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Practice Reading: Re-order Paragraphs ID: #36978 Empirical support
Instructions ›
The text boxes in the left panel have been placed in a random order. Restore the original order by dragging the text boxes from the left panel to the right panel.
* Move & order all paragraphs in the right field

Paragraph list

But it's crucially important not to blur this distinction when writing articles for a general readership.
Otherwise credulous readers may take too much on trust, whereas hard- nosed sceptics may reject all scientific claims, without appreciating that some have firm empirical support.
This may be because, for non-specialists, it is tricky to demarcate well-based ideas from flaky speculation.
‘Scientists,’ he wrote, get no credit for failing to solve a problem beyond their capacities, they earn at best the kindly contempt reserved for utopian politicians.
The great zoologist Sir Peter Medawar famously described scientific work as ‘the art of the soluble’.

Your order

Result:

AI explanationShows the answer. Tap to open.

First sentence: Why this is the first line? This paragraph is the first sentence because it introduces the main topic of scientific work. It uses a broad overview to set the stage for the discussion. It does not refer to any previous information, making it independent. Why other lines are not chosen? The other paragraphs are not chosen because they do not stand alone. For example, Paragraph 2 starts with 'Scientists,' which is a pronoun and needs context. Paragraph 3 uses 'This may be because,' which refers back to something not yet mentioned. Paragraph 4 starts with 'But,' which is a conjunction. Paragraph 5 starts with 'Otherwise,' which also needs prior context.

Concluding sentence: Why this is the last line? This paragraph is the last sentence because it wraps up the discussion. It shows the results of the earlier points made about scientific work and writing. It summarizes the main ideas and gives a clear conclusion.

Paragraph pairs:

  • Pair 1 (Paragraph 1 → Paragraph 2): Paragraph 2 connects with Paragraph 1 because it continues the idea of scientists and their work. The phrase 'he wrote' shows a logical order from the description of scientific work to the critique of scientists.
  • Pair 2 (Paragraph 2 → Paragraph 3): Paragraph 3 connects with Paragraph 2 because it explains why scientists may not get credit. The phrase 'This may be because' shows a cause and effect relationship, linking the two ideas.
  • Pair 3 (Paragraph 3 → Paragraph 4): Paragraph 4 connects with Paragraph 3 because it emphasizes the importance of not confusing ideas. The word 'But' shows a contrast and continues the discussion about clarity in writing.
  • Pair 4 (Paragraph 4 → Paragraph 5): Paragraph 5 connects with Paragraph 4 because it explains the consequences of blurring the distinction. The word 'Otherwise' shows a logical order, indicating what may happen if the advice in Paragraph 4 is not followed.

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