Paracompletion Question 8 - CAT 2024
Sentence: Yet each day the flock produced eggs with calcareous shells though they apparently had not ingested any calcium from land which was entirely lacking in limestone.
Paragraph: Early in this century a young Breton schoolboy who preparing himself for a scientific career began to notice a strange fact about hens in his father’s poultry yard. __(1)__. As they scratched the soil they constantly seemed to be pecking at specks of mica, a siliceous material dotting the ground. __(2)__. No one could explain to Louis Kervran why the chickens selected the mica, or why each time a bird was killed for the family cooking pot no trace of the mica could be found in its gizzard. __(3)__. It took Kervran many years to establish that the chickens were transmuting one element into another. __(4)__.
Step-by-Step Explanation
The sentence fits best in Option 3 because this is where the paragraph starts explaining why Kerrvan found the chickens unusual. The information about the eggs gives an important clue: the hens were producing calcium-rich shells even though there was no clear source of calcium. This directly connects to the mystery he was trying to understand.
The first position is too early because the paragraph is still introducing Kerrvan’s observations. The importance of the eggs has not been established yet.
The second position focuses on what the hens are doing, such as pecking at mica. Bringing in the information about the eggs at this point would make the discussion feel disconnected.
The last position comes too late because the paragraph has already moved towards Kerrvan’s conclusion. Introducing the egg-related information there would take the reader back to an earlier part of the investigation.
Therefore, Option 3 is the best choice because it gives the necessary clue at the right point and keeps the mystery moving naturally.