Question

Difficulty: MediumSentence Reordering and Placement

[1] When chief engineer Washington Roebling became bedridden with decompression sickness during the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge, the project faced a crisis. [2] Fortunately, his wife, Emily Warren Roebling, stepped in to serve as his liaison, translating his instructions for the construction crew. [3] She studied advanced mathematics, materials science, and bridge engineering to prepare herself for this daunting task. [4] Over the next decade, she took over much of the day-to-day supervision of the site, earning the deep respect of both the workers and the trustees. [5] By the time the bridge opened in 1883, she was widely recognized as the driving force behind its completion.

For the sake of logic and cohesion, the writer wants to add the following sentence to the paragraph:

"To perform this role effectively, she had to master complex technical concepts that were typically closed to nineteenth-century women."

To make the paragraph most logical, where should this sentence be placed?

  1. A
    before Sentence 1
  2. after Sentence 2Answer
  3. C
    after Sentence 3
  4. D
    after Sentence 4

Answer

after Sentence 2
The correct answer is the option that places the sentence after Sentence 2. The demonstrative pronoun phrase "this role" refers directly to the role of "liaison" established in Sentence 2. Furthermore, mentioning the need to "master complex technical concepts" provides a logical transition into Sentence 3, which details the specific subjects Emily studied to achieve that mastery.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the logical indicators and pronouns in the sentence to be inserted.
The phrase "this role" requires a previously mentioned role, and the concept of mastering "complex technical concepts" needs to connect to specific technical subjects.
Tracking pronouns and key concepts helps establish the required context preceding and following the target sentence.
2
Locate the introduction of the role referenced by the pronoun.
Sentence 2 introduces Emily Warren Roebling's role as a "liaison" who translated technical instructions.
This establishes that the target sentence must come after Sentence 2.
3
Connect the requirement of mastering technical concepts to the subsequent actions described in the paragraph.
Sentence 3 describes Emily studying advanced mathematics, materials science, and bridge engineering, which represents the execution of mastering those concepts.
This shows that the target sentence must precede Sentence 3, pointing to the location after Sentence 2.

Key Concept

Sentence Reordering and Placement
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