Ordering of Sentences Practice Questions

5 questions per page • Detailed step-by-step solutions

Directions (Q. )

In each of the following questions, a passage consists of six sentences. The first and sixth sentences are given at the beginning and end (as S₁ and S₆). The middle four sentences have been jumbled up and labelled as P, Q, R, and S. Find the proper sequence for the four sentences.

Question 21
Easy
  1. Tea is one of the most widely consumed beverages, made from the leaves of Camellia sinensis.
  2. Rolling breaks the leaf cells, triggering oxidation that darkens the leaves.
  3. Pickers harvest the young shoots, usually the top two leaves and a bud.
  4. The plucked leaves are spread out to wither, losing moisture and becoming pliable.
  5. Finally, the leaves are fired or dried to halt oxidation and preserve the flavour.
  6. Each step determines whether the tea becomes green, oolong, or black.
A QRPS
B PQRS
C SRPQ
D RSQP
Correct Answer: A

Explanation:

Q describes harvesting, R describes withering, P describes rolling and oxidation, and S describes firing.
Question 22
Medium
  1. The magnetic compass helps navigators determine direction using Earth's magnetic field.
  2. A magnetised needle aligns itself with the field, pointing roughly toward magnetic north.
  3. Mounting the needle on a pivot or floating it in liquid allowed it to turn freely and settle.
  4. Navigators must also correct for magnetic declination, the difference between magnetic and true north.
  5. The ancient Chinese were among the first to use magnetised lodestone for orientation.
  6. With these refinements, the compass became a reliable guide for sailors and travellers.
A QRSP
B PSRQ
C SPQR
D RQPS
Correct Answer: C

Explanation:

S describes the early Chinese use, P explains how the needle aligns with the field, Q describes the pivot or floating mount, and R explains the declination correction.
Question 23
Medium
  1. Gunpowder, a mixture of charcoal, sulphur, and saltpetre, was first developed in China.
  2. Knowledge of gunpowder reached the Islamic world and Europe through trade and conquest.
  3. By the eleventh century, Chinese armies used gunpowder in fire arrows and bombs.
  4. Early Chinese alchemists discovered it while searching for an elixir of immortality.
  5. Over time, gunpowder changed warfare, leading to cannon, muskets, and new military tactics.
  6. Its invention transformed both warfare and the history of technology.
A QRSP
B SPRQ
C RQPS
D PSQR
Correct Answer: C

Explanation:

R describes its accidental discovery, Q describes early military use, P describes its spread, and S describes its effect on warfare.
Question 24
Medium
  1. Desalination removes salt from seawater to produce fresh water for drinking and farming.
  2. The membranes block salt ions while letting water molecules pass, but they need frequent cleaning.
  3. Reverse osmosis is now more common, forcing seawater through membranes under high pressure.
  4. Thermal desalination boils seawater and collects the condensed vapour, which is free of salt.
  5. The concentrated brine left behind must be discharged carefully to avoid harming marine life.
  6. Desalination can ease water scarcity, but its energy and environmental costs remain significant.
A RQPS
B SPQR
C QRSP
D PRSQ
Correct Answer: A

Explanation:

R describes thermal desalination, Q describes reverse osmosis, P describes the membranes, and S describes the brine discharge.
Question 25
Medium
  1. Rivers shape landscapes through a combination of erosion, transport, and deposition.
  2. Such deposits are often very fertile, which is why many early civilisations grew up along rivers.
  3. As the river slows on flatter ground, it drops sediment to form floodplains and deltas.
  4. Fast-flowing upland streams carve steep valleys by scouring rock and carrying away debris.
  5. Over long periods, these processes can shift a river's course entirely, leaving old channels behind.
  6. The river's work is slow, but its cumulative effect on the land is dramatic.
A QPRS
B RQPS
C SPRQ
D PQSR
Correct Answer: B

Explanation:

R describes erosion in upland streams, Q explains deposition on flat ground, P describes the fertile deposits, and S explains long-term changes to the river's course.