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 sentences would be the third statement in the correct logical sequence?

The correct answer is C.

To determine the correct logical sequence of the given sentences, we need to analyze the logical flow, subject matter, and transition words connecting each sentence:

1. First Statement (Introductory Sentence): Sentence (B) introduces a broad, independent subject introducing a historical trend: "Over the past few decades, metabolic disorders in children have risen significantly." It contains no dependent pronouns or transitional markers, making it the ideal opening sentence.
2. Second Statement: Sentence (E) refers to "this trend", which directly links back to the rise in metabolic disorders mentioned in sentence (B): "Artificial food additives are highly suspected of being a major driver of this trend." Therefore, (E) follows (B).
3. Third Statement: Sentence (C) provides scientific backing for the suspicion raised in (E): "Numerous scientific studies point to the trace presence of potential metabolic disruptors in processed foods." This introduces the research studies to the narrative.
4. Fourth Statement: Sentence (D) opens with the phrase "According to these studies...", which directly references the "scientific studies" introduced in sentence (C): "According to these studies, everyday convenience meals contain preservatives that have not undergone rigorous long-term safety testing." Thus, (D) follows (C).
5. Fifth Statement (Concluding Sentence): Sentence (A) uses the contrasting adverb "Nevertheless" to highlight fast-food corporate defense despite the evidence presented in the studies: "Nevertheless, fast-food corporations continue to defend the safety of these synthetic additives." This concludes the paragraph logically.

Complete Coherent Sequence: B → E → C → D → A

Based on this sequence:
• 1st statement = B
• 2nd statement = E
• 3rd statement = C
• 4th statement = D
• 5th statement = A

Therefore, sentence (C) is the third statement in the correct logical sequence.