Arrange the continents listed into a meaningful order by area (largest to smaller among the set given). Items: (i) South America, (ii) Africa, (iii) Europe, (iv) Australia, (v) North America.

Introduction / Context:
When no explicit keyword like “alphabetical” is given, continent ordering is commonly interpreted by area (largest to smaller) for the listed subset. Among the five provided (Asia and Antarctica are not listed), the recognized area ranking is: Africa, North America, South America, Europe, Australia.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Set: Africa, North America, South America, Europe, Australia.
• Criterion: Area (descending) for a meaningful geographic order limited to the given choices.

Concept / Approach:
Recall approximate areas (in million km^2): Africa (~30.4), North America (~24.7), South America (~17.8), Europe (~10.2), Australia (~7.7). Sorting these yields a single consistent list.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Construct the sequence: (ii) Africa → (v) North America → (i) South America → (iii) Europe → (iv) Australia.Match with options: Option B exactly matches this sequence.

Verification / Alternative check:
Options that place Australia ahead of Europe or South America are inconsistent with well-known area figures. Option D, for instance, places Australia before Europe, which contradicts the size ranking.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
They violate the monotonic decrease of land area across the sequence.

Common Pitfalls:

• Confusing population or economic rank with physical area.
• Misremembering the sizes of Europe and Australia—which are closest among the listed five.

Final Answer:
(ii), (v), (i), (iii), (iv).