Question

Sentences of a paragraph are given below. While the first and the last sentences (S1 and S4) are given, some sentences (S2 and S3) are missing. Identify the alternative that will meaningfully fill in the gap.
S1. After spending a night in the town of Bodhgaya, the ancient settlement where Lord Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment, I set out that morning for Nalanda, whose red-brick ruins are all that remain of one of the greatest centres of learning in the ancient world.
S2. ____________
S3. ____________
S4. As the Dalai Lama once stated: "The source of all the [Buddhist] knowledge we have, has come from Nalanda."
Alternatives:
A. Founded in 427 CE, Nalanda is considered the world's first residential university, a sort of medieval Ivy League institution home to nine million books that attracted 10,000 students from across Eastern and Central Asia.
B. Interestingly, the monarchs of the Gupta Empire that founded the monastic university were devout Hindus, but sympathetic towards Buddhism.
C. They gathered here to learn medicine, logic, mathematics and - above all - Buddhist principles from some of the era's most revered scholars.

• A. AC
• B. CA
• C. BC
• D. CB

Hint:

In sentence arrangement questions, look for logical connectors like pronouns (e.g., 'they', 'it'), chronological order, and cause-and-effect relationships. The best sequence will have a smooth flow of ideas.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Understanding the Question:
We need to arrange two of the three given alternatives (A, B, C) to form a coherent paragraph between the given first (S1) and last (S4) sentences.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let's analyze the logical flow:
S1 introduces Nalanda as one of the "greatest centres of learning in the ancient world."
S4 concludes with a quote from the Dalai Lama emphasizing Nalanda's importance as the source of Buddhist knowledge.
Now let's examine the connections between the sentences:
- Sentence A provides a factual introduction to Nalanda, explaining what it was (the world's first residential university) and its scale (10,000 students). This is a perfect follow-up to S1, which introduces Nalanda as a "great centre of learning."
- Sentence C describes what the students learned. The pronoun "They" in "They gathered here..." logically refers to the "10,000 students" mentioned in Sentence A. This creates a strong link between A and C. Furthermore, the mention of learning "Buddhist principles" in C provides a smooth transition to S4, which is a quote about Buddhist knowledge.
- Sentence B talks about the founders of the university. While interesting, it's a secondary detail compared to what the university was and what was taught there. Placing it between A and C would disrupt the flow from describing the students to describing what they learned.
Let's test the sequence AC:
S1: Introduces Nalanda as a great center of learning.
S2 (A): Elaborates on what Nalanda was (a university with 10,000 students).
S3 (C): Explains what "They" (the students from A) learned, including Buddhist principles.
S4: Concludes with a quote about Buddhist knowledge, linking directly to C.
This sequence (S1-A-C-S4) is logical, coherent, and flows smoothly. The pronoun reference is clear, and the ideas progress from general to specific.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The correct order for S2 and S3 is A followed by C. Therefore, option (A) is the correct choice.