Question

Four sentences that are a part of paragraph are given below; the sentences may or may not be in the right order; create the sequence that forms a coherent paragraph.
1. The US has long maintained that the Northwest Passage is an international strait through which its commercial and military vessels have the right to pass without seeking Canada’s permission.
2.Canada, which officially acquired the group of islands forming the Northwest Passagein 1880, claims sovereignty over all the shipping routes through the Passage.
3.The dispute could be transitory, however, as scientists speculate that the entire Arctic Ocean will soon be ice-free in summer, so ship owners will not have to ask for permission to sail through any of the Northwest Passage routes.
4.The US and Canada have never legally settled the question of access through the Passage, but have an agreement whereby the US needs to seek Canada’s consent for any transit.

• A. 2143
• B. 2431
• C. 3214
• D. 1234

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

The correct order to form a coherent paragraph is 2 → 1 → 4 → 3. Here's the logical sequence: 

1. Sentence 2: "Sentence 2 introduces Canada's claim over the Northwest Passage, stating its official acquisition of the group of islands forming the Passage in 1880 and asserting sovereignty over the shipping routes."

This sentence introduces Canada's ownership and sovereignty over the Northwest Passage, setting the context for the dispute.

1. Sentence 1: "Sentence 1 follows by presenting the US stance that the Northwest Passage is an international strait, implying that its vessels should transit without needing Canada's permission."

This sentence presents the US perspective, which challenges Canada's sovereignty over the passage by considering it an international waterway.

1. Sentence 4: "Sentence 4 builds on this by stating the lack of a legal settlement between the US and Canada over access, but acknowledging an agreement requiring US consent from Canada for transit."

This sentence discusses the unresolved legal issue but notes that there is a bilateral agreement on access, with Canada’s consent required for US transit.

1. Sentence 3: "Finally, Sentence 3 concludes the paragraph by discussing the potential future irrelevance of the dispute due to possible changes in the Arctic Ocean's ice conditions, which would eliminate the need for route permissions."

This sentence concludes by suggesting that future changes in Arctic ice conditions might render the current dispute irrelevant.

Conclusion:

The correct sequence is 2 → 1 → 4 → 3. This sequence logically builds the context of the dispute and concludes with a future outlook on the issue.