So what are Parajumble questions ?

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So what are Parajumble questions ?

For those of you who are first timers at CAT and don’t have a clue as to what Para jumbles are, the explanation goes as follows.

Para jumbles are jumbled paragraphs. Basically, you are given a paragraph – but the sentences are not in the right order. It’s up to you to untie this knot and rearrange the sentences so that they logically make sense. You’ll find this type of question on exams such as the CAT in the verbal logic section.

Key skills Required:-

The key skills that are identified for solving a para-jumble question are as follows:

• Understanding the topic of the paragraph: One should be able to discern what is being talked about, because the subject of individual sentences forms the most important clue for establishing links between various sentences.
• Understanding the information flow and approach of author: The second thing that is pivotal to indentify is the information flow that has been adopted by the author. What is his exact purpose in the paragraph? Is he explicating something or is he criticizing something? Being able to identify his purpose in the paragraph will obviously help us to establish the order of sentences.

A pre-requisite to develop the two skills above is to possess the qualities of a Good Reader. In any case, you would have realized by now that the above qualities are actually the product of possessing a good reading habit. So kindly keep in mind that as much exposure you provide yourself to varied reading material as possible.

Strategies for solving para jumbles:-

A number of points can be kept in mind while solving a para-jumble question. 6 of these have been listed here. Kindly keep in mind that these would have to be applied in close coordination with one another in most cases, and individual application of these might not solve the question.

STRATEGY 1: Identifying the opening sentence

The first thing that you need to do it to identify the opening sentence of the paragraph. If you can do that, then you will be able to fix at least one sentence in its position. As an example solve the following question:

A. In bulk processing, a set of standard prices typically emerge.

B. Competing therefore means keeping products flowing, trying to improve quality, getting costs down.

C. Let us look at the two cultures of competition.

D. Production tends to be repetitive-much the same from day to day or even year to year. (CAT 1996)

1. CDBA                     2. ABDC

3. CADB                     4. DCBA

The opening sentence in this case is clearly statement C. It introduces the two cultures of completion and then statement A goes on to explain bulk processing. Rest of sentences are actually just an explanation of the same and go into details of bulk processing. Such a format is generally referred to as General to Specific flow of information, and this method is generally maintained in writing. This can also be sued a reliable guide to solve questions, wherein you identify the general statement first and then move to specific ones.

STRATEGY 2: Identifying the closing sentence

The second strategy to solve a para-jumble question is to identify the sentence with which the paragraph could possible close. This is actually a logical extension of the above point only and forms a continuation of the same. As an example solve the following question:

A. But the last decade has witnessed greater voting and political participation by various privileged sections.

B. If one goes by the earlier record of mid-term elections, it is likely that the turnout in 1998 will drop by anything between four and six percentage points over the already low polling of 58 percent in 1996.

C. If this trend offsets the mid-term poll fatigue; the fall may not be so steep.

D. Notwithstanding a good deal of speculation on this issue it is still not clear as to who benefits from a lower turnout.(CAT 1997)

1. BACD                     2. ABCD

3. DBAC                     4. CBDA

Two simple things that you need to do here is identify the opening and closing sentence. The most general and introductory statement is B. Statement D provides a perfect closure for the paragraph, it leaves a question mark so as to what is going to happen in the case of a low turnout. All that you needed to do was identify the purpose of these two statements and you would have arrived at the answer, that is option 1.

STRATEGY 3: Identifying mandatory pairs

One of the most important methods to solve a para-jumble is by the way of identifying mandatory pairs. These are basically groupings which will occur in a defined order. Once you identify such pairs, all you need to do is co-relate them with the answer options, voila, your question is solved. As an example solve the following question:

A. By reasoning we mean the mental process of drawing an inference from two or more statements or going from the inferences to the statements, which yield that inference.

B. So logical reasoning covers those types of questions, which imply drawing as inferences from the problems.

C. Logic means, if we take its original meaning, the science of valid reasoning.

D. Clearly for understating arguments and drawing the inferences correctly, it is necessary that we should understand the statements first.(CAT 1998)

1. ACBD                     2. CABD

3. ABCD                     4. DBCA

One of the first things that you need to do is identify the pair CA. Statement C defines reasoning for us, and statement A takes it forward by defining reasoning. This forms a perfect mandatory pair, one which cannot separated. As far as identifying the correct answer, we can see that statement C is also the most general statement of all and forms the perfect opening sentence. Combining our two strategies, we can arrive at the answer easily. Just to re-check, read the complete set of sentence of option 2, and see how they make perfect sense. Hence, we arrive at out answer: option 2.

