Rearrange the following sentences to form a coherent paragraph:

Question

Rearrange the following sentences to form a coherent paragraph:

1. The rapid spread of misinformation and disinformation on social media platforms represents a major challenge to public discourse.

2. This method involves a systematic verification of facts, claims, and sources to provide a credible assessment of accuracy.

3. This phenomenon can erode public trust in news sources and undermine informed decision-making in a democratic society.

4. As a result, professional fact-checking organizations have emerged as a critical line of defense against the proliferation of false narratives.

1. A. 2, 1, 4, 3
2. B. 3, 1, 2, 4
3. C. 1, 3, 4, 2 (Correct answer)
4. D. 1, 4, 2, 3

Correct Answer

Option C — 1, 3, 4, 2

Detailed Solution & Explanation

The correct answer is 1, 3, 4, 2.

Key Points

• Sentence 1 opens by introducing the problem — the rapid spread of misinformation as a challenge to public discourse — with no back-reference.
• Sentence 3 follows: "This phenomenon can erode public trust" must point back to the phenomenon just named.
• Sentence 4 then gives the response: "As a result, professional fact-checking organizations have emerged."
• Sentence 2 closes by explaining how they work: "This method involves a systematic verification of facts."
• The chain is problem → consequence → response → mechanism.

Additional Information

• Three referring expressions lock the order almost completely: *This phenomenon*, *As a result* and *This method* each depend on something already stated, so none can open the paragraph.
• As a result signals a consequence and must follow its cause, while *This method* requires a method to have been introduced — which only sentence 4 does.
• Fix the opener first: it is the only sentence that introduces a subject without referring backwards, and identifying it usually halves the options.