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. I was rich and contented; I found pleasure in everything that appeals to a man of thirty-five.
A. I married a year ago.
B. A very beautiful, kind and cultured young lady was my wife.
C. It was a love match.
D. She had been a companion to a countess not far from my estate.
S2. She loved me, and her heart was full of gratitude.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B
Explanation
Fixed Starting Point (S1): "I was rich and contented; I found pleasure in everything that appeals to a man of thirty-five."
This establishes the narrator's state of life—wealthy, happy, and at a specific age.
Sentence A: "I married a year ago."
This introduces a major life event that follows the general description of his life in S1. It serves as a perfect transition from his general state to a specific recent change.
Sentence C: "It was a love match."
This directly qualifies the marriage mentioned in sentence A. It explains the nature of the union.
Sentence B: "A very beautiful, kindly and cultured young lady was my wife."
Now that the marriage (A) and its nature (C) have been established, the narrator introduces and describes the person he married.
Sentence D: "She had been a companion to a countess not far from my estate."
This provides background information about the wife's life before the marriage, expanding on the description given in sentence B.
Fixed Ending Point (S2): "She loved me, and her heart was full of gratitude."
This concludes the thought by describing her feelings toward him, which flows naturally from the mention of her previous status (D) and their "love match" (C).
Final Logical Sequence
The correct sequence is A, C, B, D.