NDA (I) 2018 General Ability Test · Question 32 of 150

Correct — C, Q P S R. Q is the only fragment with a subject and a finite verb, so it has to open, and it ends on 'the right of self defence', which sets up a list of further rights each introduced by 'of'. The word 'and' at the head of S marks the last item of that list, so P must come before S; and R, 'with its neighbours', belongs to the noun 'disputes' with which S ends. The passage reads: 'In reality, by signing a Subsidiary Alliance, an Indian state virtually signed away its independence. It lost the right of self defence, of maintaining diplomatic relations and of settling its disputes with its neighbours. In fact, the Indian ruler lost all vestiges of sovereignty in external matters.'

• (a)P Q R S — It opens with 'of maintaining diplomatic relations', a bare phrase with no noun in front of it to attach to, and it puts the list-closing 'and' fragment at the very end where nothing follows it.
• (b)R S P Q — It begins with 'with its neighbours', so the pronoun 'its' and the whole phrase float free, and it pushes the only finite clause to the very end, immediately before S6.
• (d)Q S R P — It brings in 'and' while an item of the list is still to come, so 'of maintaining diplomatic relations' is stranded at the end, far from the noun 'the right' that governs it.

An ordering item decided by the shape of a list — a head noun followed by parallel 'of' phrases, with 'and' marking where the list ends.

The fastest test is to ask which fragment could begin a sentence at all. Three of the four start with 'of', 'with' or 'and', and none of those can, so Q is fixed in first place before anything else is settled. After that the list does the work: 'the right of self defence' invites more items in the same shape, 'and' can only introduce the last of them, and a phrase naming the other party to a dispute has to sit next to the word 'disputes'.

• In a list of the form 'the right of A, of B and of C', the preposition is repeated to keep the items parallel, and every item hangs on the same head noun.
• The coordinator 'and' introduces the final item of a list, so a fragment that begins with 'and' cannot be followed by another item of the same list.
• A prepositional phrase normally attaches to the nearest noun it can sensibly modify, which is why 'with its neighbours' has to follow 'disputes' and not 'relations'.
• Under the Subsidiary Alliance the ally could not enter into an agreement with another ruler without British permission, which is the loss of the right of diplomacy that the passage lists.

• Placing the 'and' fragment in the middle of the list.
• Letting 'with its neighbours' attach to 'diplomatic relations', which also sounds plausible but leaves 'disputes' incomplete.

Asked as a sentence-ordering item in which the position of a single coordinator settles the whole sequence.

• practice — not a real PYQ

  Which sequence makes a correct paragraph — S1: The new rules stripped the council of most of its powers. S6: Only ceremonial duties were left to it. P: of collecting local taxes Q: It lost the power of appointing staff R: over the market and the bus stand S: and of granting licences

  • (a)Q P S R
  • (b)P Q R S
  • (c)Q S R P
  • (d)R S P Q

  Answer(a) Q P S R — the only finite clause opens, 'and' marks the last item, and 'over the market and the bus stand' belongs to 'licences'.

• practice — not a real PYQ

  Which sequence makes a correct paragraph — S1: The transfer cost him almost everything he valued. S6: He returned to the city two years later, much changed. P: of teaching the senior classes Q: He gave up the pleasure of coaching the school team R: with the children of the colony S: and of spending his evenings

  • (a)P Q S R
  • (b)Q P S R
  • (c)Q S P R
  • (d)S R Q P

  Answer(b) Q P S R — 'and' introduces the final item, and 'with the children of the colony' completes 'spending his evenings'.