Given below are six sentences taken from a paragraph. The first and the last sentences are numbered S1 and S2 and are placed in the first and last positions respectively and are fixed in their positions. The other four sentences between the first and last sentences are jumbled up and are numbered A, B, C, and D. Rearrange the jumbled sentences in a logical sequence keeping the unity and coherence of the paragraph intact. Choose the correct alternative that best describes the sequence.
S1. Although he was married, with children, his was a solitary disposition; he liked best to work alone.
A. Autumn was best for this, better than spring.
B. It pleased him when he was given a bank to build up or a gate to mend at the far end of the peninsula, where the sea surrounded the farmland on either side.
C. Then, at midday, he would pause and eat the pasty that his wife had baked for him and, sitting on the cliff's edge, would watch the birds.
D. In spring the birds flew inland, purposeful, intent; they knew where they were bound; the rhythm and ritual of their life brooked no delay.
S2. In autumn those that had not migrated overseas but remained to pass the winter were caught up in the same driving urge, but because migration was denied them, followed a pattern of their own.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
Sequence of the sentences:
Step-by-Step Analysis
S1 (Fixed Intro): Introduces a man with a "solitary disposition" who "liked best to work alone."
Sentence B: Elaborates on this solitary work by describing specific tasks (building a bank, mending a gate) at the "far end of the peninsula." This is a natural follow-up to S1 as it provides concrete examples of the work he enjoyed doing alone.
Sentence C: Uses the transition "Then, at midday," which indicates a progression of time during his workday described in B. It mentions him pausing to eat and "watch the birds."
Sentence A: "Autumn was best for this, better than spring." The word "this" refers back to his activity of watching the birds mentioned in C. It also introduces the comparison between seasons.
Sentence D: Follows the comparison in A by describing what happens specifically "In spring" (birds flying inland).
S2 (Fixed Conclusion): Completes the seasonal comparison by describing what happens "In autumn" (the birds that had not migrated).
BCAD is the correct sequence.