Rearrange the following sentence parts labelled P, Q, R and S. P: works of literature; Q: inside the pages of all good; R: lies the truth about some of; S: the more challenging questions posed by humanity
- (a)P R Q S
- (b)Q P R S
- (c)Q P S R
- (d)R P S Q
Answer
Why
Correct — B, Q P R S. Read in order, the parts form 'Inside the pages of all good works of literature lies the truth about some of the more challenging questions posed by humanity.' Q begins the fronted prepositional phrase, P completes its noun ('good works of literature'), R is the inverted verb-and-object ('lies the truth about some of'), and S finishes with the noun phrase it points to.
Why the others are wrong
- (a)P R Q S — Starting with the bare noun P ('works of literature') breaks the phrase 'all good works of literature' and leaves the preposition group Q dangling in the middle.
- (c)Q P S R — Ending on R ('lies the truth about some of') leaves the verb cut off with 'some of' pointing at nothing, since its object S has been moved ahead of it.
Concept
A jumbled-sentence item with fronted-phrase inversion: the 'Inside the pages ... lies the truth' structure places the location phrase first and the verb before the delayed subject.
Related PYQs
No directly related past PYQ was found.
Practice
- practice — not a real PYQ
Arrange: P: forgotten temples; Q: deep within the dense jungle; R: stand the ruins of; S: an ancient civilisation
- (a)Q R P S
- (b)P Q R S
- (c)R Q P S
- (d)S P Q R
Answer(a) Q R P S — 'Deep within the dense jungle stand the ruins of forgotten temples of an ancient civilisation.' - practice — not a real PYQ
Arrange: P: the secrets of; Q: beneath the calm surface of the lake; R: lie hidden; S: a forgotten world
- (a)Q R P S
- (b)P Q R S
- (c)R P Q S
- (d)S Q R P
Answer(a) Q R P S — 'Beneath the calm surface of the lake lie hidden the secrets of a forgotten world.'