Paracompletion Question 4 - CAT 2025
Sentence: “Everything is old-world, traditional techniques from Mexico,” Ava emphasizes.
Paragraph: The sisters embrace the ways their great-grandfather built and repaired instruments. ____ (1) ____. When crafting a Mexican guitarron used in mariachi music, they use tacote wood for the top of the instrument. Once the wood is cut, they carve the neck and heel from a single block using tools like hand saws, chisels and sandpaper rather than modern power tools — and believe that this traditional method improves the tone of the instrument. ____ (2) ____. Their store has a three-year waitlist for instruments that take months to create. ____ (3) ____. The family’s artisanship has attracted stars like Los Lobos, who own custom guitars made by all three generations of the Delgado family. ____ (4) ____. For the sisters, involvement in the family business started at an early age. They each built their first instruments at age 9.
Step-by-Step Explanation
The paragraph is about how the Delgado sisters continue the traditional way of making instruments that was passed down in their family. It begins by mentioning their family’s old methods and then gives examples of how they still use traditional materials and tools. After that, it talks about the popularity of their instruments and their family’s long history in the business.
The sentence fits best in blank (1) because Ava’s quote explains what the sisters mean by following their great-grandfather’s methods. It also prepares the reader for the details about the traditional wood, hand tools, and techniques that come next.
Putting it in blank (2) or (3) would interrupt the discussion about how the instruments are made and the success of their business. Blank (4) is too late because the paragraph has already moved on to their fame and how they became involved in the family business.
So, the correct answer is Blank (1) / Option 1.