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COMPREHENSION AND LOGIC

COMPREHENSION AND LO GIC - 1


• Reading comprehension
• Para jumbles

INTRODUCTION

Fundamental skills required in efficient reading


comprehension are knowing meaning of words,
ability to understand meaning of a word from
discourse context, ability to follow organization
of passage and to identify antecedents and
references in it, ability to draw inferences from
a passage about its contents, ability to identify
the main thought of a passage, ability to answer
questions answered in a passage, ability to
recognize the literary devices or propositional
structures used in a passage and determine its
tone, to understand the situational mood
conveyed for assertions, questioning,
commanding, refraining etc. and finally ability
to determine writer's purpose, intent, and point
of view, and draw inferences about the writer.

There are several reading strategies to improve


reading comprehension and inferences,
including improving one's vocabulary, critical
text analysis and practicing deep reading.

Para jumbles are jumbled paragraphs. Basically,


you are given a paragraph - but the sentences
are not in the right order. It's up to you to untie
this knot and rearrange the sentences so that
they logically make sense. Normally instructions
for this type of questions will read "Choose the
most logical order of sentences from among the
given choices to construct a coherent
paragraph".

DEFINITION

Reading comprehension is the ability to process


text, understand its meaning, and to integrate
it with what the reader already knows. An
individual's ability to comprehend text is
influenced by their skills and their ability to
process information. If word recognition is

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COMPREHENSION AND LOGIC

difficult, students use too much of their


processing capacity to read individual words,
which interferes with their ability to
comprehend what is read.

Para jumbles are a very important topic of


English section of most of the competitive
exams. It is generally part of every IBPS
examination. In para jumbles, you need to
rearrange the parts of a sentence into a
meaningful sentence or sentences into a
meaningful paragraph.

ESSENTIAL TIPS TO SOLVE READING COMPREHENSION

• Begin with the Topic and the Scope: The


topic should be obvious within the first 1-2
sentences of the passage. Look for the noun
that appears to be the focus of the sentence.
Is the topic a historical figure, a scientific
phenomenon, a business plan, a social
theory, etc? The scope is a little more
specific than the topic. What about the topic
interests the author? Think of the topic as
the top of an umbrella. The scope shows the
parabola of the umbrella and describes what
would and would not fit under it. For
example if our topic is “radiocarbons” maybe
our scope is “theories about how carbon
dating works.”
• The Tone is either Neutral or
Strong/Complex: Look for the adjectives
the author uses to describe the topic, and
the main topics of the individual paragraphs.
What does he/she like or dislike? Look for
descriptive phrases and write down a “happy
face” or “sad face” symbols to track the
opinions and how they change or develop.
Does the author introduce other people’s
opinions? In harder passages, the author will
have mixed feelings. He may feel overall
positively towards the topic but have certain
specific reservations. It’s also possible the
author is removed from the passage and
takes on a more neutral/scholarly tone.
Don’t worry if the opinion is subtle – just
select answer choices that reflect that.
• Go back to the passage for detail
questions: Refer back to your passage map
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COMPREHENSION AND LOGIC

and the specific paragraph that contained


the detail. Try to use your notes on that
paragraph as a prediction FIRST, and only
delve back into the passage if the answer
choices are too narrow. Try to use the
information in your passage notes as a
prediction first. It is often enough to help you
eliminate the four incorrect choices. Only if
necessary should you re-read the specific
lines of the passage.
• Write down the purpose as soon as you
finish reading: Main Idea questions ask
about the main points of the passage. These
questions require you to understand the
purpose of the passage, so make sure to
write down your idea of the purpose as an
infinitive verb before you move on to the first
question. The answer choices will only
confuse you.
• Inferences are based on Implications:
As you read each paragraph, take notes not
only on what is directly stated by the author,
but also on anything he implies by his use of
certain words or phrases. Look for any
descriptive adjectives that will reveal the
author’s opinion and trust your own
impressions. Think of a passage like a body
of water. There is always much more going
on beneath the surface.