STRATEGY 4: Identifying transition words

Transition words imply a shift from one idea to another in a paragraph. They function like logical connectors in sentences. Observing the transition words found in a sentence will often lead you to the correct mandatory pair for the question. In fact, from our perspective, that is the role of transition words, to help us in identifying mandatory pairs.

A list of commonly used transition words is:

also, again, as well as, besides, furthermore, in addition, likewise, moreover, similarly, consequently, hence, otherwise, subsequently, therefore, thus, as a rule, generally, for instance, for example, for one thing, above all, aside from, barring, besides, in other words, in short, instead, likewise, on one hand, on the other hand, rather, similarly, yet, but, however, still, nevertheless, first of all, to begin with, at the same time, for now, for the time being, in time, later on, meanwhile, next, then, soon, the meantime, later, while, earlier, simultaneously, afterward, in conclusion, with this in mind, after all, all in all, to sum up.

As an example solve the following question:

A. But in the industrial era destroying the enemy’s productive capacity means bombing the factories which are located in the cities.

B. So in the agrarian era, if you need to destroy the enemy’s productive capacity, what you want to do is bum his fields, or if you’re really vicious, salt them.

C. Now in the information era, destroying the enemy’s productive capacity means destroying the information infrastructure.

D. How do you do battle with your enemy?

E. The idea is to destroy the enemy’s productive capacity, and depending upon the economic foundation, that productive capacity is different in each case.

F. With regard to defence, the purpose of the military is to defend the nation and be prepared to do battle with its enemy. (CAT 2001)

1. FDEBAC                2. FCABED

3. DEBACF                4. DFEBAC

All you need to do is look at the transition word but in the first sentence. Obviously, it signifies that something contrary to this was expressed in previous sentence. A further look at the following two sentences ensures that you realize a time sequence is being referred to here.  Now statement C uses the transition word ‘now’, which obviously implies the current time period and hence should be the last statement I order of statements. Hence, we arrive at the sequence BAC, which in effect is a time sequence also, from past to the present moment.

A further look at the question will also enable you to identify the pair FDE. Hence, the correct answer is option 1.

STRATEGY 5: Identifying pronoun antecedents

Following are some of the personal pronouns that are used: ‘he, she, it, him, her, they, you, your etc’. Just keep in mind that personal pronouns always refer to a person, place or thing etc. Therefore the use of personal pronoun in a sentence can imply that the person or thing being referred to was mentioned in a previous statement. You would have realized by now what this would do for so. Obviously, this can provide us with our all important mandatory pair. As an example solve the following question:

A. Although there are large regional variations, it is not infrequent to find a large number of people sitting here and there and doing nothing.

B. Once in office, they receive friends and relatives who feel free to call any time without prior appointment.

C. While working, one is struck by the slow and clumsy actions and reactions, indifferent attitudes, procedure rather than outcome orientation, and the lack of consideration for others.

D. Even those who are employed often come late to the office and leave early unless they are forced to be punctual.

E. Work is not intrinsically valued in India.

F. Quite often people visit ailing friends and relatives or go out of their way to help them in their personal matters even during office hours.(CAT 2001)

1. ECADBF                2. EADCFB

3. EADBFC                4. ABFCBE

This is a tough question, wherein you will really have to look closely to establish the links. One link that you can establish on the base of pronoun identification is DB. The people being referred to in statement D, the one who come late, are referred to as ‘they’ in statement B. And the same people are further referred to in statement F, with them going out of their way to help their friends and relatives. See how the continuity of thought is affected in these sentences.  Now the thing that needs to be established is the start. Statement E forms the pretty obvious start, and its continuation is in fact statement C and not A. Statement C again talks about the working mannerisms of people, thereby becoming an extension of Statement A. Hence, we reach at out answer: option 1

Some examples:-

Example 1

A. 1971 war changed the political geography of the subcontinent

B. Despite the significance of the event . there has been no serious book about the conflict

C. Surrender at Dacca aims to fill this gap

D. It also profoundly altered the geo-strategic situation in South-East Asia

1] ACBD 2] CADB 3] BADC 4] ADBC

Answer -

We can see that Option A is most likely the starting sentence.Now that we know that A is the starting sentence we can eliminate choice 2 and 3 as they start with C and B respectively and not option A .

This narrows down our possibilities to option 1 and option 4.

Now we can see in option 1 C follows sentence A but the gap spoken of in sentence C has no correlation with political geography of the subcontinent spoken of in sentence A , so we can rule out Option 1.

Therefore answer has to be option D , as we can also see it elaborates on the change mentioned in sentence A.

