The four sentences (labelled 1, 2, 3, 4) below, when properly sequenced would…
2026
The four sentences (labelled 1, 2, 3, 4) below, when properly sequenced would yield a coherent paragraph. Decide on the proper sequencing of the order of the sentences and key in the sequence of the four numbers as your Answer:
1. Relying on narrative structure alone, indigenous significances of nineteenth century San folktales are hard to determine.
2. Using their supernatural potency, benign shamans transcend the levels of the San cosmos in order to deal with social conflict and to protect material resources and enjoy a measure of respect that sets them apart from ordinary people.
3. Selected tales reveal that they deal with a form of spiritual conflict that has social implications and concern conflict between people and living or dead malevolent shamans.
4. Meaning can be elicited, and the tales contextualized, by probing beneath the narrative of verbatim, original-language records and exploring the connotations of highly significant words and phrases.
- A.
1342
- B.
1234
- C.
3421
- D.
1432
Attempted by 310 students.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: D
Correct sequence: 1432
Why this order works:
Start with the sentence that states the problem: "Relying on narrative structure alone, indigenous significances of nineteenth century San folktales are hard to determine." This introduces the topic and the interpretive difficulty.
Next, follow with the sentence that proposes the method: "Meaning can be elicited, and the tales contextualized, by probing beneath the narrative of verbatim, original-language records and exploring the connotations of highly significant words and phrases." This explains how to address the stated difficulty.
Then present the general finding: "Selected tales reveal that they deal with a form of spiritual conflict that has social implications and concern conflict between people and living or dead malevolent shamans." This reports what the closer analysis uncovers.
End with the specific explanation: "Using their supernatural potency, benign shamans transcend the levels of the San cosmos in order to deal with social conflict and to protect material resources and enjoy a measure of respect that sets them apart from ordinary people." This explains how shamans respond to the social conflicts identified in the tales.
Summary: The passage flows logically from identifying an interpretive problem, to offering a method for resolving it, to reporting the analytical findings, and finally to describing how those findings are embodied in the actions of shamans.