STRATEGIES TO SOLVE PARA JUMBLES

• The best approach to solving is the 'free fall'


one. That is, develop a high reading speed
and scan all 4-5 sentences. Try to get a feel
of what the passage is about.
• At this point you need to decide whether this
paragraph is one which you are comfortable
with or not.
• If you decide to go ahead, then scan the
answer options. Are they of any help?
For example, the options are:

a) BDAC b) BCAD c) CABD d) CBDA

Then you know for sure that this paragraph has


to start either with B or C. A quick look at B and
C will tell you which one looks like a better
opening sentence and already your choices will
be halved.
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COMPREHENSION AND LOGIC

Similarly, with options,


a) BDCA b) CDBA c) DCAB d) ACDB
then we know that it has to end with either B or
A. So, browse sentences A and B and see if any
one of them look like a concluding sentence.

There might be other indicators to keep an eye


out for. For example, if three of the five options
start with A and the other two with C/B/D there
is a good probability that A is the starting
sentence.
If, say, a link CB occurs in more than 2 options
then it is something worth paying attention to.

PJ strategies to save time and increase


accuracy

Strategy 1: Once upon a time long ago... /


...and they lived happily after: Identify the
opening/closing sentence using what we
discussed above. Either the tone of the
paragraph or the option elimination method.

Strategy 2: Identify links between two


sentences and try to see if that link exists in
multiple answer options (a sure way to know
that you are on the right track). A combination
of 1 and 2 will take you home most of the time.

Place your magnifying glass on the following,

Strategy 2a: Make it 'personal'. Look out for


personal pronouns (he, she, it, him, her, you,
they). Personal pronouns always refer to a
person, place or thing. Therefore, if a sentence
has a personal pronoun without mentioning the
person, place or object it is referring to, mark it
in your head and scan the paragraph for the
original person, place or object that it refers to.

For example, if you go back to the opening


jumbled paragraph of this article, the third
sentence starts with 'it'. We now need to figure
out what 'it' refers to and the sentence
containing the original 'it' will come before this
sentence.

Strategy 2b: Certain words called 'transition


words' help the author to shift from one thought
flow to another. In other words, they usher in
change. Some transition words that appear
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COMPREHENSION AND LOGIC

regularly are --- hence, besides,


simultaneously, in conclusion, etc. While you
practice PJs whenever you come across a
transition word --- note it down. Make a list!

Strategy 2c: Demonstrate! Look for


demonstrative pronouns --- this, that, these,
those, etc. Again, if you look at our opening
paragraph, the first line starts with 'for this' ---
now we know that we need to figure out what
'this' refers to and the sentence containing the
original 'this' will come before this sentence.

Strategy 3: Sometimes the events mentioned in


the paragraph can be arranged in a
chronological order making it easy for you to
identify the sequence. Example,

A: Alexander Bain, Scottish clockmaker,


patented the electric clock.

B: The next development in accuracy occurred


after 1656 with the invention of the pendulum
clock.

C: Clocks have played an important role in


man's history.

D: Spring-driven clocks appeared during the


15th century, although they are often
erroneously credited to Nuremberg watchmaker
Peter Henlen around 1511.

It is obvious by studying the chronology what


the sequence should be.

Strategy 4: The Chota Rajan Approach.


Sometimes you will find that for some terms in
the paragraph both the full form and the
abbreviation have been used. For Example IMF
--- International Monetary Fund, Charles
Dickens --- Dickens, Dr Manmohan Singh --- Dr
Singh. In these cases where both the full form
as well as the abbreviation is present in different
sentences, then the sentence containing the full
form will obviously come before the sentence
containing the abbreviation.

Strategy 5: If there are two sentences, one


containing an idea and another giving examples
of the same idea then the sentence containing
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COMPREHENSION AND LOGIC

the idea should come before the sentence


containing the examples. But they need not
necessarily be exactly side by side. Example,

A: Russia possesses the largest stockpiles of


weapons of mass destruction in the world.

B: 489 missiles carrying up to 1,788 warheads


and 12 submarines carrying up to 609 warheads
form a looming threat.

A will come before B in this case, even though


there might be sentences in between.

Strategy 6: An article of faith. It is highly


unlikely that the definite article 'the' will be part
of an opening sentence. If 'a/an' and 'the' both
are used for the same noun, then the sentence
containing 'the' will come after the sentence
containing a/an.

