The sentence begins with “Cars were owned by”. Out of the following labelled parts A, B and C, choose the most logical order to form a grammatically correct and meaningful sentence.

Introduction / Context:
This question checks the candidate's ability to arrange jumbled sentence parts into a coherent and grammatically correct sentence. Such questions test understanding of sentence structure, logical flow, and the way clauses and phrases combine to express a complete thought. The sentence given talks about cars being owned only by a limited group and the speaker's social class not yet being affected by this change.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The fixed opening is “Cars were owned by”.
• Part A: “only a privileged few and”.
• Part B: “my class of society was”.
• Part C: “as yet untouched by it”.
• We must choose among the orders ABC, CBA, CAB, BCA.

Concept / Approach:
To solve jumbled sentence questions, we look for grammatical connections and natural meaning. After “Cars were owned by”, we usually expect the agent or group that owns the cars. The phrase “only a privileged few” fits that role. After mentioning a privileged group, a contrast with “my class of society was as yet untouched by it” makes sense. So we look for a continuation where “my class of society was” is followed by some description like “as yet untouched by it”. This guides us toward the correct sequence of A, B, and C.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Attach a suitable phrase after “Cars were owned by”. Part A begins with “only a privileged few and”, which fits naturally as the object of the preposition “by”. Step 2: After “only a privileged few and”, we ask “who else is being mentioned”. Part B, “my class of society was”, continues the comparison between the privileged group and the speaker's class. Step 3: After “my class of society was”, we require a complement telling us what was true about this class. Part C, “as yet untouched by it”, completes the idea. Step 4: Combine everything: “Cars were owned by only a privileged few and my class of society was as yet untouched by it.” The sentence is grammatically correct and meaningful. Step 5: Identify the corresponding option. This order is A, then B, then C, which is option ABC.

Verification / Alternative check:
If we try any other sequence, the sentence either becomes ungrammatical or awkward. For example, “Cars were owned by as yet untouched by it” (starting with C) does not work. Similarly, placing B directly after the opening gives “Cars were owned by my class of society was” which is wrong because “was” cannot directly follow “by” in that way. Only ABC maintains correct grammar and a logical flow from the idea of ownership to the idea of social classes not yet affected.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B (CBA): Starting with C, “as yet untouched by it”, after “Cars were owned by” does not make sense syntactically. Option C (CAB): Placing C after the opener again produces an incorrect partial sentence and disturbs the natural flow. Option D (BCA): “Cars were owned by my class of society was …” is grammatically incorrect because it mixes the object of “by” with a finite verb in the wrong position.

Common Pitfalls:
Students often focus only on meaning and ignore the grammar of prepositions and verbs. In English, after “by” we expect a noun or noun phrase, not a clause with “was” immediately. Another mistake is to be misled by the emotional or narrative feel of the sentence without checking if each part connects grammatically to the next. Always read the combined sentence aloud in your mind to check for smooth flow.

Final Answer:
The correct and meaningful sentence is formed in the order A, then B, then C. Therefore, the correct answer is ABC.