Cause & Effect — Campus mood vs macroeconomic trend.\nI. There was a lot of excitement at the college campus during visits by recruitment companies.\nII. The economy has been in a downtrend for the past few years; many companies have reduced staff.

Introduction / Context:
This pair juxtaposes a local, time-bound campus reaction (excitement during recruiter visits) with a broad macro trend (economic downtrend and staff cuts). We must decide if the downtrend directly and immediately produces campus excitement or vice versa.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• I: Campus excitement occurs when recruiters visit.
• II: Economy down; many companies cut staff.
• No explicit link that II causes recruiters to visit or that I causes macro trends.

Concept / Approach:
Campus excitement is more directly caused by the presence of recruiters, not by macro trends themselves. The downtrend could even reduce visits, but the stem asserts visits did occur. Hence II is not a direct cause of I.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Even with a weak economy, a few companies may still recruit, creating excitement—consistent with I being independent of II.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
A/B impose causation that does not follow; D wrongly flips direction; “None” is less accurate than C.

Common Pitfalls:
Attributing specific local sentiments directly to macroeconomic conditions without a proximal mechanism.

Final Answer:
If I is the effect but II is not its direct/immediate cause.