READING COMPREHENSION – PRACTICE PROBLEMS

Directions: Read the passage. Then answer the


questions below.

Passage 1:
Today, Mike and his mom are going to the
library. Mike wants to find a book to read. His
mom wants to use a computer there. When they
get to the library, Mike finds a book about
detectives. He also finds a book with chapters
about a friendly ghost. Finally, he finds a book
about a man who lives in the woods without
food or water. He puts the books on the front
desk and waits for his mom.

Mike's mom sits at one of the computers in the


library. She checks her email and looks at
pictures of flowers on the internet. Then she
reads a news article on a website. Mike's mom
leaves the computer and walks over to Mike,
holding up something out for him. Mike looks at
her quizzically. It takes him a moment to
recognize what she is holding. “I got that movie
for us to watch tonight," says Mike's mom. “Are
you ready to leave?”

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COMPREHENSION AND LOGIC

"Sure," Mike says, now holding the movie out in


front of him. He reads the cover while walking
back to the library entrance. He puts his books
and the movie on the front desk to check out. A
librarian stands behind the counter holding an
electronic scanner. "How long can we keep
them?" Mike asks her.
"Three weeks," says the librarian.
"Cool," says Mike.
Suddenly, Mike is surprised. His mother is
checking out something else that is too big to
put on the desk. It’s a picture of the ocean.
"What is that for?" Mike asks.
"To put on our wall at home," says Mike's mom.
"You can do that?" Mike asks.
Mike's mom smiles at the librarian. "Yes," she
says, "but we have to return it in three
months."

1) Based on the books Mike finds to check out,


we can tell that he is interested in
A. science
B. nature
C. mystery
D. adventure

2) While at the computer, Mike's mom


I. checks her mail
II. looks at pictures
III. reads an article
A. I only
B. I and II only
C. II and III only
D. I, II, and III

3) According to the passage, how long can Mike


and his mother use the books and the movie
before they must return them to the library?
A. one week
B. two weeks
C. three weeks
D. four weeks

4) Based on its use in paragraph 4, it can


understood that quizzically belongs to which of
the
following word groups?
A. abnormally, strangely, weirdly
B. casually, carelessly, indifferently
C. passionately, keenly, intensely
D. inquisitively, questioningly, curiously
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COMPREHENSION AND LOGIC

5) As used in paragraph 5, the phrase "check


out" most nearly means
A. to see
B. to rent
C. to find
D. to buy

Passage 2:
Marcia says that all of her friends have a cell
phone, but Marcia’s mom doesn't want to buy
her one. Marcia's mom doesn't want Marcia to
play video games either. What is more, the
Internet scares her.

Marcia's mom says, “If Marcia has a cell phone,


how do we know whom she is talking to? Video
games are bad for you. The Internet is
dangerous and uncontrolled. It’s like having a
gun in the house. We should just ban her from
using the computer, and I'm not buying her a
cell phone until she is eighteen. This is the only
way we can be sure that Marcia is safe."

Marcia’s dad disagrees with Marcia's mom.


Although he agrees that there are some dangers
to it, he likes the Internet, and finds it to be very
useful. “The trouble is,” he says, “We just can’t
stop Marcia from using the Internet, as this
would put her at a disadvantage. What is more,
I like video games. I think that, when played in
moderation, they are fun. Obviously, it is not
good to play them without restraint or self-
control. Finally, I think Marcia needs a cell
phone. We can’t take these things away.”

1) Which of the following best describes the


difference between Marcia's mom and Marcia's
dad?
A. Mom wants to ban Marcia from using the
computer, while dad likes to play video games.
B. Mom thinks technology is dangerous, while
dad thinks it can be useful.
C. Mom cares little about Marcia's future, while
dad is very supportive.
D. Mom is very strict while Dad is open minded.

2) Which of the following best describes the


similarity between Marcia's mom and Marcia's
dad?
A. Mom and dad both like technology.
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COMPREHENSION AND LOGIC

B. Mom and dad both think video games are


bad.
C. Mom and dad both think the internet is
dangerous.
D. Mom and dad both care about Marcia's
wellbeing.

