In the following question the first and the last parts of a descriptive passage are numbered 1 and 6. The remaining parts P, Q, R and S are jumbled. The passage describes an empty, dark market at night. Read the passage carefully and choose the option that gives the correct order of P, Q, R and S.

Introduction / Context:
Here you have a jumbled passage that paints a picture of a deserted market at night. The first sentence tells us that there was nobody in the market at that time of the night, and the last sentence states that the stars disappeared from the sky and made the night heavier. Between these, the writer describes closed shops, darkness, rain and the heavy atmosphere. You need to place P, Q, R and S in the best order.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Sentence 1 announces that there was nobody in the market at that time of the night.
• Part R says that all shops were closed.
• Part Q notes that the night was darker than usual.
• Part P adds that, in addition, it had been raining incessantly.
• Part S mentions that the atmosphere was heavy.
• Sentence 6 says that the stars disappeared from the sky and this made the night heavier.

Concept / Approach:
A descriptive paragraph usually builds the scene layer by layer. After stating that the market is empty, the writer will logically mention closed shops, then the unusual darkness, then ongoing rain, and finally the effect of all these on the atmosphere. The last sentence then intensifies the mood by adding the vanishing stars. We should respect this progression from physical details to emotional effect.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Once we are told that there is nobody in the market, the next most concrete detail is whether shops are open or closed. Part R gives this information by stating that all shops were closed, which reinforces the feeling of emptiness. Step 2: After the shops, the writer comments on the quality of the night itself. Part Q says that the night was darker than usual, which directly concerns the visual atmosphere. Step 3: Part P then adds another sensory detail: it had been raining incessantly. The phrase “Added to that” clearly shows that this sentence extends the thought in Q. Step 4: With darkness and rain established, part S concludes that the atmosphere was heavy. This naturally leads into sentence 6, where the disappearance of stars makes the night even heavier.

Verification / Alternative check:
Read the sequence 1 R Q P S 6. You see a logically constructed picture: an empty market, closed shops, unusually dark night, continuous rain, heavy atmosphere, and finally stars disappearing, which makes the heaviness even stronger. Each sentence deepens the mood created by the previous one, which confirms that RQPS is the correct sequence.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
In PQRS, the rain (P) is mentioned before the extra darkness (Q), making the connector “Added to that” less clear. In QPRS, closed shops (R) are delayed until after rain and darkness, splitting related observations. In SRPQ, the heavy atmosphere (S) is declared before giving all the causes for it, which weakens the descriptive build up.

Common Pitfalls:
Many learners overlook linking phrases like “Added to that”, which are strong clues to sentence order. Others jump straight to summary statements like “the atmosphere was heavy” without first listing the concrete details. Always place summarising remarks after the details they summarise.

Final Answer:
The correct order of the parts is R Q P S, so the correct option is RQPS.