In the jumbled passage below, choose the correct sequence of the middle sentences so that the paragraph is meaningful: S1: History shows that the growth of civilization depends upon the gifts of nature, particularly the wealth yielded by the soil. P: The more land they had, the more they were satisfied. Q: The nature and the quality of the land they possessed were of great importance to them. R: All ancient communities worked hard to produce food. S: There was also a great desire among them to possess as much land as possible. S6: In fact, most of the wars in the early history of humanity were fought for the gain of territory.

Introduction / Context:
This is a jumbled paragraph question that tests your ability to organise sentences logically. You are given a fixed opening sentence S1 and a fixed closing sentence S6, with four middle sentences P, Q, R, and S jumbled. Your task is to determine the correct order of these four sentences so that the paragraph becomes coherent and meaningful. The passage discusses how land and soil have influenced the growth of civilization and human conflict.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- S1: History shows that the growth of civilization depends upon the gifts of nature, particularly the wealth yielded by the soil.
- P: The more land they had, the more they were satisfied.
- Q: The nature and the quality of the land they possessed were of great importance to them.
- R: All ancient communities worked hard to produce food.
- S: There was also a great desire among them to possess as much land as possible.
- S6: In fact, most of the wars in the early history of humanity were fought for the gain of territory.

Concept / Approach:
To arrange the sentences, we look for a logical flow: from general ideas about civilization and soil, to how early communities produced food, to the importance and desire for land, and finally to wars over territory. After S1 introduces the idea that civilization depends on soil, the next natural sentence should describe what ancient communities did with the land. R, which states that all ancient communities worked hard to produce food, fits directly after S1. Once food production is mentioned, Q can follow by explaining that the nature and quality of the land were important. Then S explains that there was a strong desire to possess as much land as possible, and P concludes the middle sequence by saying that the more land they had, the more they were satisfied. This smoothly leads into S6 about wars for territory.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Place R after S1 because working hard to produce food logically follows the mention of soil and civilization.
Step 2: After describing food production, use Q to explain why the nature and quality of land mattered so much to these communities.
Step 3: Insert S next, since a desire to possess as much land as possible naturally follows from the importance of land and its quality.
Step 4: Conclude the middle sequence with P, which states that the more land they had, the more they were satisfied, setting up the idea that competition over land could lead to conflict, which connects directly to S6 about wars for territory.

Verification / Alternative check:
Read the full paragraph with the order R Q S P: History shows that the growth of civilization depends upon the gifts of nature, particularly the wealth yielded by the soil. All ancient communities worked hard to produce food. The nature and the quality of the land they possessed were of great importance to them. There was also a great desire among them to possess as much land as possible. The more land they had, the more they were satisfied. In fact, most of the wars in the early history of humanity were fought for the gain of territory. This progression is logical and smooth. Trying alternative orders, such as starting with Q or S immediately after S1, produces a less coherent flow because they do not first mention how people used the land to survive.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
- Q R S P: placing Q immediately after S1 ignores the step that ancient communities first had to work hard to produce food, which is essential context for why land quality mattered.
- S Q R P: beginning with desire to possess land before mentioning food production or land quality breaks the logical chain from survival needs to territorial expansion.
- P R Q S and Q S R P: in both cases, the sequences either start with satisfaction before explaining why land was needed or mix the order of desire, quality, and work in a way that feels disjointed.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes focus only on which sentence sounds good after S1 and ignore how well the entire group of sentences connects to S6. A better strategy is to track the storyline: from dependence on soil, to efforts to use it, to appreciation of its quality, to desire for more land, and finally to conflicts over territory. Always check whether the chosen middle sequence creates a smooth bridge between the opening and closing sentences.

Final Answer:
The correct sequence of the middle sentences is R Q S P.