Question

Difficulty: MediumSupporting Claims with Evidence and Details

The following sentences are from a draft of an essay about ancient Roman engineering. To ensure that the paragraph is organized logically and that each claim is supported by immediate, relevant evidence and details, in what order should the sentences be placed?

  1. 1Ancient Roman builders constructed monumental aqueducts that relied entirely on gravity to transport water from distant freshwater springs to growing urban centers.
  2. 2To keep the water flowing continuously without pooling or spilling, engineers had to maintain a remarkably precise and consistent downward gradient.
  3. 3They achieved this precision using the chorobates, a twenty-foot-long wooden leveling device that measured slope with water-filled grooves.
  4. 4With this tool, surveyors could establish gradients as gentle as one foot of drop for every several thousand feet of distance, ensuring a steady, controlled flow of water.

Answer

The sentences should be arranged in the order: introduction of gravity-fed aqueducts, explanation of the gradient requirement, introduction of the chorobates leveling tool, and detail of the specific gradient measurements achieved.
The correct logical order begins with the introductory statement about gravity-fed aqueducts, followed by the requirement of a precise downward gradient. Next, the tool (chorobates) used to achieve this precision is introduced. Finally, the specific gradient measurements achieved with this tool are detailed.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the sentence that introduces the main topic of the paragraph.
The sentence discussing Roman aqueducts relying on gravity to transport water is identified as the opening sentence because it provides the essential context.
A logical paragraph must start with a general statement that establishes the subject before diving into technical details.
2
Find the sentence that transitions from the general concept of gravity-driven transport to a specific technical challenge.
The sentence stating that engineers had to maintain a precise downward gradient follows the introduction.
It explains the prerequisite for using gravity to transport water, linking the broad concept of gravity to the specific need for gradient precision.
3
Look for the sentence explaining how the engineers solved the technical challenge of maintaining a precise gradient.
The sentence introducing the chorobates as the leveling device used to achieve this precision is placed third.
The pronoun 'They' refers to 'engineers' in the prior sentence, and the phrase 'this precision' directly references the 'precise and consistent downward gradient' established in the previous step.
4
Connect the specific tool to the resulting quantitative evidence or details of its application.
The sentence detailing the exact slope measurements achieved (one foot of drop per several thousand feet) with this tool is placed last.
The transition 'With this tool' requires the tool (the chorobates) to be introduced first, and the specific gradient details serve as the final supporting evidence for the paragraph's claim about precise engineering.

Key Concept

Supporting Claims with Evidence and Details
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