In the following question, a sentence is divided into four parts. Identify the part that contains an error in tense or agreement, or select 4 if there is no error: Just as a letter’s physical presence, then, (1)/ resists the rationalisations of the public (2)/ sphere, its temporal idiosyncrasies resisted the (3)/ efficiencies of capitalist production. (4)

Introduction / Context:
This question examines your ability to maintain consistent tense within a complex sentence. The sentence compares what a letter's physical presence does with what its timing or temporal aspects do. You must check whether the verbs are correctly matched in tense and select the part that contains an error, or mark No error if all parts are correct.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- (1) Just as a letter’s physical presence, then,
- (2) resists the rationalisations of the public
- (3) sphere, its temporal idiosyncrasies resisted the
- (4) efficiencies of capitalist production.
- The phrase Just as usually introduces a comparison where two actions or states are presented in parallel.

Concept / Approach:
The key concept is parallel tense in comparative structures. When we use Just as to compare two ideas, we generally keep the same tense for both verbs, unless there is a deliberate shift in time reference. Here, resists in part (2) is present tense, but resisted in part (3) is past tense. There is no contextual reason to switch from present to past within this carefully balanced comparison, so the second verb should also be in the present tense: resist.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Combine parts (1) and (2): Just as a letter’s physical presence, then, resists the rationalisations of the public. This gives us the first half of the comparison in the present tense.Step 2: Look at part (3): sphere, its temporal idiosyncrasies resisted the. The word resisted is in the simple past tense, which breaks the parallel with resists in the present tense.Step 3: In a typical comparative structure Just as X resists..., so Y resists..., both verbs are expected to be in the same tense, here the present.Step 4: Therefore resisted should be resist to maintain consistent tense: its temporal idiosyncrasies resist the efficiencies....Step 5: Part (4): efficiencies of capitalist production correctly completes the object and contains no grammatical error.Step 6: Thus, the error lies in part (3).

Verification / Alternative check:
Rewriting the corrected sentence: Just as a letter’s physical presence, then, resists the rationalisations of the public sphere, its temporal idiosyncrasies resist the efficiencies of capitalist production. Now both verbs are in the present tense, giving a balanced and conceptually stable comparison. There is no indication that one action belongs to the present and the other to the past, so the original shift from resists to resisted is unjustified. Since parts (1), (2) and (4) do not show clear grammatical faults, part (3) is confirmed as the only error.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
- Part (1) Just as a letter’s physical presence, then, is a stylistic opening and is structurally acceptable.
- Part (2) resists the rationalisations of the public is consistent with present tense and grammatically correct.
- Part (4) efficiencies of capitalist production simply completes the noun phrase and is error-free.
- Only part (3) introduces an inconsistent tense resisted that breaks the parallelism.

Common Pitfalls:
Many students miss tense shifts because they focus on vocabulary or complex nouns like temporal idiosyncrasies and efficiencies of capitalist production. Another pitfall is accepting stylistic complexity as a sign of correctness without checking the underlying grammar. In comparative structures with just as, as... so..., both parts must be checked for parallel tense and form. Whenever a sentence contains two coordinated clauses, always verify that their main verbs match in tense unless there is a clear contextual reason for a difference.

Final Answer:
The incorrect segment is part 3. The verb should be in the present tense (resist), not resisted, to keep the comparison grammatically parallel.