Example 2

A. Thus begins the search for relief: painkillers, ice, yoga, herbs, even surgery

B. Most computer users develop disorders because they ignore warnings like tingling fingers, a numb hand or a sore shoulder

C. They keep pointing and dragging until tendons chafe and scar tissue forms, along with bad habits that are almost impossible to chage

D. But cures are elusive , because repetetive stree injuries present a bag of ills that often defy easy disgnosis.

1] BDAC 2] BADC 3] BCAD 4] ABCD

Answer -

Here we can make out that sentence B is will be teh starting sentence as it introduces the subject matterwhich is ‘computer users and related problems’.

Option 4 automatically get eliminated as its start with sentence A.

Option 1 can be rules out as there is no corelation between sentence B and sentence D . sentence B talks of warnings where as sentence D talks od cures for ilness and hence no correlation exists.

Option hey bro

Example 3

A. If you are used to having your stimulation come in from outside, your mind never develops its own habits of thinking and reflecting

B. Marx thought that religion was the opiate, because it soothed people’s pain and suffering and prevented them from rising in rebellion

C. If Karl Marx was alive today, he would say that television is the opiate of the people.

D. Television and similar entertainments are even more of an opiate because of their addictive tendencies.

1] BACD 2] ADBC 3] BDCA 4] CBDA

Answer -

Sentence B has Marx (short Form) and sentence C has Karl Marx (Full form). So C will come before B. Now in given options w ecan clearly see 1 and 2 and 3 , B is placed before C and hence we reject option 1, 2 and 3 which leaves us with only option 4 which is the correct option.

Example 4 ( time sequence )

A. Then two astronomers-the German, Johannes Kepler, and the Italian, Galileo Galilei-started publicly to support the Copernican theory, despite the fact that the orbits it predicted did not quite match the ones observed.

B. His idea was that the sun was stationary at the centre and that the earth and the planets move in circular orbits around the sun.

C. A simple model was proposed in 1514 by a Polish priest, Nicholas Copernicus.

D. Nearly a century passed before this idea was taken seriously.

1] CDBA 2] CBDA 3] BCAD 4] CADB

Answer -

Answer is option 2 as we can see that in sentence D it says ’ nearly a century has passed ’ so we have to keep the timeline in consideration here also while sequencing the sentences and only in option 2 the timeline fits correctly.

Example 5 ( another time line sequence question )

A. By the time he got to Linjeflug four years later, he had learned many lessons, in fact, he began his second stint as top dog by calling the entire company together in a hanger and asking for help, a far cry from his barking out commands just 48 months back.

B. At SAS, he arrived at a time crisis.

C. This book is chock-a-block full of intrusive stories and practical advice, describing Carton’s activities at Vingresor (where he assumed his first presidency at age 32), Linjeflug, and SAS in particular.

D. He began at Vingresor as an order giver, not a listener – neither to his people nor to his customers and made every mistake in the book.

1] BADC 2] BACD 3] CBAD 4] CDAB

Answer -

The correct option here will be option 4. As we can see that only in option 4 the timeline of the sentences is cirrectkly maintained.Sentence C will be the opening sentence because only C has noun (NAME) for he.Furthermore D will come before A and B. Hence CDAB , as we can see in sentence C the order is already given ‘Vingressor, Linjeflug, SAS’ , we just have to foloown this order and see correct option which is option 4.

Example 6

A. The potential exchanges between the officials of IBBF and the Maharashtra Body-Building Association has all the trappings of a drama we are accustomed to.

B. In the case of sportspersons, there is room for some sympathy, but the apathy of the administrators, which has even led to sanctions from international bodies, is unpardonable.

C. A case in the point is the hefty penalty of US $10,000 slapped on the Indian Body-Building Federation for not fulfilling its commitment for holding the Asian Championships in Mumbai in October.

D. It is a matter of deep regret and concern that the sports administrators often cause more harm to the image of the country than sportsmen and sportswomen do through their dismal performances.

1] CABD 2] DBCA 3] DABC 4] CDBA

Answer -

Here sentence C is an example of sentence D. therefore C will come after D . Now as we go by elimination method only option 2 and 3 remains. Now go by ACRONYM Method IBBF in sentence A. and Indian Body-Building Federation in sentence C.therefore sentence C will come before A as full form of the acronym is stated in sentence C and only afterwards short form is used in sentence A, hence only option 2 remains which is the correct answer .

