Question

Rearrange the following parts to form a coherent paragraph:
a. over much of the Sahara, these formations were covered by Mesozoic deposits,
b. the Sahara sits atop the African Shield,
c. and many of the important regional aquifers are identified with them,
d. which is composed of heavily folded and denuded Precambrian rocks,
e. have remained horizontal and relatively unaltered,
f. because of the stability of the shield, subsequently deposited Paleozoic formations,
Which of the following will be the third statement after rearrangement?

• A. b
• B. c
• C. d
• D. e
• E. f

Hint:

Look for the relative pronoun "which." It almost always follows the noun it describes. In this case, "African Shield" in (b) is directly described by "which is composed..." in (d).

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

To rearrange the given parts into a coherent paragraph, we must first understand the logical sequence and focus on the content of each part. Here is a clear step-by-step explanation:

1. Identify the primary subject, which in this case is the Sahara and its geological context. The paragraph is about describing the geological setup of the Sahara region.
2. Start with a general introduction about the Sahara's geological foundation. Statement b ("the Sahara sits atop the African Shield") provides this introductory context.
3. Next, elaborate on the composition and characteristics of the African Shield. Statement d ("which is composed of heavily folded and denuded Precambrian rocks") logically follows, explaining the geological makeup mentioned in b.
4. Then, discuss what has happened subsequently: due to the shield's stability, other formations have been deposited. Statement f ("because of the stability of the shield, subsequently deposited Paleozoic formations") follows logically here.
5. Further detail the impact of these interactions on the region's geology. Statement a ("over much of the Sahara, these formations were covered by Mesozoic deposits") follows this timeline correctly.
6. Finally, sum up with the relevance of these formations now, as in statement e ("have remained horizontal and relatively unaltered") and c ("and many of the important regional aquifers are identified with them") which discusses the present state and significance of these formations.

Following this structure, we have the coherent paragraph:

The Sahara sits atop the African Shield, which is composed of heavily folded and denuded Precambrian rocks. Because of the stability of the shield, subsequently deposited Paleozoic formations over much of the Sahara, these formations were covered by Mesozoic deposits, have remained horizontal and relatively unaltered, and many of the important regional aquifers are identified with them.

Therefore, the third statement in the rearranged paragraph is statement d ("which is composed of heavily folded and denuded Precambrian rocks").