Question:
The given sentence is missing in the paragraph below. Decide where it best fits among the options 1, 2, 3, or 4 indicated in the paragraph.
Sentence: Historically, silver has been, and still is, an important element in the business of 'show' visible in private houses, churches, government and diplomacy.
Paragraph:
____(1) ____. Timothy Schroder put it succinctly in suggesting that electric light and eating in the kitchen eroded this need. As he explained to the author, ‘Silver, when illuminated by flickering candlelight, comes alive and almost dances before the eyes, but when lit by electric light it becomes flat and dead.’ ____(2) ____. Domestic and economic changes may have worked against the market, but the London silver trade remained buoyant, thanks to the competition of collectors seeking grand display silver at the top end, and the buyers of ‘collectables’, like spoons and wine labels and ‘novelties’, at the bottom. ____(3) ____. Another factor that came into play was the systematic collection building of certain American museums over the period. Boston, Huntington Art Gallery and Williamsburg, among others, were largely supplied by London dealers. ____(4) ____.
The given sentence is missing in the paragraph below. Decide where it best fits among the options 1, 2, 3, or 4 indicated in the paragraph.
Sentence: Historically, silver has been, and still is, an important element in the business of 'show' visible in private houses, churches, government and diplomacy.
Paragraph:
____(1) ____. Timothy Schroder put it succinctly in suggesting that electric light and eating in the kitchen eroded this need. As he explained to the author, ‘Silver, when illuminated by flickering candlelight, comes alive and almost dances before the eyes, but when lit by electric light it becomes flat and dead.’ ____(2) ____. Domestic and economic changes may have worked against the market, but the London silver trade remained buoyant, thanks to the competition of collectors seeking grand display silver at the top end, and the buyers of ‘collectables’, like spoons and wine labels and ‘novelties’, at the bottom. ____(3) ____. Another factor that came into play was the systematic collection building of certain American museums over the period. Boston, Huntington Art Gallery and Williamsburg, among others, were largely supplied by London dealers. ____(4) ____.
Sentence: Historically, silver has been, and still is, an important element in the business of 'show' visible in private houses, churches, government and diplomacy.
Paragraph:
____(1) ____. Timothy Schroder put it succinctly in suggesting that electric light and eating in the kitchen eroded this need. As he explained to the author, ‘Silver, when illuminated by flickering candlelight, comes alive and almost dances before the eyes, but when lit by electric light it becomes flat and dead.’ ____(2) ____. Domestic and economic changes may have worked against the market, but the London silver trade remained buoyant, thanks to the competition of collectors seeking grand display silver at the top end, and the buyers of ‘collectables’, like spoons and wine labels and ‘novelties’, at the bottom. ____(3) ____. Another factor that came into play was the systematic collection building of certain American museums over the period. Boston, Huntington Art Gallery and Williamsburg, among others, were largely supplied by London dealers. ____(4) ____.
Show Hint
When inserting a sentence, check for pronouns like “this need,” “such,” or “these,” which often refer back to the missing statement. This helps identify the correct position quickly.
Updated On: Jul 1, 2026
- Option 4
- Option 1
- Option 3
- Option 2
Show Solution
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The Correct Option is C
Approach Solution - 1
Approach: An insertion sentence has to glue the idea before it to the idea after it. Read the orphan for its hinge word, then find the gap where the preceding sentence and the following sentence both align with that hinge.
Step 1: The orphan reads: 'Historically, silver has been, and still is, an important element in the business of show visible in private houses, churches, government and diplomacy.' Its core is silver's enduring importance for display ('show') despite changing times \(-\) the 'and still is' is the hinge.
Step 2: Just before Gap 3 the paragraph admits domestic and economic changes worked against the market, yet the London trade 'remained buoyant' because of collectors chasing 'grand display silver.' That is silver surviving as display \(-\) the exact theme of the orphan. The orphan generalises this into the broad statement that silver's role in 'show' persists.
