Directions (46-50): In each of the questions given below three words are given in bold. These words may or may not be in their correct position. Following each sentence few sequences are provided. Select the sequence of the words which will make the given sentence contextually meaningful. The scientist, known for his **methodical (A)** and **deliberate (B)** research approach, embarked on a **ponderous (C)** study, carefully collecting and analyzing data over the course of several years to arrive at his groundbreaking discoveries.

### Concept & Adjective Placement Evaluate the adjectives describing the nouns in the sentence. Words connected by "and" usually share a similar tone or grammatical structure, and must logically describe the noun that follows. ### Step-by-Step Solution * **First & Second words:** "...known for his methodical (A) and deliberate (B) research approach...". Both words are adjectives that mean careful, structured, and unhurried. They perfectly describe a thorough "research approach". * **Third word:** "...embarked on a ponderous (C) study...". "Ponderous" usually means slow and clumsy because of great weight, but in academic/research contexts, it can mean laborious, dull, or highly meticulous and lengthy. This matches the context of "collecting and analyzing data over the course of several years". * Since A and B work perfectly together, and C fits the context of a long, heavy study, no rearrangement is necessary. ### Exam Strategy & Shortcut If words A and B form a natural, idiomatically sound pair ("methodical and deliberate"), look at the options. ABC is standard. Switching A and B (BAC) creates the same meaning, but ABC is the primary choice when no correction is strictly required. ### Common Pitfall Assuming "ponderous" is exclusively a negative word (like clumsy) and trying to swap it with "methodical", which would break the grammar and logical flow. ### Final Answer Therefore, the correct answer is **ABC**.