Parajumbles Question 7 - CAT 2021

Question

The US has long maintained that the Northwest Passage is an international strait through which its commercial and military vessels have the right to pass without seeking Canada’s permission.

Canada, which officially acquired the group of islands forming the Northwest Passage in 1880, claims sovereignty over all the shipping routes through the Passage.

The dispute could be transitory, however, as scientists speculate that the entire Arctic Ocean will soon be ice-free in summer, so ship owners will not have to ask for permission to sail through any of the Northwest Passage routes.

The US and Canada have never legally settled the question of access through the Passage, but have an agreement whereby the US needs to seek Canada’s consent for any transit.

Correct Sequence: 2143
Explanation: Sentences 2 and 1 present a classic geopolitical standoff. Sentence 2 outlines Canada's claim to sovereignty over the Northwest Passage dating back to 1880, while Sentence 1 maps out the conflicting US stance that the passage is an international strait. Sentence 4 summarizes this ongoing tension, explaining that while the two nations have never legally resolved the issue, they operate under a temporary consent agreement. Sentence 3 introduces a final twist with the transition word "however", noting that climate change will soon melt the Arctic ice anyway, making the entire transit dispute irrelevant.
FundaMakers Tip: Pairing Opposing Arguments. When a parajumble maps out a bilateral dispute, group the individual stances first (Side A in 2, Side B in 1) before introducing sentences that talk about joint treaties, agreements, or resolutions (4).

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