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Question

Difficulty: MediumOpening and Concluding Sentences

The following sentences are from a paragraph about William Henry Perkin's accidental invention. Arrange the sentences in the most logical order to create a cohesive paragraph that begins with a clear introduction and ends with a strong concluding sentence.

  1. 1In 1856, eighteen-year-old chemist William Henry Perkin was attempting to synthesize quinine, a treatment for malaria, in his home laboratory.
  2. 2During one experiment, instead of obtaining the desired clear medicine, he was left with a dark, sticky residue at the bottom of his flask.
  3. 3When Perkin went to clean the flask with alcohol, the substance dissolved, transforming into a brilliant, deep purple liquid.
  4. 4He quickly realized that this accidental solution could serve as a durable textile dye, which he named mauveine.
  5. 5Perkin’s serendipitous discovery not only revolutionized the fashion industry but also marked the birth of the modern synthetic chemical industry.

Answer

The most logical order of the sentences is: first, the sentence introducing William Henry Perkin's attempt to synthesize quinine; second, the sentence describing the resulting dark, sticky residue; third, the sentence about the residue dissolving into a purple liquid; fourth, the sentence detailing his realization that the solution could be used as a dye; and finally, the sentence concluding with the historical impact of the discovery.
The correct order follows a clear chronological and logical progression: introducing Perkin's initial experiment (quinine synthesis), describing the failed result (sticky residue), explaining how cleaning the residue produced a new substance (purple liquid), identifying the commercial potential of that substance (textile dye), and concluding with the global impact of the discovery (revolutionizing the fashion and chemical industries).

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the introductory sentence.
The sentence introducing William Henry Perkin and his goal of synthesizing quinine is selected as the starting point.
An effective introduction must establish context (who, when, what) without relying on antecedent pronouns or references to previous information.
2
Find the immediate transition describing the experiment's outcome.
The sentence about the 'dark, sticky residue' is placed second.
The reference to 'the desired clear medicine' connects directly to the attempt to synthesize 'quinine' in the first sentence.
3
Identify the chemical reaction description.
The sentence describing the substance dissolving into a purple liquid is placed third.
The noun phrase 'the substance' needs an antecedent, which is the 'dark, sticky residue' from the second sentence.
4
Locate the transition from discovery to application.
The sentence explaining how the liquid could be a textile dye is placed fourth.
The phrase 'this accidental solution' refers to the 'purple liquid' described in the third sentence.
5
Determine the concluding sentence.
The sentence reflecting on the long-term impact on the fashion and chemical industries is placed last.
A strong conclusion should summarize the significance of the event and provide a sense of closure to the passage.

Key Concept

Logical paragraph flow relies on clear transitions, referencing pronouns (like 'this accidental solution' or 'the substance') to their proper antecedents, and placing general introductory and concluding thoughts at the boundaries of the paragraph.
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Topics

Opening and Concluding Sentences

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