CDS 2026 (I) English, question 40

Topic: Ordering of sentences

Answers by SolvedPaper. UPSC has not released the official answer key for this paper yet. We will update it when they do.

Directions · Q31 to Q40

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 four sentences in the middle, labelled as P, Q, R, and S, has been jumbled. You are required to find the proper sequence of the four jumbled sentences and mark your response on the Answer Sheet accordingly.

Q40

S1 : Among the momentous watersheds through which human beings have passed since their appearance over 100,000 years ago, none has been more profound in its consequences than the shift to agriculture.

S6 : Unfortunately, such transformations disrupted delicate natural balances as humans sought enhanced control over their new modes of subsistence.

P : They did this by purposefully transforming landscapes with their agricultural fields and pastures.

Q : They lived much like the way in which their own hominid predecessors had lived for millions of years, as integral components of the Earth’s ecosystems.

R : However, with the invention of practices of agriculture, these new farmers and herders began manipulating their surroundings to an unprecedented degree.

S : Before that, for countless generations, nearly all humans had lived as hunters and gatherers, dwelling together in small, stable, nomadic bands that operated in close harmony with nature.

  1. (a) RPQS
  2. (b) PRQS
  3. (c) RQSP
  4. (d) SQRPCorrect answer

Solution.

Answer: (d) SQRP

  1. “Before that” in S refers to the shift to agriculture in S1.
  2. Q continues the description of hunter-gatherer life.
  3. R marks the agricultural contrast with “However”; “They did this” in P explains how farmers transformed their surroundings.
  4. Sequence: S → Q → R → P.