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There is a sentence that is missing in the paragraph below. Look at the paragraph and decide where (option 1, 2, 3, or 4) the following sentence would best fit.

Paragraph: ___ (1) ___ You can't just put things anywhere you want to. The evolved architecture of the brain is haphazard and disjointed, and incorporates multiple systems, each of which has a mind of its own ___ (2) ___ . Evolution doesn't design things and it doesn't build systems, it settles on systems that, historically, conveyed a survival benefit. There is no overarching, grand planner engineering the systems so that they work harmoniously together ___ (3) ___ . The brain is more like a big, old house with piecemeal renovations done on every floor, and less like new construction ___ (4) ___ .

Sentence: The brain isn't organized the way you might set up your home office or bathroom medicine cabinet.

Solution

βœ… Correct Option: 2

From passage: "You can't just put things anywhere you want to. The evolved architecture of the brain is haphazard and disjointed"

The sentence compares brain organization -> home office organization. This sets up a contrast -> the brain is NOT organized like things we organize carefully.

Thought process: Introduction sentence -> should come first to set up the main idea -> then paragraph explains WHY the brain isn't organized that way (evolution, no planner, etc.)


🟠 Option 1 (Position 3): degree-error -> sentence talks about basic organization, but position 3 is deep into evolution discussion. Wrong timing in the flow.

🟒 Option 2 (Position 1): perfect fit -> introduces the contrast theme right away, then rest of paragraph explains why brain isn't organized like our stuff.

🟠 Option 3 (Position 2): context-shift -> interrupts the flow between "can't put things anywhere" and "evolved architecture." Breaks the natural connection.

🟠 Option 4 (Position 4): scope-error -> paragraph ends with strong house metaphor. Adding this sentence after would weaken that powerful ending.

The sentence needs to introduce the contrast idea, not interrupt or conclude it.

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