Explanation:

Alright, let’s break this down:

- Sentence B: Men and women with torches, racing up and down the terraces. This clearly sets the scene, showing how the fire may have started.

- Sentence A: Flames ignite the wooden beams of Xerxes’ palace. After the torch bearers are moving around, the building catches fire.

- Sentence D: Looters fight the heat to grab valuables. Now that the fire is raging, opportunists jump in to save treasures.

- Sentence C: After the fire dies, only stone columns are left. That’s the aftermath.

Let's look at your options:

Option 1: ADBD

- Starts mid-action with the fire already going.

- Not a logical sequence, confusing.

Option 2: BADC

- Begins with the people with torches, then fire starts, looters act, and finally only the columns remain.

- Flows naturally.

Option 3: CDBA

- Starts at the end. Doesn’t follow a chronological order.

Option 4: BCAD

- Puts the aftermath before the looting. Breaks the timeline.

So here’s the thing:

The best order is exactly BADC.

- You start with the action (B), see the result (A), watch opportunists react (D), and finally face the aftermath (C).