Difficulty: Medium
Correct Answer: RPQS
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This rearrangement question is about modernization in India under British rule. Four parts describe the benefits of British rule in terms of transport, communication, and the press. We must order them into a logically connected mini paragraph.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
A good paragraph begins with a general statement and then presents supporting details. Here, R clearly states the main idea that one major beneficial result of British rule was modernization. P and Q both give specific aspects of modernization: one about transport and communication, and the other about the printing press and newspapers. S then extends Q by pointing out how the press developed further to inform and educate the masses. Therefore, R should come first, followed by P and Q as main examples, and finally S as an additional remark about the role of the press. This gives the order R P Q S, which matches option RPQS.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify the best topic sentence. R introduces the broad claim about modernization being a beneficial result of British rule, so it belongs at the beginning.
Step 2: Look for sentences that provide immediate examples of modernization. P mentions the development of transport and communication, which is a direct example of modernization mentioned in R.
Step 3: Q mentions the establishment of the first printing press and newspaper in India, another major step in modernization. This follows naturally after P.
Step 4: S comments on how the Press later developed to inform and educate the masses about British exploitation. It clearly builds on Q, which introduced the press, and thus should come after Q.
Step 5: The final sequence is R P Q S, which corresponds to option RPQS.
Verification / Alternative check:
Read RPQS as a single paragraph. First we are told that modernization was a beneficial result of British rule. Then we are given the example of improved transport and communication. Next we are told that the British also brought the printing press and newspapers. Finally, we learn that the press became an instrument for educating the masses about British exploitation. This order flows smoothly from general claim to specific examples and then to political consequences. Other orders either place examples before introducing modernization or talk about the press development before even mentioning that a printing press existed.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Common Pitfalls:
Many students choose PQRS because it treats P as an introductory statement. However, to score well in such questions, always look for an explicit topic sentence that summarises the main point. Here, only R mentions "one of the most beneficial results of the British rule" and the word "modernization", making it the clearest opening sentence. Supporting sentences like P and Q should then follow.
Final Answer:
The correct arrangement of the parts is RPQS.
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