Question

The given sentence is missing in the paragraph below. Decide where it best fits among the options 1, 2, 3, or 4 indicated in the paragraph.
Sentence: Historically, silver has been, and still is, an important element in the business of 'show' visible in private houses, churches, government and diplomacy.
Paragraph:
____(1) ____. Timothy Schroder put it succinctly in suggesting that electric light and eating in the kitchen eroded this need. As he explained to the author, ‘Silver, when illuminated by flickering candlelight, comes alive and almost dances before the eyes, but when lit by electric light it becomes flat and dead.’ ____(2) ____. Domestic and economic changes may have worked against the market, but the London silver trade remained buoyant, thanks to the competition of collectors seeking grand display silver at the top end, and the buyers of ‘collectables’, like spoons and wine labels and ‘novelties’, at the bottom. ____(3) ____. Another factor that came into play was the systematic collection building of certain American museums over the period. Boston, Huntington Art Gallery and Williamsburg, among others, were largely supplied by London dealers. ____(4) ____.

• A. Option 4
• B. Option 1
• C. Option 3
• D. Option 2

Hint:

When inserting a sentence, check for pronouns like “this need,” “such,” or “these,” which often refer back to the missing statement. This helps identify the correct position quickly.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

The question asks us to find the most appropriate placement for the given sentence within the paragraph. First, let's understand the context of both the sentence and the paragraph:

Given Sentence: "Historically, silver has been, and still is, an important element in the business of 'show' visible in private houses, churches, government, and diplomacy."

Paragraph Analysis: 

1. The paragraph discusses the changing role of silver in society, highlighting the effects of electric lighting and other domestic changes on silver's prominence and desirability.
2. The paragraph mentions that despite these changes, the London silver market stayed strong due to collectors acquiring silver for 'grand display' and other purposes. This indicates there is a historical context to silver's importance, aligning well with the given sentence.
3. Option 3 seems like the natural point where the historical significance of silver is introduced before discussing the continued interest by collectors, which ties in the past and present relevance of silver collectively.
4. The later parts of the paragraph discuss American museums building collections, which rely on the historical significance and prestige associated with silver.

Logic and Conclusion:

The given sentence about the historical and ongoing importance of silver fits best at Option 3. Placing the sentence here emphasizes the paragraph's transition from the eroding need for silver due to technological and lifestyle changes to its enduring value in cultural and historical terms.

Correct Answer: Option 3

Answer 2

Step 1: Examine the meaning of the missing sentence.
The sentence describes silver as historically important for display and public “show.” This is a general introductory remark about the cultural and social function of silver.
Step 2: Identify where such an introductory sentence would fit.
The very next sentence (after blank 1) says that electric lighting and kitchen dining eroded this need. The phrase “this need” refers to the need described in the missing sentence — the need for silver as a symbol of display.
Therefore, the missing sentence must precede this “erosion” explanation, meaning it belongs at Blank (1).
Step 3: Check why other placements don’t work.

Blank (2) follows a detailed point about how silver looks under different lighting; an introductory historical statement would break the flow.
Blank (3) follows a discussion of the silver market and collectors—again unrelated to historical “show.”
Blank (4) follows information about American museums; inserting the sentence there makes no logical sense.
Thus, the correct position is (1).
Step 4: Map this to the answer choices.
The list of answer choices indicates that: \[ \text{Option 1 (position 1)} \longrightarrow \text{Answer choice (3)} \]
So, the correct answer is (3) Option 1.