Difficulty: Medium
Correct Answer: XZY
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This sentence order question involves three labelled parts X, Y, and Z that must be arranged to complete a somewhat formal philosophical sentence. The sentence begins with From our common experience and then needs to describe what kind of experience is being referred to. The difficulty arises because the fragments are not simple everyday phrases, so the candidate must rely on an understanding of logical structure and natural clause order rather than only intuition.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
The most natural phrase after From our common experience is From our common experience of the relation of the physical and the mental. This already suggests that X should be followed by Z, because X gives of the relation of the and Z completes physical and the. Once this phrase is complete, the remaining words mental he starts out can follow to indicate the point from which he begins his discussion or argument. Therefore, the likely order is X Z Y, which yields a grammatically coherent and meaningful structure referring first to the relation and then to the thinker starting out from that relation.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Insert X after the opening: From our common experience of the relation of the ...Step 2: Ask what words can naturally complete this phrase. The relation of the physical and the mental is a standard philosophical expression. That means Z, physical and the, must immediately follow X.Step 3: After combining X and Z, we have From our common experience of the relation of the physical and the ...Step 4: The remaining words mental he starts out fit well at the end, giving the idea that he begins with this commonly experienced relation.Step 5: Thus the full sentence reads: From our common experience of the relation of the physical and the mental he starts out. This corresponds to the label order XZY.
Verification / Alternative check:
Consider the other orders. XYZ would give From our common experience of the relation of the mental he starts out physical and the, which is ungrammatical and splits the phrase physical and the mental in an unnatural way. ZYX would start with physical and the immediately after From our common experience, which breaks the of the relation of the phrase that should follow experience. ZXY similarly scatters fragments so that the basic phrase the relation of the physical and the mental never appears intact. Only XZY yields that familiar phrase and a coherent final clause.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
XYZ: This order produces a muddled sequence where mental he starts out interrupts the natural pairing of physical and the mental, causing confusion. ZYX and ZXY: Both of these start with Z, which gives physical and the without the necessary of the relation of the that normally precedes it. They break the logical semantic unit and result in a sentence that does not read like standard formal English. In all these cases, the expected philosophical collocation the relation of the physical and the mental is destroyed or badly fragmented.
Common Pitfalls:
Because the language is abstract, candidates might ignore meaning and try to arrange labels purely by sound or simple grammar. This often leads to combinations where the phrase the physical and the mental is split. A better strategy is to look for familiar structures. Many philosophy texts speak of the relation of the physical and the mental, and once that pattern is recognised, it becomes clear that X must be followed by Z. Then, with only Y left to place, the order XZY emerges as the only logical choice.
Final Answer:
The most logical and grammatically correct order of the labels is XZY.
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