3) In paragraph 1, Marcia's mom says, "It's like


having a gun in the house." She says this in
order to:
A. support the idea that the Internet is
dangerous
B. reject the claim that guns can be safe if used
responsibly
C. encourage Marcia's dad to purchase a gun
D. explain why the Internet is uncontrolled

Passage 3:
Have you ever heard someone use the phrase
“once in a blue moon?” People use this
expression to describe something that they do
not do very often. For example, someone might
say that he tries to avoid eating sweets because
they are unhealthy, but will eat chocolate “once
in a blue moon.” Or someone who does not
usually like to go to the beach might say “I visit
the shore once in a blue moon.” While many
people use this phrase, not everyone knows the
meaning behind it.
The first thing to know is that the moon itself is
never actually blue. This is just an expression.
The phrase “blue moon” actually has to do with
the shape of the moon, not the color. As the
moon travels around the earth, it appears to
change shape. We associate certain names with
certain shapes of the moon. For example, when
we can see a small part of the moon, it is called
a crescent moon. A crescent is a shape that
looks like the tip of a fingernail. When we cannot
see the moon at all, it is called a new moon.
When we can see the entire moon, it is called a
full moon. Usually, there is only one full moon
every month. Sometimes, however, there will
be two full moons in one month. When this
happens, the second full moon is called a “blue
moon.”
Over the next 20 years, there will only be 15
blue moons. As you can see, a blue moon is a
very

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COMPREHENSION AND LOGIC

rare event. This fact has led people to use the


expression “once in a blue moon” to describe
other very rare events in their lives.

1) Which of the following would be a good


example of someone doing something “once in
a blue
moon”?
A. Mary likes to go to the mountains every
weekend. Mary goes to the mountains once in a
blue moon.
B. Tom rarely remembers to take out the trash.
Tom takes out the trash once in a blue moon.
C. Cindy hates to wash the dishes.
Nevertheless, she does it every day. Cindy
washes the dishes
once in a blue moon.
D. Ming sometimes forgets to do his homework.
Ming forgets to do his homework once in a blue
moon.

2) When does a blue moon happen in nature?


A. when there are two full moons in one month
B. when the moon has a blue color
C. when we cannot see the moon at all
D. when we can only see a small part of the
moon

3) Using the passage as a guide, it can be


understood that which of the following
sentences does not
contain an expression?
A. Thomas has lost his mind.
B. An apple a day keeps the doctor away.
C. I'll mow the grass after I finish my
homework.
D. It's never a bad time to start something new.

4) As described in paragraph 3, what is another


example of something that has a crescent
shape?
A. your thumb
B. a distant star
C. the letter “C”
D. the letter "H"

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COMPREHENSION AND LOGIC

SOLUTION WITH EXPLNATORY ANSWER

Solution for first paragraph:


1) C
In paragraph 2, the passage talks about the
books that Mike finds. It says, "Mike finds a
book about detectives. He also finds a book with
chapters about a friendly ghost. Finally, he finds
a book about a man who lives in the woods
without food or water." The first book is about
detectives. Detectives solve mysteries. The
second book is about ghosts. Ghosts are
mysterious. The third book is about a man who
lives without food or water. This is also
mysterious. Using this information, we can tell
that Mike is interested in mystery. Choice (C) is
correct. The passage does not provide
information to support choices (A), (B), and (D).
Therefore they are incorrect.

2) D
In paragraph 3, the passage says that Mike's
mom "sits at one of the computers in the library.
She checks her email and looks at pictures of
flowers on the internet. " This supports option
(I) and option (II). At the end of paragraph 3,
the passage says that Mike's mom "reads a
news article on a website." This supports option
(III). Therefore (D) is correct.

3) C
In the middle of the passage, Mike puts the
books and the movie on the front desk to check
out. Then he asks the librarian how long he can
keep them. The librarian tells him that he can
keep them for three weeks. Choice (C) is
correct. The passage does not provide
information to support choices (A), (B), and (D).
Therefore they are incorrect.