Step 3: After Gap 3 comes 'Another factor that came into play was the systematic collection building of certain American museums.' The word 'Another' signals one more reason silver stayed important \(-\) which needs a prior statement of that ongoing importance for 'Another' to point back to. The orphan supplies it.
Why the other gaps fail:
Gap 1 opens the paragraph and is immediately followed by the electric-light point about silver's need being eroded \(-\) starting with 'still is important' clashes with that decline opening. Gap 2 sits between the candlelight quote and the 'buoyant market' sentence, mid-argument about decline-versus-survival, where a broad historical claim interrupts. Gap 4 is the closing slot after the American-museums detail, with nothing after it for the orphan to set up.
Answer: Option 3
Step 1: The orphan reads: 'Historically, silver has been, and still is, an important element in the business of show visible in private houses, churches, government and diplomacy.' Its core is silver's enduring importance for display ('show') despite changing times \(-\) the 'and still is' is the hinge.
Step 2: Just before Gap 3 the paragraph admits domestic and economic changes worked against the market, yet the London trade 'remained buoyant' because of collectors chasing 'grand display silver.' That is silver surviving as display \(-\) the exact theme of the orphan. The orphan generalises this into the broad statement that silver's role in 'show' persists.
Step 3: After Gap 3 comes 'Another factor that came into play was the systematic collection building of certain American museums.' The word 'Another' signals one more reason silver stayed important \(-\) which needs a prior statement of that ongoing importance for 'Another' to point back to. The orphan supplies it.
Why the other gaps fail:
Gap 1 opens the paragraph and is immediately followed by the electric-light point about silver's need being eroded \(-\) starting with 'still is important' clashes with that decline opening. Gap 2 sits between the candlelight quote and the 'buoyant market' sentence, mid-argument about decline-versus-survival, where a broad historical claim interrupts. Gap 4 is the closing slot after the American-museums detail, with nothing after it for the orphan to set up.
Answer: Option 3
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Approach Solution -2
Step 1: Examine the meaning of the missing sentence.
The sentence describes silver as historically important for display and public “show.” This is a general introductory remark about the cultural and social function of silver.
Step 2: Identify where such an introductory sentence would fit.
The very next sentence (after blank 1) says that electric lighting and kitchen dining eroded this need. The phrase “this need” refers to the need described in the missing sentence — the need for silver as a symbol of display.
Therefore, the missing sentence must precede this “erosion” explanation, meaning it belongs at Blank (1).
Step 3: Check why other placements don’t work.
Blank (2) follows a detailed point about how silver looks under different lighting; an introductory historical statement would break the flow.
Blank (3) follows a discussion of the silver market and collectors—again unrelated to historical “show.”
Blank (4) follows information about American museums; inserting the sentence there makes no logical sense.
Thus, the correct position is (1).
Step 4: Map this to the answer choices.
The list of answer choices indicates that: \[ \text{Option 1 (position 1)} \longrightarrow \text{Answer choice (3)} \]
So, the correct answer is (3) Option 1.
The sentence describes silver as historically important for display and public “show.” This is a general introductory remark about the cultural and social function of silver.
Step 2: Identify where such an introductory sentence would fit.
The very next sentence (after blank 1) says that electric lighting and kitchen dining eroded this need. The phrase “this need” refers to the need described in the missing sentence — the need for silver as a symbol of display.
Therefore, the missing sentence must precede this “erosion” explanation, meaning it belongs at Blank (1).
Step 3: Check why other placements don’t work.
Blank (2) follows a detailed point about how silver looks under different lighting; an introductory historical statement would break the flow.
Blank (3) follows a discussion of the silver market and collectors—again unrelated to historical “show.”
Blank (4) follows information about American museums; inserting the sentence there makes no logical sense.
Thus, the correct position is (1).
Step 4: Map this to the answer choices.
The list of answer choices indicates that: \[ \text{Option 1 (position 1)} \longrightarrow \text{Answer choice (3)} \]
So, the correct answer is (3) Option 1.
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