Thursday, January 30th, 2020
Sentence Exclusion or the Odd sentence out of the paragraph question type has been recently introduced in the CAT and has been a regular feature since. In this question type, a paragraph consisting of 5 sentences is given in an unorganized sequence in which one sentence is logically out of sync with the rest of the sentences. The test taker will have to identify this ‘odd’ sentence.
Below are listed four different methods of solving Odd sentence out of the paragraph question types. The method I is a quick method suited for solving simpler questions in which one sentence can be positively identified to be visibly different in theme and method II is for more difficult questions in which all the five sentences appear to be on the same theme. Methods III and IV are suited for all questions.
Example 1:
Explanation: Read the sentences carefully. The paragraph is not talking about the SARS syndrome but a new disease in China named the coronavirus which bears a ‘striking resemblance’ to SARS. Therefore, sentence 1, which talks exclusively about SARS – which is a different disease – is the odd sentence out of the paragraph. All the other sentences relate to the new coronavirus.
However, what if all the sentences in a paragraph are on the same theme? Most CAT questions fall into this category and simply looking for a thematically different sentence may not be possible. In this case, one has no option but to apply the principles mentioned below in Method II.
Method II is useful for solving sentences that appear to be on the same theme with no digressions.
Example 2:
Explanation: Applying the Who/What principle outlined in method II we get:
[1] is about China which is trailing behind US and Europe in factory farms.
[2] is also about China which is behind other countries in feeding itself.
[3] is also about China and its transition to factory farming from traditional farming is likely to cause the spread of new diseases.
[4] is also about China and a large percentage of its livestock (44%) are not factory farmed but raised in backyards and traditional farms.
[5] is also about China and its place in the world as a country at the technological frontier.
It is clear that sentence 1-4 are about China’s backwardness in farming especially in factory farming as compared to the US and Europe while sentence 5 is about China being at the technological frontier. Therefore, sentence 5 is the odd sentence out of the paragraph as it does not sync with the ‘backwardness’ of China in farming and its consequences as do sentences 1-4.
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Example 3:
Explanation: Applying the Who/What principle outlined in method II we get:
[1] is about Dark Matter and the reasons for which it is implied that there is dark matter in the universe.
[2] is about dark matter and the fact that it accounts for 85% of the matter in the universe.
[3] is about the first person to suggest the existence of dark matter.
[4] is about dark matter and the fact that it is abundant in the universe.
[5] is also about dark matter and the reasons it is called dark.
Sentences 1,2,4 and 5 are not about the existence of dark matter at all but are about the abundance of dark matter in the universe and the reason as to why it is called dark. Sentence [3] is about the first person to suggest the existence of dark matter which is not the theme of the other four sentences. Therefore, sentence 3 is the odd sentence out of the paragraph.
Odd sentence out of the paragraph questions can also be solved by using the same method one applies in order to solve Jumbled Paragraph questions. The student will have to logically rearrange the sentences to form a coherent paragraph and the sentence which links logically with only one other sentence and is on a different theme or subject is the odd sentence.
Example:
Let us try and solve example 2 again by rearranging the sentences logically and selecting the sentence that is out of sync.
Explanation: DA are a pair. D mentions that 44% of livestock are raised traditionally while A goes on to add that this figure is a dramatic fall from a generation ago when the livestock raised from traditional farming was 97%.
EB are a pair since E talks about China’s advance as a technologically frontier nation while B adds that when it comes to feeding itself though – it is still catching up.
C follows A with the ‘transition’ from traditional raising of livestock to factory farming causing the spread of new diseases. C concludes the paragraph.
Thus, the sequence is EBDAC.
Among the two pairs, DA and EB, both the sentences in D and A are on the same subject – traditional methods of livestock farming. In the EB pair, E is about China being an advanced nation technologically while B is about China still having to catch up as far as modern factory farming methods are concerned. Since E can link logically only with B and is on a different subject to sentence B – technologically advanced country – E is the odd sentence out of the paragraph.
But what if one sentence in the question will not link logically with any other sentence of the paragraph? The student is advised to rearrange the sentences logically as if it was a Jumbled paragraph question and select the sentence which does not link logically with ANY of the other sentences.
Example:
Let us try and solve example 3 again by rearranging the sentences logically and selecting the sentence that is out of sync.
Explanation: Using method IV we get:
B is the introductory sentence and BA is a pair. B introduces ‘dark matter’ and A with ‘Its’ goes on to add how dark matter’s presence is implied.
AD is also a logical pair. A mentions the fact that dark matter’s presence is ‘implied in a variety of astrophysical observations, including gravitational effects that cannot be explained by accepted theories of gravity unless more matter is present than can be seen.’ D with ‘For this reason’ goes on to add that therefore the dark matter is abundant in the universe.
E follows D by stating the reason as to why dark matter is called dark.
Sentence C does not link with any of the sentences in the paragraph since it mentions the ‘existence’ of dark matter and the name of the person who first suggested it. The other four sentences are about the ‘presence’ of dark matter, its abundance and the reason as to why it is called dark.
Since sentence C does not link logically with the other sentences after rearrangement it is the odd sentence out of the paragraph.
Students are advised to practice solving a lot of Sentence Exclusion questions using the different methods that have been outlined above before honing in on the method one finds best suited for solving this question type. Instead of looking for short cut methods in solving Sentence Exclusion questions, it would be better to increase one’s aptitude in solving this type of question. This can only be brought about by hard work and diligent practice.
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