4) D
quizzically (adverb): in a questioning or puzzled
manner.
In paragraph 4, the passage says, "Mike's mom
leaves the computer and walks over to Mike,
holding up something out for him. Mike looks at
her quizzically. It takes him a moment to
recognize what she is holding." Given that it
takes Mike a moment to recognize what his
mother is holding, we can understand that he
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must be looking at it inquisitively, questioningly,


or curiously. Therefore, we can understand that
quizzically belongs to the word group in (D). The
passage does not provide information to
support choices (A), (B), and (C). Therefore
they are incorrect.

5) B
check out (idiom): to itemize or sort to obtain
the amount due for purchase or record.
Both Mike and his mom go to the librarian in
order to check out things from the library. We
know that Mike has to return the books and the
movie to the library in three weeks. We also
know that Mike's mom has to return the picture
to the library in three months. Using this
information, we can understand that if you
check out something, you must return it later.
Similarly, if you rent something, you must
return it later. Therefore, check out means rent.
Choice (B) is correct. The passage does not
provide information to support choices (A), (C),
and (D). Therefore they are incorrect.

Solution for second paragraph:


1) B
In paragraph 1, Marcia's mom says, "The
Internet is dangerous and uncontrolled," and
"Video games are bad for you." This lets us
know that mom thinks cell phones and the
Internet are dangerous and that video games
are bad for you. In paragraph 2 we learn that
although he agrees with mom that there are
some dangers involved with using the internet,
he "likes the Internet, and finds it to be very
useful." Moreover, dad thinks Dad continues to
say, "I like video games."

At the end of paragraph 2 dad says, "I think


Marcia needs a cell phone." This let us know that
dad thinks the Internet is useful, video games
are fun (when played in moderation), and that
Marcia needs a cell phone. Cell phones, video
games and the Internet are all examples of
technology. Mom thinks these things are
dangerous and Dad thinks these things are
useful. Therefore (B) is correct. Mom does want
to ban Marcia from the computer and Dad does
like playing video games. However, (A) is not
the best choice because these are not the only
differences between Marcia’s Mom and Dad. In
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addition, Mom doesn’t want Marcia using certain


technologies because she is worried that they
are dangerous or bad for Marcia. Marcia’s dad
thinks that Marcia should use the technology
because it is useful and fun.

This means that both parents want the best for


Marcia. Since both parents support Marcia and
care about her future, (C) is incorrect. Finally,
just because Mom is concerned about the use of
certain technologies doesn’t mean that she is
strict in general. Just because Dad is pro-
technology does not mean that he is open
minded about everything. Since choice (D)
makes generalizations not supported by the
passage, it is incorrect.

2) D
In paragraph 1, Marcia's mom describes why
she thinks technology is bad. She says that the
internet, cell phones, and video games are
dangerous. At the end of the paragraph she
says, "This is the only way we can be sure that
Marcia is safe." This lets us know that the
reason why she dislikes technology is because
it will put Marcia's safety at risk. This lets us
know that Marcia's mom cares about Marcia's
wellbeing. In paragraph 2, we learn about why
Marcia's dad thinks technology is good for
Marcia. According to him, technology is "very
useful." Moreover, he does not want to take
technology away from Marcia, as this will "put
her at a disadvantage." This lets us know that
Marcia's dad also cares about Marcia's
wellbeing. Therefore (D) is correct. The passage
does not provide information to support choices
(A), (B), and (C). Therefore they are incorrect.

3) A
Feedback: To answer this question, it helps to
use context. In paragraph 1, Mom says “The
Internet is dangerous and uncontrolled. It’s like
having a gun in the house.” Since Mom says that
the Internet is dangerous immediately before
she compares it to having a gun in the house,
we can understand that Mom draws this
comparison to illustrate how dangerous she
thinks the Internet is. This makes (A) the
correct choice. Mom is not arguing that guns
can never be safe. Rather, she compares the
Internet to guns to express how dangerous she
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finds the Internet. This makes (B) incorrect.


Mom does not encourage Dad to buy a gun, so
(C) is not the best choice. Mom compares
having the Internet to having a gun in the
house. She does this to explain how dangerous
the internet is, not explain why the Internet is
uncontrolled. This rules out (D).

