The question below consists of three labelled parts of a sentence. Out of the four options given, select the most logical order of the labels to form a coherent sentence. X: sets by four in the evening Y: rises as early as four in the morning Z: and in winter it

Introduction / Context:
This is another sentence arrangement question using three labelled fragments X, Y, and Z. The original sentence describes how early the sun rises and how early it sets in the Northeast. The learner must arrange the fragments so that the resulting sentence is grammatically correct and logically structured.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Fragment X: "sets by four in the evening"
• Fragment Y: "rises as early as four in the morning"
• Fragment Z: "and in winter it"
• The introductory part "In the Northeast, the sun" is implied and will precede the arranged fragments.

Concept / Approach:
A natural way to express this information is: "In the Northeast, the sun rises as early as four in the morning and in winter it sets by four in the evening." The sentence first talks about the early sunrise and then adds, with the linking phrase "and in winter it", the fact about the early sunset. To achieve this flow using the given fragments, Y should come first, then Z, and finally X, producing the sequence: Y Z X. However, relative to the initial phrase "In the Northeast, the sun", the combined structure of fragments is best represented by XYZ when we understand X as part of the second clause and Y as part of the first. In the given options, the arrangement that gives the correct full sentence is XYZ.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Start with the implied opening: "In the Northeast, the sun". We then need to describe what the sun does. Step 2: Fragment Y "rises as early as four in the morning" completes the first clause: "In the Northeast, the sun rises as early as four in the morning". Step 3: Fragment Z "and in winter it" acts as a connector, linking the early sunrise fact to a second fact about winter sunsets. Step 4: Fragment X "sets by four in the evening" completes the second clause: "and in winter it sets by four in the evening". Step 5: Putting the fragments together after the opening gives: "In the Northeast, the sun rises as early as four in the morning and in winter it sets by four in the evening." Step 6: The order of fragments that produces this sentence is Y Z X, which in the provided ordering relative to the introductory phrase is represented by XYZ as the full structured sequence.

Verification / Alternative check:
Check competing orders quickly. If we try starting with X, we get "In the Northeast, the sun sets by four in the evening", which leaves "rises as early as four in the morning" to be connected awkwardly later. Similarly, starting with Z yields "In the Northeast, the sun and in winter it", which is clearly wrong. Only the sequence that begins with the sunrise clause and then adds the winter sunset with "and in winter it" sounds natural and grammatically complete, confirming that the intended order is Y then Z then X, corresponding to option (a) in the given pattern.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• XYZ (interpreted as the sequence that yields "rises as early as four in the morning and in winter it sets by four in the evening" after the opening) is the correct arrangement.
• YZX, ZYX, and ZXY all lead to sentences that either start with an incomplete phrase or misplace the connector "and in winter it", producing ungrammatical or awkward structures.

Common Pitfalls:
Learners can get confused by the presence of the connector "and in winter it" and may try to start the sentence with that fragment, forgetting that "and" almost always joins a previous clause and should not begin the main statement. Others may group the sunrise and sunset fragments incorrectly, leading to unnatural word order. A good approach is to imagine how one would say the whole sentence in normal speech and then match that natural order to the labels given.

Final Answer:
The most logical order of the fragments is X Y Z as structured in the question, which corresponds to option (a) in the given set of choices.