Rearrange the following sentence parts to form a meaningful and grammatically correct paragraph:
P. But the fleet was caught off guard as a sudden, strong storm blew in from the sea.
Q. Confident in their strategy to blockade the enemy port, the admiral gave the order for the ships to proceed.
R. The conflict became a desperate struggle for survival due to the unanticipated weather.
S. Without firing a shot, they were to cut off supplies and compel a surrender.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
The paragraph should be arranged as follows:
Q introduces the scene: "Confident in their strategy to blockade the enemy port, the admiral gave the order for the ships to proceed." This sets up the initial action.
S naturally follows Q, explaining the strategy mentioned in Q: "Without firing a shot, they were to cut off supplies and compel a surrender."
P introduces a conflict or a change in events with the word "But": "But the fleet was caught off guard as a sudden, strong storm blew in from the sea." This contrasts with the initial confidence.
R concludes the paragraph by describing the outcome of the conflict introduced in P: "The conflict became a desperate struggle for survival due to the unanticipated weather."