Directions: Rearrange the following five sentences (A), (B), (C), (D), and (E) in a proper sequence to form a meaningful paragraph, then answer the question.

(A) Nevertheless, fast-food corporations continue to defend the safety of these synthetic additives.
(B) Over the past few decades, metabolic disorders in children have risen significantly.
(C) Numerous scientific studies point to the trace presence of potential metabolic disruptors in processed foods.
(D) According to these studies, everyday convenience meals contain preservatives that have not undergone rigorous long-term safety testing.
(E) Artificial food additives are highly suspected of being a major driver of this trend.

Which of the following should be the FIRST sentence after rearrangement?

The correct answer is B.

To determine the correct first sentence of the paragraph, let us analyze the given sentences and their logical flow:

1. Sentence (B) introduces a broad, independent observation regarding a general trend: "Over the past few decades, metabolic disorders in children have risen significantly." Because it introduces the central topic without depending on any preceding context, pronouns, or transition words, it serves as the ideal introductory sentence.
2. Sentence (E) builds directly on sentence (B) by explaining a suspected cause for "this trend": "Artificial food additives are highly suspected of being a major driver of this trend."
3. Sentence (C) expands upon the connection to food additives by citing research: "Numerous scientific studies point to the trace presence of potential metabolic disruptors in processed foods."
4. Sentence (D) directly references "these studies" mentioned in sentence (C): "According to these studies, everyday convenience meals contain preservatives that have not undergone rigorous long-term safety testing."
5. Sentence (A) presents a contrasting corporate stance using the transition word "Nevertheless": "Nevertheless, fast-food corporations continue to defend the safety of these synthetic additives."

Thus, the complete coherent order of the paragraph is B ⇒ E ⇒ C ⇒ D ⇒ A.

Therefore, the sentence that should come FIRST after rearrangement is B.