The question below consists of a set of labelled sentence fragments X, Y and Z. Out of the four options given, select the most logical order of the fragments to form a coherent sentence: Evidently it was too X - of a deadly-looking cobra or Y - two we saw no reptiles Z - dry for game, and with the exception.

Introduction / Context:
This is a sentence arrangement (reordering) question that gives parts of a single sentence labelled X, Y and Z. Your task is to choose the order that produces a grammatically correct and logically meaningful sentence describing a dry place with very little wildlife and only a deadly looking cobra or two. These questions test both your grammar instincts and your ability to reconstruct narrative flow.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Full prompt: “Evidently it was too X - of a deadly-looking cobra or Y - two we saw no reptiles Z - dry for game, and with the exception.”
• Fragments:
  • X: of a deadly-looking cobra or
  • Y: two we saw no reptiles
  • Z: dry for game, and with the exception
• The introductory words “Evidently it was too …” are fixed at the beginning.
• We must find the order of X, Y, Z that yields a natural English sentence.

Concept / Approach:
The intended complete sentence is: “Evidently it was too dry for game, and with the exception of a deadly-looking cobra or two we saw no reptiles.” This sentence first states that the place was too dry for animals (“game”) and then adds that, apart from one or two cobras, no other reptiles were seen. To reconstruct this, the fragment about dryness (Z) must come immediately after “too”, and the phrase “with the exception of a deadly-looking cobra or two” must be formed by joining Z, X and Y in that order: Z X Y.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Start with the fixed beginning: “Evidently it was too …”Identify which fragment can logically follow “too”: “dry for game” is clearly the phrase that fits, so Z should come first.Attach Z to the beginning: “Evidently it was too dry for game, and with the exception …”Next, form the phrase “with the exception of a deadly-looking cobra or two we saw no reptiles.” For this, X (“of a deadly-looking cobra or”) must follow “with the exception”.Finally, Y (“two we saw no reptiles”) completes the expression “cobra or two we saw no reptiles.”Thus, the correct order of fragments is Z X Y, which is represented by option ZXY.

Verification / Alternative check:
Construct the full sentence using Z X Y: “Evidently it was too dry for game, and with the exception of a deadly-looking cobra or two we saw no reptiles.” This sentence is grammatically correct and tells a clear story: the place was so dry that there were no animals, except for one or two cobras. If we try other orders, such as XZY or YZX, the result is either ungrammatical or illogical, with fragments left hanging or the phrase “with the exception” not followed by a proper “of …” phrase.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
YZX would place Y immediately after the opening, leading to “too two we saw no reptiles,” which is incorrect grammar. YXZ and XZY similarly create broken, unnatural phrases such as “with the exception two we saw no reptiles of a deadly-looking cobra,” which is not proper English. Only ZXY allows “too dry for game” to follow “too” and “with the exception of a deadly-looking cobra or two” to follow naturally afterwards.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes ignore fixed expressions like “too dry for game” and “with the exception of” and instead focus only on superficial matching of words like cobra or reptiles. A good strategy in such questions is to first identify clearly recognisable phrases (idiomatic or grammatical units) and build the sentence around them. Here, spotting “dry for game” and “with the exception of” leads quickly to Z and then X. This makes it much easier to place Y last and choose ZXY confidently.

Final Answer:
The most logical order of the fragments is ZXY, giving the sentence: “Evidently it was too dry for game, and with the exception of a deadly-looking cobra or two we saw no reptiles.”