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Para-jumble Sentences
28. The five sentences (labelled 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) given in this question, when properly sequenced, form a coherent paragraph. Each sentence is labelled with a number. Decide on the proper order for the sentences and key in this sequence of five numbers as your Correct Answer.
1. The process of handing down implies not a passive transfer, but some contestation in defining what exactly is to be handed down.
2. Wherever Western scholars have worked on the Indian past, the selection is even more apparent and the inventing of a tradition much more recognizable.
3. Every generation selects what it requires from the past and makes its innovations, some more than others.
4. It is now a truism to say that traditions are not handed down unchanged, but are invented.
5. Just as life has death as its opposite, so is tradition by default the opposite of innovation.
Solution with Explanation
Correct Answer: 54132
In this case, step-1 is to identify the most generic opening sentence.
Both statements 5 and 4 fit the bill.
But then, statement 1 has a common reference to something being handed down. Hence, statements 41 form a mandatory pair in this case.
Now, the next pair is the set 32. Statement 3 introduces what every generation selects and statement 2 provides an example of that selection. âSelectionâ is the common theme in this set.
Thus, we have two pairs 41 and 32.
Now if we look at the nature of content, statements 4132 form a connected set explaining traditions, how they are invented and handed down with changes.
Statement 5, the odd one out, is the opening sentence that introduces the topic in this case.
Thus, we have 54132 as the order in this case.
Word-1: Traditions
Context:
"Now if we look at the nature of content, statements 4132 form a connected set explaining traditions, how they are invested and handed down with changes." â Academic Passage Analysis
Explanatory Paragraph:
"Traditions" are the customs, beliefs, practices, or rituals that are passed down from one generation to another within a society, family, or culture. These often form part of a groupâs identity and can evolve over time. In the context above, the statement suggests an analytical look at how traditions are formed, preserved, and subtly transformed as they move through generations.
Meaning: Customs or beliefs handed down from generation to generation (Plural Noun)
Pronunciation: truh-DISH-uhns
Difficulty Level: â Basic
Etymology: From Latin traditio ("a handing over, delivery"), from tradere ("to deliver, hand over")
Prashant Sir's Notes:
Traditions are not fixedâthey adapt with time. When analyzing texts or cultures, always ask: what purpose does a tradition serve? How has it changed? What values does it protect or challenge?
Synonyms & Antonyms:
Synonyms: customs, practices, heritage, rituals, conventions
Antonyms: innovations, reforms, novelties, break from custom
Usage Examples:
- Festivals are a vibrant expression of cultural traditions.
- Many family traditions are passed down during holidays and celebrations.
- Some traditions evolve while others fade as societies modernize.
- The novel explores how old traditions collide with new values.
Cultural Reference:
"A tradition is kept alive only by something being added to it." â Henry James
Think About It:
Do traditions help a culture survive, or can they sometimes hold it back from growing?
Quick Activity:
List three traditions from your culture. For each, note whether it has changed in the past 10â20 years and how.
Memory Tip:
Think of "traditions" as things that are traded across generationsâpassed down like heirlooms.
Real-World Application:
Understanding traditions is crucial in education, sociology, literature, and intercultural communicationâhelping people respect diversity and trace the roots of cultural practices.
Word-2: Contestation
Context:
"The process of handing down implies not a passive transfer, but some contestation in defining what exactly is to be handed down." â Academic Text on Cultural Transmission
Explanatory Paragraph:
"Contestation" refers to the act of challenging, disputing, or arguing about somethingâoften involving competing views or interpretations. In cultural or intellectual discussions, it usually implies active debate or negotiation. In the context above, the idea is that traditions are not just handed down as fixed blocks of knowledge; rather, they are shaped and reshaped through disagreement, debate, and reinterpretation.
Meaning: The act of challenging or disputing something (Noun)
Pronunciation: kon-teh-STAY-shun
Difficulty Level: âââ Intermediate
Etymology: From Latin contestari ("to call to witness, bring action"), via Old French contester
Prashant Sir's Notes:
This is a high-utility academic word. Itâs often used in discussions of politics, culture, identity, and history. When you see âcontestation,â think of a tug-of-war between different viewpoints trying to shape what something should mean or become.
Synonyms & Antonyms:
Synonyms: dispute, challenge, debate, disagreement, opposition
Antonyms: agreement, acceptance, consensus, conformity
Usage Examples:
- The new curriculum sparked contestation among educators and parents.
- Cultural heritage is often a site of contestation, especially during political shifts.
- The interpretation of constitutional rights remains a matter of legal contestation.
- There was ongoing contestation over who should inherit the family tradition.
Cultural Reference:
"History is not a passive recordâit is a site of contestation where narratives compete for dominance." â Postcolonial Studies Scholar
Think About It:
Can contestation lead to a richer, more inclusive understanding of history and tradition?
Quick Activity:
Think of a tradition in your culture or family. Write a short note on whether there has been contestation around its meaning or practice.
Memory Tip:
Think âcontestâ â a battle or competition â âcontestationâ is the act of contesting or disputing something.
Real-World Application:
Contestation is central to democratic discourse, legal debates, and cultural evolutionâallowing multiple voices to challenge, shape, and redefine collective beliefs and systems.
Word-3: Innovation
Context:
"Every generation selects what it requires from the past and makes its innovations, some more than others." â Cultural Analysis Passage
Explanatory Paragraph:
"Innovation" refers to the introduction of new ideas, methods, or devices that improve or transform existing systems or practices. It implies creativity and progress. In this context, it highlights how each generation not only inherits traditions but also adds its own unique changes and improvementsâcontributing new thoughts, technologies, or expressions to what already exists.
