this situation at home.
- Sentence S6 provides the concluding thought, linking the act of traveling (to avoid foreigners, as stated in S) to the situation back home (where foreigners are present).
This establishes the final link S → S6.
Establishing the Correct Sequence
Based on the analysis of the connections between the sentences, the logical flow is S1 → Q → P → R → S → S6.
Therefore, the correct sequence for the middle four sentences (P, Q, R, S) is Q P R S.
Revision Table: Paragraph Jumbling Techniques
| Technique | Description | How it helps |
|---|---|---|
| Read S1 and S6 | Understand the beginning and end context. | Provides clues about the overall topic and flow. |
| Identify Linking Words | Look for words like 'but', 'although', 'besides', 'therefore', pronouns (he, she, it, they), demonstratives (this, that, these, those). | Show relationships between sentences (addition, contrast, cause/effect, reference). |
| Find Topic Sentences | Look for sentences that introduce a new idea or aspect of the main topic. | Helps structure the paragraph. |
| Look for Cause and Effect or Sequence | Identify if one sentence describes an action/cause and another its result/effect, or if events are in chronological order. | Helps establish logical progression. |
Additional Information: Cohesion and Coherence in Paragraphs
A good paragraph is both cohesive and coherent.
- Cohesion: Refers to how sentences are linked linguistically. This includes using connecting words (conjunctions, transitional phrases like 'besides', 'although', 'but'), pronouns (referring back to previously mentioned nouns), and repetition of keywords or related ideas.
- Coherence: Refers to how easily the reader can understand the paragraph and see the logical connections between ideas. A coherent paragraph flows smoothly and makes sense overall.
In jumbled sentence questions, identifying cohesive devices (linking words, pronouns) is a key strategy to help reveal the underlying coherent structure of the paragraph.
In this question, words like "Besides," "Although," and "But" acted as strong cohesive ties, guiding us in establishing the logical order of the sentences P, Q, R, and S.
Important Questions from Para Jumbles
Direction: In the items in this section, each passage consists of six sentences. The first and the sixth sentences are given in the beginning as S1 and S6. The middle four sentences in each have been removed and jumbled up. These are labelled P, Q, R and S. You are required to find out the proper order for the four sentences and mark accordingly on the Answer Sheet.
S1: At the roadside, the driver will be asked to blow through a small glass tube into a plastic bag.
S6: The driver will be asked to go to the police station.
P: And if the colour change does not reach the line the driver cannot be punished under the new law.
Q: Inside the tube are chemically treated crystals which change colour if the driver has alcohol on his breath.
R: But if the colour change does reach the line then the test has proved positive.
S: If the colour change goes beyond a certain line marked on the tube this indicates that the driver is probably over the specified limit.
The proper sequence should be
Direction: In the items in this section, each passage consists of six sentences. The first and the sixth sentences are given in the beginning as S1 and S6. The middle four sentences in each have been removed and jumbled up. These are labeled P, Q, R, and S. You are required to find out the proper order for the four sentences and mark accordingly on the Answer Sheet.
S1: Hope springs eternally in the heart of man.
S6: This is the central idea of the poem.
P: But hope is everlasting.
Q: Love, friendship, and youth perish.
R: It is nursed by the glorious elements of nature.
S: Man derives hope from nature in his gallant struggle after some noble ideal.
The proper sequence should be
Direction: In the items in this section, each passage consists of six sentences. The first and the sixth sentences are given in the beginning as S1 and S6. The middle four sentences in each have been removed and jumbled up. These are labeled P, Q, R, and S. You are required to find out the proper order for the four sentences and mark accordingly on the Answer Sheet.
S1: Mr. Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson were spending a weekend in a University town.
S6: It was clear that something very unusual happened.
P: One evening they received a visit from an acquaintance, Mr. Hilton Soames.
Q: On that occasion, he was in a state of great agitation.
R: They were staying in furnished rooms, close to the library.
S: Mr. Soames was a tall, thin man of a nervous and excitable nature.
The proper sequence should be
Direction: In the items in this section, each passage consists of six sentences. The first and the sixth sentences are given in the beginning as S1 and S6. The middle four sentences in each have been removed and jumbled up. These are labeled P, Q, R, and S. You are required to find out the proper order for the four sentences and mark accordingly on the Answer Sheet.
S1: The machines that drive modern civilisation derive their power from coal and oil.
S6: Nuclear energy may also be effectively used in this respect.
P: But they are not inexhaustible.
Q: These sources may not be exhausted very soon.
R: A time may come when some other sources have to be tapped and utilised.
S: Power may, of course, be obtained in future from forests, water, wind and withered vegetables.
The proper sequence should be
Direction: In the items in this section, each passage consists of six sentences. The first and the sixth sentences are given in the beginning as S1 and S6. The middle four sentences in each have been removed and jumbled up. These are labeled P, Q, R, and S. You are required to find out the proper order for the four sentences and mark accordingly on the Answer Sheet.
S1: The body can never stop.
S6: It comes from food.
P: To support this endless activity, the body needs all the fuel for action.
Q: Sometimes it is more active than at other times, but it is always moving.
R: Even in the deepest sleep we must breathe.
S: The fuel must come from somewhere.
The proper sequence should be
