Verbal Question of the Day: 18
OUT OF CONTEXT
Five sentences related to a topic are given below. Four of them can be put together to form a meaningful and coherent short paragraph. Identify the odd one out. Choose its number as your answer and key it in.
- So they decided to escape the sun and wander the stadium’s shaded concourses or to leave the ballpark altogether.
- I spent July 4 at the ballpark, for a game between the Washington Nationals and the Boston Red Sox.
- By the game’s middle innings, a huge number of seats — about half, in some sections — had emptied.
- In more than 40 years of attending ballgames, I had never seen anything quite like it.
- It was a brutally hot day in Washington, and many people found it too uncomfortable to remain in their seats.
1. Seems to be the correct answer.
As, all the other points talk anent the situation in the stadium
2. A match, IN THE STADIUM.
3.Half of the STADIUM HAD EMPTIED.
4 Again, something that happened IN THE STADIUM was new to him.
5. People couldn’t bare the heat and hence, it was probably difficult for them to remain SEATED IN THE STADIUM.
Whereas, 1, says that people left the stadium.
Hi Shivam, thanks for sharing your approach.
I’ll post the solution tomorrow morning
The more robust thematic difference here is incorporated in sentence 4, Shivam. Hence, it is the correct answer. People leaving the stadium or staying in the stadium is a structural difference and doesn’t capture the idea behind the sentences.
Sentence 4 is out of the context as the other sentences form a sequence-2513.
Hi Shubhra, the primary approach to solve out of context questions is to look for the sentence that is thematically different. Would you give the answer as option 4. if you used that approach (and why/ why not 🙂 )?
Well done, Shubhra! That is the correct answer.
However, do see the preferred approach in my comment below.
1
That’s off the mark, Priyanka. But, don’t worry. See the explanation to the answer, in my comment below.
Write back to me in case you have any doubts 🙂
And take a shot at today’s question:
http://tathagat.mba/verbal-question-of-the-day-19/
Option 1 has no information regarding the Match. However, option 4 looks like talking in reference to option 3. i.e. seat had never been emptied in last 40 years as they were during the match.
On the other hand, option 1 doesn’t talk about the match.
Please let me know how my approach is incorrect for the question.
Option 1 is has different theme than rest of the options. Hence, option 1 is the correct answer.
Hi Pranshu, what do you think the theme of the other sentences is? And how is option 1. different from that theme? 🙂
That’s not the answer, Pranshu. Check the answer, along with its explanation, in my comment below.
Please get back to me in case you have any doubts 🙂
Give today’s question a shot:
http://tathagat.mba/verbal-question-of-the-day-19/
Option 1 has no information regarding the Match. However, option 4 looks like talking in reference to option 3. i.e. seat had never been emptied in last 40 years as they were during the match.
On the other hand, option 1 doesn’t talk about the match.
Please let me know how my approach is incorrect for the question
The reasoning that sentence 1 doesn’t mention the match, whereas all the other sentences do mention it, does not hold water. Sentence 5 also does not mention the match. Whether a sentence mentions the match or not is also a superficial differentiating factor, especially when a robust differentiating factor exists (mentioned in my comment below). Therefore, sentence 1 is not the correct answer.
Option 4
Correct, Abhipri!
Have a look at the answer’s explanation in my comment below.
And try today’s question:
http://tathagat.mba/verbal-question-of-the-day-19/
5 & 1 directly connected, 3 shows what has happened and 4 gives writer’s reaction about event.But 2 not necessarily linked with other statement as it can be general.
I’m afraid that’s not correct, Joshi.
Do check my explanation to the answer, in my comment below. Reach out in case you have any doubts 🙂
Try today’s question:
http://tathagat.mba/verbal-question-of-the-day-19/
The answer is 4.
Explanation: It is the only statement that consists of a personal evaluation of the events as seen by the author. In all the other sentences, the happening or unfolding of certain events are being described.
4
Since other options show how people are finding things difficult and what they did.
Well done, Vartika! 🙂
However, you’ll need to do a rethink on your reasoning behind the choice- do see the explanation in my comment above. Write back if you have any doubts.