Directions: In this section each item consists of six sentences that comprise a passage. The first and sixth sentences are given in the beginning as S1 and S6. The sequence of the middle four sentences has been jumbled up and labelled as P, Q, R and S. You are required to find the proper sequence of the four sentences and mark your response accordingly on the Answer Sheet.
S1: For generations, the Balaraju pond remained the primary water source of Perakalapudi village in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh.
S6: It was only after major restoration work was carried out to restore the pond's storage capacity that the community could return to its traditional livelihood.
P: By the 2000s, decades of water mismanagement led to a rapid drop in the groundwater table as well.
Q: However, overexploitation caused the pond to shrink to half its original size and reduced its water storage capacity by 60 per cent.
R: The pond, spread across 2.4 hectares, supported irrigation, sustained the fishing community, met household needs and remained home to a wide variety of flora and fauna.
S: As the pond disappeared, the households relied on groundwater to meet their daily needs.
- AQ R P S
- BQ P R S
- CR Q S P
- DR Q P S
Explanation
The correct order is R Q S P. S1 establishes the pond as the village’s primary water source; R describes the pond and its uses; Q reports its shrinkage through overexploitation; S follows with households turning to groundwater; P continues the decline (the water table dropped too); S6 ends with restoration. This is option (c).