In the following question on sentence arrangement, the first and last parts of a passage are numbered 1 and 6. The parts P, Q, R, and S are in jumbled order. Choose the combination that arranges them into a coherent paragraph about the ancient trade of making ropes.

Introduction / Context:
This question tests your ability to reorder jumbled sentence parts to form a logical and coherent paragraph. The topic is the ancient trade of making ropes and how we know about its history. The first sentence and the last sentence are fixed, and you must decide the correct order of the middle parts labelled P, Q, R, and S so that the passage reads smoothly and meaningfully.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Fixed opening: 1. Making ropes is one of the oldest trades in the world.
• Fixed ending: 6. We have found too, ropes which were made of thin copper wire in the city of Pompeii, which was destroyed by a volcano 2000 years ago.
• P: People used them for tethering animals, for drawing water from wells and for dragging large stones which were used in building.
• Q: We know that people made ropes several centuries back.
• R: They made them from camel hair and from twisted grass.
• S: We have found pieces of rope in very old Egyptian tombs.
• Task: Choose the correct order of P, Q, R, S between sentences 1 and 6.

Concept / Approach:
A good paragraph on history usually starts by stating knowledge about the past, then provides evidence, then gives details of materials and uses. Here, after the general statement that making ropes is one of the oldest trades, it is natural to follow with an explanation of how we know this fact. That is done in part Q. Evidence from tombs comes next in S, because it supports the claim. Then part R tells us what ropes were made from, and part P explains how people used them. This leads smoothly to the final sentence about later archaeological finds in Pompeii.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Start with sentence 1, which introduces the topic of rope making as an ancient trade. Step 2: Identify which part naturally explains how we know this. Part Q begins with We know that people made ropes several centuries back, which directly follows the general claim. Step 3: Next, look for specific evidence supporting Q. Part S mentions We have found pieces of rope in very old Egyptian tombs, which acts as archaeological proof. Step 4: After evidence, part R describes how early ropes were made, mentioning camel hair and twisted grass. Step 5: Finally, part P lists practical uses of ropes, such as tethering animals and dragging stones, which fits after explaining what ropes are made of. Step 6: Check that this order gives a smooth sequence: 1 Q S R P 6, which corresponds to option QSRP.

Verification / Alternative check:
Read the full paragraph with the chosen order: Making ropes is one of the oldest trades in the world. We know that people made ropes several centuries back. We have found pieces of rope in very old Egyptian tombs. They made them from camel hair and from twisted grass. People used them for tethering animals, for drawing water from wells and for dragging large stones which were used in building. We have found too, ropes which were made of thin copper wire in the city of Pompeii, which was destroyed by a volcano 2000 years ago. The flow is logical from claim to evidence, then to materials, then to uses, and finally to another archaeological example. No other option produces this clear progression.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
PRQS: Jumps from uses of ropes to general knowledge and then to materials, breaking the logical explanation sequence.
SQPR: Starts with Egyptian tombs without first stating that we know ropes are very old, making the evidence appear without context.
QSPR: Places uses P before materials R, which is less natural than first telling what ropes were made from and then how they were used.

Common Pitfalls:
Many learners focus only on time markers and ignore the structure of explanation and evidence. Another mistake is to choose an order that sounds fine in isolated sentences but does not progress logically from general claim to specific proof and detail. When solving para jumbles, always look for introduction, explanation of knowledge, supporting evidence, then details and examples. This structure appears again and again in reading comprehension passages and will guide you to the correct order quickly.

Final Answer:
The correct arrangement of the parts is QSRP, so option a is correct.