Arrange the following words according to English dictionary. 1. Episode 2. Epistle 3. Episcope 4. Epigraph

Appeared in: NHM UP Staff Nurse-2021 Shift-1st

Explanation

The task is to arrange the given words in the same order they would appear in an English dictionary, which is based on alphabetical sorting.
All words start with 'Epi'. The first point of differentiation is the fourth letter. 'Epigraph' has a 'g', while the others have 's'. Since 'g' precedes 's' alphabetically, 'Epigraph' (4) is first.
The remaining words ('Episode', 'Epistle', 'Episcope') all start with 'Epis'. The next point of differentiation is the fifth letter: 'o', 't', and 'c'.
Alphabetical order for these letters is 'c' < 'o' < 't'.
This places 'Episcope' (3) second, 'Episode' (1) third, and 'Epistle' (2) fourth.
The final correct sequence is 4, 3, 1, 2.

Option A: This sequence (1, 2, 3, 4) simply lists the words in the order they were presented in the question, without performing any alphabetical sorting.
Option B: This sequence (4, 2, 1, 3) correctly identifies 'Epigraph' (4) as the first word but then incorrectly orders the remaining words. It wrongly places 'Epistle' (2) before 'Episode' (1) and 'Episcope' (3).
Option C: This sequence (3, 2, 1, 4) incorrectly places 'Episcope' (3) as the first word. 'Epigraph' (4) should be first because 'g' comes before 's'.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Alphabetical Ordering (Dictionary Order) as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
This is a general aptitude question designed to test logical reasoning and attention to detail, not clinical knowledge.
Skills in systematic comparison and ordering are valuable in nursing for tasks like organizing patient files, managing medication schedules, and prioritizing tasks based on established protocols.
What if? - If the word 'Epitaph' were included, it would come after 'Episcope' and before 'Epistle' (Epit'a'ph vs. Epit't'le), changing the final sequence.

How to Approach the Question

First, scan all the words to identify the common starting letters (prefix). In this case, it's 'Epi'.
Move to the first letter that is different among the words. Here, it's the fourth letter.
Compare these differing letters ('g' vs. 's') based on their position in the alphabet to determine the first word in the sequence.
Set aside the word you've placed ('Epigraph') and repeat the process for the remaining words.
For the remaining words ('Episode', 'Epistle', 'Episcope'), find their first point of difference (the fifth letter: 'o', 't', 'c').
Arrange these words based on the alphabetical order of their differing letters to establish the final sequence.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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Practise the full NHM UP Staff Nurse-2021 Shift-1st

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.