Question

Difficulty: HardParagraph Reordering and Placement

[1]
In the 1930s, Chester Carlson, a patent attorney in New York, grew frustrated by the tedious process of copying documents. The options at the time were limited to photographic copying, which was expensive and slow, or manually retyping pages. Determined to find a more efficient method, Carlson began conducting chemical experiments in his kitchen, seeking a dry, clean way to reproduce text.

[2]
His breakthrough came in October 1938 when he successfully transferred the date "10-22-38" onto a glass slide using static electricity and a light-sensitive powder. Carlson called his invention "electrophotography." He believed the process would revolutionize office work, but major corporations were uninterested in what they saw as an unrefined, impractical prototype.

[3]
It was not until 1946 that the Haloid Company, a small photographic paper manufacturer, agreed to license Carlson's technology. Together with researchers at the Battelle Memorial Institute, they refined the process and renamed it "xerography," derived from the Greek words for "dry writing." In 1959, the company, renamed Xerox, released the first commercial automatic office copier, transforming the business world forever.

[4]
To protect his new design from being stolen by competitors, Carlson immediately applied for a patent. This legal safeguard, which he secured in 1940, ensured that he would retain control over the technology during the years he spent searching for a commercial partner.

To make the essay flow most logically, where should Paragraph 4 be placed?

  1. A
    where it is now
  2. B
    before Paragraph 1
  3. C
    after Paragraph 1
  4. after Paragraph 2Answer

Answer

Paragraph 4 should be placed after Paragraph 2.
Placing the paragraph after Paragraph 2 is correct because it maintains a chronological flow (moving from the 1938 breakthrough in Paragraph 2, to the 1940 patent in Paragraph 4, and then to the 1946 licensing agreement in Paragraph 3). Additionally, the final sentence of Paragraph 4 introduces the idea of Carlson searching for a 'commercial partner,' which provides a direct transition to the beginning of Paragraph 3, which introduces the Haloid Company as that partner.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the chronology of the events in the passage.
Paragraph 1 establishes the 1930s search; Paragraph 2 describes the October 1938 breakthrough; Paragraph 3 discusses the 1946 licensing and 1959 commercial release; Paragraph 4 mentions applying for a patent and securing it in 1940.
Tracking time markers is a primary strategy for resolving paragraph placement questions.
2
Determine where the 1940 patent described in Paragraph 4 fits within the timeline.
The year 1940 logically falls after the 1938 breakthrough in Paragraph 2 and before the 1946 licensing agreement in Paragraph 3.
This maintains a clear, forward-moving chronological narrative.
3
Examine textual transitions and referential clues.
Paragraph 4 ends with the phrase 'searching for a commercial partner,' which directly sets up the opening of Paragraph 3: 'It was not until 1946 that the Haloid Company... agreed to license Carlson's technology.'
Connecting thematic elements and references ensures cohesive flow between paragraphs.

Key Concept

Paragraph Reordering and Placement
Estimated Time:2m 0s
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