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Five jumbled up sentences (labelled 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5), related to a topic, are given below. Four of them can be put together to form a coherent paragraph. Identify the odd sentence and key in the number of that sentence as your answer.

  1. Urbanites also have more and better options for getting around: Uber is ubiquitous; easy-to-rent dockless bicycles are spreading; battery-powered scooters will be next.
  2. When more people use buses or trains the service usually improves because public-transport agencies run more buses and trains.
  3. Worsening services on public transport, terrorist attacks in some urban metros and a rise in fares have been blamed for this trend.
  4. It seems more likely that public transport is being squeezed structurally as people's need to travel is diminishing as a result of smartphones, video-conferencing, online shopping and so on.
  5. There has been a puzzling decline in the use of urban public transport in many countries in the west, despite the growth in urban populations and rising employment.

Entered answer:

Solution

✅ Correct Answer: 2

Step 1: Find the main topic -> Sentence 5 talks about a "puzzling decline in the use of urban public transport" - this sets up the whole discussion.

Step 2: Look for sentences that explain this decline or connect to it -> Sentences 3 and 4 both give reasons for the decline. Sentence 1 mentions alternatives people now have.

Step 3: Check which sentence goes against the flow -> Sentence 2 talks about improvement when more people use public transport, but the whole passage is about fewer people using it.

From passage: "There has been a puzzling decline in the use of urban public transport in many countries in the west, despite the growth in urban populations and rising employment."

Thought process: Main topic is decline in public transport use -> Sentences 3 & 4 explain why decline happens -> Sentence 1 shows what alternatives people have instead -> But sentence 2 talks about services getting better when more people use transport, which contradicts the whole "decline" theme.


Logical flow of four sentences:

  • Sentence 5: Sets up the puzzle (decline in public transport)
  • Sentence 3: First explanation (bad services, attacks, high fares)
  • Sentence 4: Better explanation (technology reducing need to travel)
  • Sentence 1: Shows alternatives available (Uber, bikes, scooters)

The odd one out: Sentence 2 discusses improvement in public transport when usage increases, but the entire passage focuses on decreasing usage and its causes. This sentence doesn't fit the theme at all.

Answer: 2

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