Question

Difficulty: EasyOpening and Concluding Sentences

The sentences below are from a paragraph about the development of the bicycle. How should these sentences be ordered to form a coherent paragraph that begins with a clear topic sentence and ends with an effective concluding sentence?

  1. 1Although many people associate modern bicycles with recreation, their initial development was driven by a need for practical, everyday transportation.
  2. 2In the nineteenth century, early riders struggled to ride the 'penny-farthing,' a dangerous bicycle with a giant front wheel.
  3. 3To solve this safety problem, inventors designed the 'safety bicycle' with two equal-sized wheels and a chain-driven rear wheel.
  4. 4Ultimately, this new design succeeded in making cycling safe and convenient for the general public.

Answer

The correct order of the sentences is: 'Although many people associate modern bicycles with recreation, their initial development was driven by a need for practical, everyday transportation.' followed by 'In the nineteenth century, early riders struggled to ride the 'penny-farthing,' a dangerous bicycle with a giant front wheel.', then 'To solve this safety problem, inventors designed the 'safety bicycle' with two equal-sized wheels and a chain-driven rear wheel.', and finally 'Ultimately, this new design succeeded in making cycling safe and convenient for the general public.'
The correct sequence begins with a broad introduction to the development of the bicycle, moves chronologically to the problems of the nineteenth-century penny-farthing, introduces the 'safety bicycle' as a solution, and concludes with the ultimate impact of this new design.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the introductory sentence.
The sentence starting with 'Although many people associate...' is selected first.
It introduces the broad topic of bicycle development and sets a formal tone without relying on prior information.
2
Find the historical context sentence.
The sentence starting with 'In the nineteenth century...' is placed second.
It introduces the historical ancestor of the bicycle (the penny-farthing) and establishes a specific safety problem.
3
Identify the solution to the safety problem.
The sentence starting with 'To solve this safety problem...' is placed third.
The phrase 'this safety problem' directly references the struggles of riding the penny-farthing described in the previous sentence.
4
Identify the concluding sentence.
The sentence starting with 'Ultimately...' is placed last.
It uses the concluding transition 'Ultimately' to wrap up the narrative by describing the final impact of the safety bicycle design.

Key Concept

Identifying topic sentences and concluding sentences, and establishing logical transitions between them.
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