Meaning: The act of introducing something new or significantly improving something existing (Noun)
Pronunciation: in-uh-VAY-shun
Difficulty Level: ââ Basic to Intermediate
Etymology: From Latin *innovatio*, from *innovare* ("to renew, to change")
Prashant Sir's Notes:
This word is commonly associated with technology and business, but it applies just as powerfully to culture, literature, and education. Innovations are often built on traditionâthey don't reject the past but reimagine it for present needs.
Synonyms & Antonyms:
Synonyms: invention, breakthrough, modernization, advancement
Antonyms: tradition, stagnation, conservatism, routine
Usage Examples:
- Innovation in renewable energy is critical for addressing climate change.
- The smartphone was a major innovation that changed how we live and work.
- Education needs both tradition and innovation to remain relevant.
- Her innovation combined traditional art with digital technology.
Cultural Reference:
"Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower." â Steve Jobs
Think About It:
Is innovation always a positive force, or can it sometimes disconnect us from valuable aspects of the past?
Quick Activity:
Name one innovation from the last decade that you use daily. Reflect on how it has changed your routine or thinking.
Memory Tip:
Think of "in + nova" â "into new" â innovation is about moving into something new and better.
Real-World Application:
Innovation drives progress in every fieldâtechnology, education, healthcare, business, and the artsâby solving problems and opening up new possibilities.
Word-4: Truism
Context:
"It is now a truism to say that traditions are not handed down unchanged, but are invented." â Cultural Critique Passage
Explanatory Paragraph:
A "truism" is a statement that is obviously true and so commonly accepted that it has become almost meaningless or clichĂ©. Itâs the kind of fact that is rarely questioned but doesn't add much insight on its own. In the context above, the statement that âtraditions are inventedâ is now seen as a truismâitâs widely accepted in cultural studies and no longer controversial, though it once might have been a radical idea.
Meaning: A statement that is obviously true and says nothing new or interesting (Noun)
Pronunciation: TROO-ih-zum
Difficulty Level: âââ Intermediate
Etymology: From âtrueâ + â-ism,â first used in the early 18th century to describe self-evident statements
Prashant Sir's Notes:
Truisms are truthsâbut shallow ones. Theyâre useful for establishing common ground, but you must go beyond them in essays or critical thinking. Use this word to point out when a statement feels too obvious or lacks depth.
Synonyms & Antonyms:
Synonyms: cliché, platitude, obvious truth, commonplace
Antonyms: paradox, insight, revelation, contradiction
Usage Examples:
- Itâs a truism that hard work leads to success, but the reality is often more complex.
- His speech was full of truisms but lacked real solutions.
- The idea that change is constant has become a truism in modern life.
- What was once a radical thought has now become a cultural truism.
Cultural Reference:
"It has become a truism in modern art to say that everything is artâyet that statement still sparks debate." â Art Criticism Journal
Think About It:
What ideas or beliefs do we repeat so often that they become truismsâand do they still have value?
Quick Activity:
Write down three common sayings (e.g., âTime heals all woundsâ). Identify which ones are truisms and explain why.
Memory Tip:
âTruismâ = something âtrueâ + â-ismâ (idea/doctrine) â but too obviously true to spark deep thinking.
Real-World Application:
Recognizing truisms is useful in critical thinking, writing, and public speakingâit helps you move past surface-level observations and dig deeper into meaningful insights.
Word-5: Inventing
Context:
"Wherever Western scholars have worked on the Indian past, the selection is even more apparent and the inventing of a tradition much more recognizable." â Cultural History Commentary
Explanatory Paragraph:
"Inventing" refers to the act of creating something for the first time or coming up with a new idea, method, or story. While it is often associated with technology or tangible objects, in this context, it is used in a more abstract senseâsuggesting that traditions are not simply inherited from the past but are often actively constructed or shaped to serve specific purposes. The passage emphasizes that what may seem like ancient, timeless customs are sometimes carefully crafted interpretations by scholars or cultural groups.
Meaning: The act of creating or originating something new (Verb â Present participle of âinventâ)
Pronunciation: in-VEN-ting
Difficulty Level: ââ Basic to Intermediate
Etymology: From Latin *inventus*, past participle of *invenire* ("to come upon, find, devise")
Prashant Sir's Notes:
âInventingâ isnât just about gadgets or machinesâit also applies to ideas, identities, and even history. In academic writing, especially cultural studies, itâs important to see how the word can imply strategic construction, often shaped by power or politics.
Synonyms & Antonyms:
Synonyms: creating, fabricating, devising, forming, constructing
Antonyms: preserving, inheriting, imitating, copying
Usage Examples:
- He is credited with inventing a new method of soil conservation.
- Some historians argue that nations are built by inventing shared traditions.
- She spent years inventing characters and plots for her novels.
- Inventing a tradition can give legitimacy to new social or political movements.
Cultural Reference:
"The invention of tradition is a concept used by historians to describe how many 'ancient' practices are, in fact, modern creations." â Eric Hobsbawm, historian
Think About It:
Is inventing a tradition always misleadingâor can it serve a valuable purpose in shaping group identity?
Quick Activity:
Think of a tradition you follow. Research its originâwas it truly ancient or a more recent invention?
Memory Tip:
âInventingâ = âInâ (into) + âventâ (come) â something that *comes into* being from the mind.
Real-World Application:
Understanding how traditions are invented is crucial in fields like history, anthropology, politics, and brandingâwhere narratives are often shaped to influence identity and behavior.