Example 7

A. Its cargo consisted of 38 sacks of spices and Magellan himself had been hacked to pieces on the beach of Mactan in the Phillipines

B. So contrary to popular beliefe it was the crew of the Victoria who were the first men to have sailed around the globe

C. In spetembre 1522 Victoria , the sole survivor of the Armada, limped into the spanish port San Lucar , manned by a skeleton crew of 15, so weak they could not talk

D. In septembre 1519 the Armada de Molucca of five ships and 250 sailors has set out from San lucar de Barrameda under the command of Fernando de Magellan

E. It was to sail to the spice islands of the Malayan Archipelago where they were to excahnge an assortemnt of bells , mirrors , and scissors for cinnamon and cloves.

1] DECAB 2] AEDCB 3] CDEAB 4] DEABC

Answer -

We can see its written Magellan in option A where as Fernando de Magellan in option D therefore sentence A will come after sentence D.Option A cannot be starting sentence as its describes the cargo but now about whos cargo is it.Option B cannot be starting sentence also as indicates continuation of a similar idea. It will come after its supporting sentence . Furethermore we can see in option its written armada in sentence C where as full form armada de molluca is written in sentence D therefore C will come after D.this rules out option 3.D will be the starting sentence here and E will follow D as it correctly shows the journey of armada ship. A describes the armada and with sentence E begings its journey .Therefore option 1 ie DECAB will be the correct answer.

Example 8

A. What came out was very large garland made out of currency notes.

B. The unsuspecting governor opened the box in full view of the gathering

C. When the RBI governor came to inaugrate the new printing press , the local unit of the BJP handed him a gift wrapped box

D. There was a twist – the notes were all as tattered as notes could get

1] DACB 2] CABD 3] CBAD 4] DCAB

Answer -

We can clearly see that sentence D is tending or concluding sentence here.Now option 2 and option 3 are left now as 1 and 4 get eliminated.In option 2 chronological is disrupted as the minister could not have viewed the garland of currency notes before opening the box, thus option 3 will be the correct answer.

Example 9

A. But in the industrial era destroying the enemy’s productive capacity means bombing the factories which are located in the cities.

B. So in the agrarian era, if you need to destroy the enemy’s productive capacity, what you want to do is bum his fields, or if you’re really vicious, salt them.

C. Now in the information era, destroying the enemy’s productive capacity means destroying the information infrastructure.

D. How do you do battle with your enemy?

E. The idea is to destroy the enemy’s productive capacity, and depending upon the economic foundation, that productive capacity is different in each case.

F. With regard to defence, the purpose of the military is to defend the nation and be prepared to do battle with its enemy.

1] FDEBAC 2] FCABED 3] DEBACF 4] DFEBAC

Answer-

Look at the transition word ‘but’ in the first sentence. It signifies that the sentence is expressing an idea contrary an idea expressed in some previous sentence. Now we need to find that previous sentence. If we further look at the beginning of the first sentence, it says ‘but in the institutional era’ which suggests that the contrariness is with respect to eras. Looking further, we see that sentence B and C are also starting with statement about eras. But the transition word at the start of C is ’ now ’ which expresses present era and hence it cannot chronologically come before any other past era. That is, if information era is the present era, talk about any other era will come before this. So sentence B is the correct sentence to come before the first sentence. Likewise, sentence C is the correct sentence to come after the first sentence (sentence C is continuing the idea). Therefore, we have the link BAC. We see that option 1, 3 and 4 all have the link BAC. Furthermore, all the three options have the link EBAC. Therefore, we only need to arrange D and F. The sentence F states that ‘The purpose is to battle the enemy’ and D questions’ how do you battel the enemy’ Therefore D will come after F.Hence option 1 is the correct answer

Example 10

A. The situations in which violence occurs and the nature of that violence tends to be clearly defined at least in theory, as in the proverbial Irishman’s question: ‘Is this a private fight or can anyone join in?’

B. So the actual risk to outsiders, though no doubt higher than our societies, is calculable.

C. Probably the only uncontrolled applications of force are those of social superiors to social inferiors and even here there are probably some rules.

D. However binding the obligation to kill, members of feuding families engaged in mutual massacre will be genuinely appalled if by some mischance a bystander or outsider is killed.

1] DABC 2] ACDB 3] CBAD 4] DBAC

Answer -

The clue to this question comes from the word ‘calculable’ in sentence B: So the actual risk to outsiders, though no doubt higher than our societies, is calculable. How does something become ‘calculable’ ? sentence A gives the answer through the phrase ‘clearly defined theory’ . Something becomes calculable when it is clearly defined in theory. No other sentence could give answers to ‘calculable’. Therefore, the link AB was clearly marked. The link AB was present in option 1 only therefore option 1 is the answer.