Solution for third paragraph:


1) B
In the first and last paragraphs, we learn that
the phrase “once in a blue moon” describes very
rare events. If Tom rarely remembers to take
out the trash, then it makes sense to say he
takes out the trash “once in a blue moon.”
Therefore (B) is correct. (A) is incorrect because
Mary goes to the mountains every weekend.
This happens more often than the blue moon.
(C) is incorrect because Cindy washes the
dishes every day. This happens more often than
the blue moon. (D) is incorrect because Ming
sometimes forgets to do his homework. This
happens more often than the blue moon.

2) A
In the third paragraph, the author tells us that
when there are two full moons in one month,
the second moon will be called a “blue moon.”
Choice (A) is correct. The passage does not
provide information to support choices (B), (C),
and (D). Therefore they are incorrect.

3) C
In paragraph 1 the author introduces the phrase
"once in a blue moon." Then the author tells us
that "People use this expression to describe
something that they do not do very often." This
lets us know that the phrase "once in a blue
moon" is an expression. In paragraph 2 the
author writes, "The first thing to know is that
the moon itself is never actually blue. This is
just an expression." This lets us know that an
expression contains information or facts that
are not actually true. The sentence in (C) does
not contain any facts that are not actually true.
Therefore it is the correct choice. (A) is incorrect
because a person cannot actually lose his or her
mind. (B) is incorrect because eating an apple a
day does not necessarily keep someone from
having to visit the doctor. (D) is incorrect
because there are some times in which it is
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COMPREHENSION AND LOGIC

indeed a bad idea to start something new. For


example, it's a bad idea to learn how to fly a
kite in a lightning storm.

4) C
crescent (noun): the figure of the moon in its
first or last quarter, resembling the segment of
a ring thinning to points at the ends. In
paragraph 3, the author says that “a crescent is
a shape that looks like the tip of a fingernail.”
Of all the choices, the letter “C” is the one most
similar to this shape. Therefore (C) is correct.
The passage does not provide information to
support choices (A), (B), and (D). Therefore
they are incorrect

PARA JUMBLES - PRACTICE PROBLEMS

Question 1:
The five sentences (labelled 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5)
given in this question, when properly
sequenced, form a coherent paragraph. Decide
on the proper order for the sentences and key
in this sequence of five numbers as your
answer.

1. Also known as “The New York School,” artists


painting in this style never belonged to a
formal group.
2. Abstract Expression has come to be known
by the large scale of the paintings produced,
the spontaneous production of artwork (in
contrast with the formality and precision
earlier movements), and an emphasis on
creation over the final product.
3. As indicated by the group’s moniker,
“Abstraction” was also an important
characteristic of the movement; even artists
painting “reality” did so in new and abstract
ways.
4. Instead, artists mostly based in New York
developed their own styles from the early
1940s onwards, and critics grouped them
together based on certain characteristics of
the works they created.
5. Artists such as Jackson Pollock, Willem de
Kooning, and Mark Rothko—Abstract
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COMPREHENSION AND LOGIC

Expressionists—created some of the most


renowned (and expensive!) paintings of the
twentieth century.

Question 2:
The five sentences (labelled 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5)
given in this question, when properly
sequenced, form a coherent paragraph. Decide
on the proper order for the sentences and key
in this sequence of five numbers as your
answer.

1. While researchers have long known that


dogs evolved from wolves, recent findings
have challenged established ideas about
when this shift happened.
2. In contrast, previous studies had suggested
that dogs had evolved much earlier—around
30,000 years ago.
3. While this might seem like a minor
distinction to many of us, it is actually
important for researchers to determine in
which period dogs were domesticated.
4. 3D imaging now suggests that dogs evolved
about 15,000 years ago, as humans began
to transition from hunter-gatherer lifestyles
to forming settlements.
5. By understanding the humans who
domesticated wolves, we can better
understand how interaction between the two
led to the species of domesticated dogs we
know today.

Question 3:
The five sentences (labelled 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5)
given in this question, when properly
sequenced, form a coherent paragraph. Decide
on the proper order for the sentences and key
in this sequence of five numbers as your
answer.

