Question

Which one of the sentence sequences in the given options creates a coherent narrative?
(i) I could not bring myself to knock.
(ii) There was a murmur of unfamiliar voices coming from the big drawing room and the door was firmly shut.
(iii) The passage was dark for a bit, but then it suddenly opened into a bright kitchen.
(iv) I decided I would rather wander down the passage.

• A. (iv), (i), (iii), (ii)
• B. (iii), (i), (ii), (iv)
• C. (ii), (i), (iv), (iii)
• D. (i), (iii), (ii), (iv)

Hint:

In sentence arrangement questions, look for "cause and effect" pairs, "problem and solution" pairs, and chronological cues. Also, identify pronouns (like 'it', 'this', 'that') and see which sentence they refer to; this helps in linking sentences.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
This question, often called "para-jumbles," asks you to arrange a set of sentences into a logical and coherent paragraph. The key is to identify the opening sentence, find logical connections (cause-effect, problem-solution, chronological order), and identify the concluding sentence.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let's analyze the sentences to find the logical flow:
1. Finding the opening sentence:
- Sentence (i) "I could not bring myself to knock." This is a reaction to something. It's unlikely to be the start.
- Sentence (ii) "There was a murmur of unfamiliar voices... and the door was firmly shut." This sets the scene and provides a context. It's a strong candidate for the opening sentence.
- Sentence (iii) "The passage was dark for a bit..." This describes an action of moving down a passage. It should come after the decision to do so.
- Sentence (iv) "I decided I would rather..." This is a decision, which must be a response to a situation. It's not a good starting sentence.
So, (ii) is the most logical start. This eliminates options (A), (B), and (D). Option (C) is the only one that starts with (ii).
2. Building the sequence from (ii):
- Start with (ii): The scene is set. There are voices behind a shut door.
- What is the logical reaction? (i): Because of the voices and the shut door, "I could not bring myself to knock." This is a direct cause-and-effect link. The sequence is now (ii) -> (i).
- What happens after deciding not to knock? (iv): After deciding not to knock, the narrator makes an alternative plan: "I decided I would rather wander down the passage." This is a logical next step. The sequence is now (ii) -> (i) -> (iv).
- What happens while wandering down the passage? (iii): "The passage was dark for a bit, but then it suddenly opened into a bright kitchen." This sentence describes the experience of acting on the decision made in (iv). It provides a conclusion to the small narrative. The sequence is (ii) -> (i) -> (iv) -> (iii).
Step 3: Final Answer:
The coherent narrative sequence is (ii), (i), (iv), (iii).
Step 4: Why This is Correct:
This sequence creates a clear and logical story. It starts by setting a scene (ii), describes the narrator's reaction (i), follows with the narrator's subsequent decision (iv), and concludes by describing the outcome of that decision (iii). This chronological and causal flow is what makes the narrative coherent.