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.
- 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.
- When more people use buses or trains the service usually improves because public-transport agencies run more buses and trains.
- Worsening services on public transport, terrorist attacks in some urban metros and a rise in fares have been blamed for this trend.
- 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.
- 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.
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.
- 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.
- When more people use buses or trains the service usually improves because public-transport agencies run more buses and trains.
- Worsening services on public transport, terrorist attacks in some urban metros and a rise in fares have been blamed for this trend.
- 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.
- 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
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