Arrange the following English words in dictionary (alphabetical) order: 1. Zeal 2. Zebra 3. Zygote 4. Zinc 5. Zest

Introduction / Context:
This question checks your understanding of basic dictionary or alphabetical order using a set of words that all start with the same letter. Such questions are common in verbal reasoning because they test attention to individual letters and the exact left-to-right comparison that a dictionary follows. Here you must decide the correct order of the five given words beginning with Z.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- Words to be arranged: Zeal, Zebra, Zygote, Zinc, Zest.
- We follow standard English dictionary order from left to right.
- When earlier letters are the same, we compare the next letter, and so on.
- Capitalisation does not affect order; only letter sequence matters.

Concept / Approach:
In alphabetical ordering, you compare words letter by letter from the left. The first position where they differ decides the order: a word with a smaller letter at that position comes first. When several words share the same initial letters, you keep moving to the right until a difference appears. If one word ends while the other continues, the shorter word comes first. Applying this systematically gives an unambiguous sequence.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Write each word with its first few letters: Zeal, Zebra, Zest, Zinc, Zygote. Step 2: Compare by the first letter: all start with Z, so move to the second letter. Step 3: The second letter is 'e' for Zeal, Zebra, Zest; 'i' for Zinc; and 'y' for Zygote. So all the words starting with 'Ze' come first, then Zinc, then Zygote. Step 4: Order the 'Ze' words by the third letter: Zeal (Zea), Zebra (Zeb), Zest (Zes). Comparing a, b, s gives Zeal (1), then Zebra (2), then Zest (5). Step 5: Among the remaining two, Zinc begins with 'Zi' and Zygote with 'Zy'. Since i comes before y, Zinc (4) comes before Zygote (3). Step 6: Combine these results to get the final order: 1 (Zeal), 2 (Zebra), 5 (Zest), 4 (Zinc), 3 (Zygote).

Verification / Alternative check:
You can quickly verify by imagining how these words would appear on a dictionary page: first all Ze- words in the order Zea-, Zeb-, Zes-, then the Zi- word (Zinc), and finally the Zy- word (Zygote). Any deviation from 1,2,5,4,3 would violate that letter-by-letter comparison rule.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
- 1,2,5,3,4 places Zygote before Zinc, although y comes after i.
- 1,5,2,4,3 puts Zest before Zebra; but s comes after b, so Zebra must precede Zest.
- 1,5,2,3,4 contains both mismatches just described, so it is doubly incorrect.

Common Pitfalls:
A frequent mistake is to look only at the first two letters and then guess, ignoring later letters when they are needed to break ties. Another pitfall is to rely on how often you see words together in real life (for example, thinking of 'Zebra' before 'Zeal') instead of strictly applying alphabetical rules. Always compare letters in order and do not skip positions.

Final Answer:
The correct dictionary order of the given words is 1,2,5,4,3 (Zeal, Zebra, Zest, Zinc, Zygote).