Question:

Choose the most logical order of sentences among the given choices to construct a coherent paragraph.
A. Four days later, Oracle announced its own bid for PeopleSoft, and invited the firm’s board to a discussion.
B. Furious that his own plans had been endangered, PeopleSoft’s boss, Craig Conway, called Oracle’s offer “diabolical”, and its boss, Larry Ellison, a “sociopath”.
C. In early June, PeopleSoft said that it would buy J.D. Edwards, a smaller rival.
D. Moreover, said Mr. Conway, he “could imagine no price nor combination of price and other conditions to recommend accepting the offer.”
E. On June 12th, PeopleSoft turned Oracle down.

Show Hint

Use the dates and the words 'four days later' and 'moreover' first. Then decide where the formal rejection belongs.
Updated On: Nov 7, 2026
  • CABDE
  • CADBE
  • CEDAB
  • CAEBD
Show Solution
collegedunia
Verified By Collegedunia

The Correct Option is A

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Understand the task
We must arrange five sentences about a company deal into a logical story. For a news story like this, the order of events and the words that link sentences ("four days later", "moreover", "its own bid") decide the order.

Step 2: Start with C
C says that in early June PeopleSoft announced that it would buy J.D. Edwards, a smaller rival. It introduces PeopleSoft and the first event, with a date. Every option starts with C, so this agrees.

Step 3: Put A second
A says "Four days later, Oracle announced its own bid for PeopleSoft". "Four days later" needs an earlier dated event, and C gives it (early June). "Its own bid" also sets Oracle's bid against PeopleSoft's own purchase plan in C. So \(C \to A\).
Option (3) CEDAB puts E second. E says PeopleSoft "turned Oracle down", but Oracle has not been mentioned yet and no offer has been made. So option (3) is wrong.

Step 4: Put B before D
B names "PeopleSoft's boss, Craig Conway" in full and tells how furious he was about Oracle's offer. D then says "Moreover, said Mr. Conway...". The short form "Mr. Conway" and the word "Moreover" show that D adds to what Conway said in B. So \(B \to D\).
Option (2) CADBE puts D before B, so "Moreover" and "Mr. Conway" appear before the man is even introduced. Wrong.

Step 5: Choose between CABDE and CAEBD
Only the place of E is left. B says Conway was furious that his plans had been endangered. That anger is a response to Oracle's bid in A, so B should follow A straight away.
D then adds that Conway could imagine no price at which to accept the offer. This is only a statement of what he thinks. E gives the final event: on June 12th the company actually turned Oracle down. A paragraph about a deal naturally ends with the formal result. So E goes last: \(C \to A \to B \to D \to E\).
In option (4) CAEBD the rejection is stated first, and then B and D read like repeated angry remarks. The anger in B is about the plans being endangered by the bid, so it fits better right after A.

Final Answer:
The order is C, A, B, D, E. This matches option (1). The choice between options (1) and (4) is close, but Conway's reaction to the bid followed by the formal rejection is the better flow. \[ \boxed{\text{Option (1): CABDE}} \]
Was this answer helpful?
0
0

Top CAT Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) Questions

View More Questions

Top CAT Jumbled Paragraphs Questions

View More Questions