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. Next day Bananas turned up again, but he was more sullen than ever, and after dinner the captain asked the girl what was the matter with him.
A. The captain was a good-humoured man and he was not of a jealous nature; it struck him as exceeding funny that Bananas should be in love.
B. A man who had a squint like that had a precious poor chance.
C. She smiled and shrugged her pretty shoulders.
D. She told the captain that Bananas had taken a fancy to her and he was sore because she had told him off.
S2. When tea came round he chaffed him gaily.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B
Explanation
Correct Answer
CDAB
Explanation
After S1, Sentence C naturally follows because it describes the girl's immediate reaction to the captain's question. Sentence D then explains the reason for Bananas' gloomy behavior: he had fallen in love with her, and she had rejected him. Sentence A follows by describing the captain's amused reaction to this revelation. Finally, Sentence B explains why the captain found the situation humorous, referring to Bananas' squint and his poor chances in love. This leads smoothly to S2, where the captain playfully teases Bananas.
The other sequences disrupt the logical order by revealing the explanation before the girl's response or by presenting the captain's reaction before the reason for it is known.
Key Points
In para-jumble questions, maintain the natural sequence of question → response → explanation → reaction → conclusion. Also, watch for pronouns and cause-and-effect relationships to determine the correct order.