Question

Read the following paragraph and answer the question that follows. A. The treaty tests of a budget deficit no bigger than 3% of the GDP and a public debt converging towards a ceiling of 60% of a GDP seemed impossible for Italy to pass by 1999.
B. That Belgium also had a public debt above 100 percent of GDP helped, as did a special euro tax Mr. Prodi introduced.
C. Into the uncompromising environment came the first of a series of external shocks. One of the earliest was entry into the European single currency, the euro, in 1999.
D. But when it became clear in 1997 that Spain was determined to join from the start, Romano Prodi, then Italian prime minister, decided that Italy, as a founder member of the bloc, must be there too.
E. Germany had more or less designed the 1992 Maastricht treaty’s convergence criteria to keep out a profligate, chronically indebted Italy.
Which of the following sequences is the MOST logically ordered?

• A. E, D, B, A, C
• B. C, B, D, E, A
• C. A, B, C, D, E
• D. E, A, B, C, D
• E. C, E, A, C, B

Hint:

For para-jumble questions, look for: 1. Background/context setters. 2. Problem statements. 3. Supporting details/examples. 4. Final outcomes or decisions. This natural order ensures coherence.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Identify the introduction.
The passage is about Italy’s struggle to qualify for the euro under the Maastricht treaty. The logical beginning is E, which sets the background: Germany designed the treaty’s convergence criteria to keep Italy out.
Step 2: State Italy’s problem.
Next is A, which specifies the exact criteria — deficit and debt limits — that Italy found impossible to meet.
Step 3: Provide relief and actions.
Then comes B, which shows how Belgium’s debt and Prodi’s special tax helped Italy’s case.
Step 4: External developments.
After that, C logically follows, describing the larger environment and the milestone of adopting the euro in 1999.
Step 5: Italy’s final decision.
Finally, D concludes the sequence, where Prodi decides Italy must join after seeing Spain’s determination.
Step 6: Verify.
The sequence E → A → B → C → D flows from context → problem → support → external event → decision.
Final Answer: \[ \boxed{\text{D (E, A, B, C, D)}} \]