Rearrange the parts of the sentence in the correct order: "Thus, P - a developing economy also needs, Q - to have some notion of external balance, R - at the very least." Choose the correct sequence.

Introduction / Context:
This question tests your sentence rearrangement skills, which are vital for understanding complex economic and analytical writing. You are given three fragments marked P, Q, and R, along with the word "Thus" at the beginning, and you must choose the order that produces a grammatically correct and logically coherent sentence about a developing economy and external balance.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Introductory word: "Thus,"
• P: "a developing economy also needs"
• Q: "to have some notion of external balance"
• R: "at the very least,"
• The sentence must make economic sense and flow naturally.

Concept / Approach:
Sentence rearrangement questions require you to identify logical connectors, subject verb placement, and natural word order. Here, "Thus" indicates a conclusion or summary. The phrase "at the very least" is usually a limiting or qualifying expression and often appears before the main clause. We must decide where this phrase fits best in relation to the subject "a developing economy".

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Consider the overall meaning: The sentence is likely to say that, as a minimum requirement, a developing economy needs some understanding of external balance. Step 2: R is "at the very least," which is a common phrase used early in the sentence to set a minimum expectation. It fits naturally immediately after "Thus," as "Thus, at the very least,". Step 3: After this qualifier, the subject should follow. P "a developing economy also needs" clearly introduces the subject and verb phrase. Step 4: Q "to have some notion of external balance" functions as the object or complement of "needs". So it should logically come after P. Step 5: Putting this together, the sentence becomes: "Thus, at the very least, a developing economy also needs to have some notion of external balance." This is grammatically correct and meaningful. Step 6: Therefore, the correct sequence is R P Q, which corresponds to option "RPQ".

Verification / Alternative check:
Check other sequences quickly: Sequence P Q R: "Thus, a developing economy also needs to have some notion of external balance at the very least," sounds possible but places the phrase "at the very least" awkwardly at the end, making it sound less natural than placing it earlier. Sequence R Q P: "Thus, at the very least, to have some notion of external balance a developing economy also needs" is ungrammatical because the infinitive phrase precedes the subject in an unnatural way. Sequence Q P R: "Thus, to have some notion of external balance a developing economy also needs at the very least," is also structurally awkward and unclear. This confirms that RPQ is the best order.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option (B) RQP produces incorrect word order and breaks the link between "needs" and its object. Option (C) PQR pushes "at the very least" to the end, which is less natural and stylistically weaker than placing it early. Option (D) QPR begins with an infinitive phrase, creating an imbalanced, unclear sentence structure.

Common Pitfalls:
Students may try to keep the object phrase "to have some notion of external balance" close to the beginning, thinking it is the key idea. However, you must respect basic English sentence structure: subject and verb should appear in a clear order, with qualifiers such as "at the very least" placed in natural positions. A helpful strategy is to mentally read the sentence aloud and choose the order that sounds most fluent and logical.

Final Answer:
The correct arrangement is RPQ, giving: "Thus, at the very least, a developing economy also needs to have some notion of external balance."