> 2. 'orange' has been turned from the last element of the list to a non-last element of the list

Then why not consider it four changes?

3. 'banana' has been turned from the last-but-one element of the list to the last-but-two element of the list

4. 'apple' has been turned from the last-but-two element of the list to the last-but-three element of the list