Arrange the following words in the order in which they would appear in a standard English dictionary. Use the roman numeral labels as codes: i. nature ii. nest iii. numeric iv. news.

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: i, ii, iv, iii

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
This question asks you to arrange four words according to dictionary order and then express that order using roman numeral labels. The words are nature, nest, numeric and news. Such questions build confidence in comparing words alphabetically and are basic but important components of many reasoning tests.


Given Data / Assumptions:

  • Words: i. nature, ii. nest, iii. numeric, iv. news.
  • We are using standard English alphabetical ordering.
  • All four words start with the letter n.
  • We must choose the option that lists the labels in correct dictionary order.


Concept / Approach:
Because all words begin with the same first letter n, we compare from the second letter onward. We progress letter by letter until we find a difference that decides the ordering. If several words share the same first two letters, we must check third and possibly later letters. We are not concerned with word meaning here, only the alphabetical sequence of their spellings.


Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Write the words with their first few letters: nature (na...), nest (ne...), numeric (nu...), news (ne...). Step 2: Compare second letters: a, e, u, e. Alphabetically, a comes first, then e, then u. So nature (i) is first, numeric (iii) is last among the four. Step 3: Now compare the words with second letter e: nest (nes...) and news (new...). The first three letters are n, e, s versus n, e, w. Since s comes before w in the alphabet, nest (ii) appears before news (iv). Step 4: Finally, numeric (iii) with second letter u comes after all words starting with na and ne, so it is placed last. Step 5: Putting the pieces together, the dictionary order is: nature (i), nest (ii), news (iv), numeric (iii), which matches option i, ii, iv, iii.


Verification / Alternative check:
To verify quickly, list the words vertically and compare: nature, nest, news, numeric. It is clear that all na words come before ne and nu words, so nature must be first. Among words beginning with ne, we compare the third letters s and w, giving nest before news. Finally, any word with nu comes after all na and ne words, so numeric is last. This confirms the sequence i, ii, iv, iii beyond doubt.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option iii, i, ii, iv incorrectly starts with numeric, even though nu comes after na and ne. Option iv, ii, iii, i begins with news, which comes later than nest and nature. Option i, ii, iii, iv incorrectly positions numeric before news, even though nu comes after new. The only option that respects the correct alphabetical comparisons is i, ii, iv, iii.


Common Pitfalls:
Candidates sometimes focus only on the first two letters and ignore later letters, especially when words share the same bigram like ne. Another common error is to assume that shorter words always come first, but here length does not override the clear alphabetical rules. To avoid these mistakes, always check each position systematically and remember that a difference at any later letter decides the ordering when earlier letters are identical.


Final Answer:
The correct dictionary order is nature, nest, news, numeric, corresponding to the label sequence i, ii, iv, iii.

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