1. In the 15th century, nobles in Italian


Renaissance courts were known for the
highly decorative spectacles they put on,
particularly for celebrations of events such
as weddings.
2. The image most people hold of ballet
dancers is one typical to the twentieth
century: performers on-stage.
3. The Italian Catherine de Medici brought her
taste for ballet to France when she married
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COMPREHENSION AND LOGIC

King Henry II, while King Louis XIV


popularized the form later on.
4. The passion of these two people for the art
form eventually led to the creation of
professional dancers, then the incorporation
of ballet into operas, and finally the
separation of ballet into the stage-based art
we now know.
5. This, however, was not the initial purpose of
ballet dancing.

Question 4:
The five sentences (labelled 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5)
given in this question, when properly
sequenced, form a coherent paragraph. Decide
on the proper order for the sentences and key
in this sequence of five numbers as your
answer.

1. Because all plants need to water to sustain


life, we did not use a control group, relying
instead on the differences in average growth
among the three test groups to provide
information.
2. We found that plants receiving filtered water
grew more than plants in either of the other
groups: on average a difference of 1cm per
week.
3. Each plant was given one fluid ounce of the
selected water each day, and measured once
a week.
4. During our experiment, we tested the effects
of various types of water—filtered, tap, and
chemical-purified—on the growth of
chlorophyte (spider plants).
5. We began with twenty seedlings in each
category, each of which received the same
amount of controlled sunlight in a
greenhouse laboratory setting.

SOLUTION WITH EXPLNATORY ANSWER

• Solution: 5, 1, 4, 2, 3
5 is the best first sentence for this passage,
because it explains the broader context that
defines the artistic movement, Abstract
Expressionism, and the artists who comprised
it. 1 should follow, as it also concerns the artists
considered to have painted in this style, while
providing another term for the group and
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COMPREHENSION AND LOGIC

explaining that they never thought of


themselves as a formal movement. Sentence 4
follows, because this provides an explanation of
why the artists never thought of themselves as
a formal movement. As sentence 4 concludes by
mentioning “certain characteristics” of their
works, sentence 2 should follow, as it explains
what those characteristics were. We know that
sentence 3 has to follow sentence 2, because it
contains the word “also,” showing us that it is
describing additional characteristics after a
sentence describing the primary characteristics.

• Solution: 1, 4, 2, 3, 5
1 is the best first sentence for the passage,
because it summarizes the information that
follows, serving as a topic sentence. 4 should
come next, because it explains the change that
sentence 1 describes. 2 should follow, because
it describes a situation in contrast to the
previous sentence (4 describes the present, 2
describes the past). After that, 3 is the best
choice, because it tells us that this information
is important, and 5 should conclude the
paragraph, explaining why this information is
important.

• Solution: 2, 5, 1, 3, 4
Sentence 2 serves as an introduction to the
general topic by stating a common
misconception. 5 should follow, as a challenge
to the misconception (we know it comes second
because of the pronoun “this,” which needs an
antecedent). Next, sentence 1 describes the
original spectacle upon which modern ballet is
based and provides a broader description of
ballet’s origins. Sentence 3 describes a specific
occurrence that led to the spread of ballet, while
4 summarizes the consequences of this
occurrence. 3 describes how the experiment
proceeded, while 2 summarizes the researchers’
findings, providing an appropriate conclusion for
the passage.

• Solution: 4, 1, 5, 3, 2
Sentence 4 introduces the topic and framework
for the whole paragraph: the experiment that
tests the effects of three types of water on
plants. 1 makes sense as the next sentence,
because it goes on to describe two additional
features of the newly-introduced experiment:
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COMPREHENSION AND LOGIC

the three groups of plants, and the


characteristic that was measured in the
experiment (plant growth). 5 is the most logical
follow-up to sentence 1. Sentence 5’s mention
of “each category” references the three
categories introduced in Sentence 1.
Additionally, by saying how the experimental
process began, Sentence 5 makes a logical
transition from describing the experiment’s
structure to describing the events in the
experiment. 3 is the best sentence to follow 5,
because sentence 3 describes the sequence of
events after the experiment’s beginning, in the
days and weeks that followed. 2 is the perfect
conclusion, because it describes the findings of
the experiment after it was completed.

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