The sentences P, Q, R, and S describe an incident involving Lakshmi and a robber. Choose the most logical order to form a coherent paragraph.

Difficulty: Medium

Correct Answer: QRPS

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
This sentence arrangement question presents four labelled sentences about Lakshmi and a robber entering her room at night. Your task is to reconstruct the narrative in a logical order so that the story flows naturally from the robber's entry to Lakshmi's reaction and the robber's eventual retreat. Narrative ordering requires attention to time sequence markers and cause effect relationships between actions.


Given Data / Assumptions:
The sentences are:
- Q: One night the robber did enter her room but Lakshmi did not make any sound.
- R: She just kept a tight hold of the knife and pretended to be sound asleep.
- P: When the robber was near her bed, she stood up suddenly, brandishing the knife.
- S: The robber was taken aback and with a loud cry, he ran out.
We assume S1 and S6 are not provided here and that only these four need to be ordered.


Concept / Approach:
Stories usually follow a chronological pattern: situation introduction, character reaction, climax, and outcome. First, the robber must actually enter the room. Then Lakshmi's silent preparation takes place, followed by the decisive confrontation, and finally the robber's frightened escape. Pronouns and logical connectors like "when" also signal which sentences connect directly. Identifying this natural sequence helps in placing the sentences in the correct order.


Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Start with the event that begins the action. Sentence Q tells us that one night the robber did enter her room and Lakshmi kept silent. This clearly belongs near the beginning. Step 2: After the robber enters, Lakshmi's immediate strategy is described in R: she holds the knife tightly and pretends to sleep. It logically follows Q. Step 3: Sentence P begins with "When the robber was near her bed", which must happen after he has entered and after she has prepared herself with the knife. Therefore P follows R. Step 4: Sentence S describes the result of her sudden action: the robber is shocked and runs out. This must be the concluding sentence, following P. Step 5: Thus the order is Q R P S, corresponding to option "QRPS".


Verification / Alternative check:
Read the combined paragraph in your chosen sequence: "One night the robber did enter her room but Lakshmi did not make any sound. She just kept a tight hold of the knife and pretended to be sound asleep. When the robber was near her bed, she stood up suddenly, brandishing the knife. The robber was taken aback and with a loud cry, he ran out." The story now flows smoothly from start to finish without gaps or confusion. This confirms the correctness of the order.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:
- "SQRP": Starts with the robber's reaction before we even know what Lakshmi did, which destroys the narrative build up.
- "PRQS": P relies on the robber already being near the bed, but Q and R have not yet established this situation if you start with P.
- "PSQR": Again begins with the confrontation before showing the entry or preparation, which feels abrupt and incomplete.


Common Pitfalls:
A frequent mistake is to choose the sentence with the most dramatic action as the opening line. However, in narrative questions, you should always look for the earliest event in time, then match subsequent sentences according to cause and effect. Paying attention to temporal cues like "when the robber was near her bed" helps you recognise that certain sentences cannot come first.


Final Answer:
The correct logical sequence is QRPS, which forms a coherent and chronological story of Lakshmi's brave reaction to the robber.

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