Cause & Effect — Popularity of a beverage. I. Coffee contains caffeine, a stimulant that raises energy levels and can induce sleeplessness. II. Coffee is a popular drink with office workers across the world.
-
AIf I is the immediate cause and II is its effect.
-
BIf II is the immediate cause and I is its effect.
-
CIf I is the effect but II is not its direct/immediate cause.
-
DIf II is the effect but I is not its direct/immediate cause.
-
ENone of these
Answer
Correct Answer: If I is the immediate cause and II is its effect.
Explanation
Introduction / Context:This problem asks whether a pharmacological property (caffeine’s stimulation) provides a direct explanation for a social fact (popularity among office workers).
Given Data / Assumptions:
- I: Coffee’s active component (caffeine) increases alertness and can delay sleep.
- II: Coffee is widely popular among office workers globally.
- Office work often demands sustained attention and wakefulness.
Concept / Approach:Link the functional attribute to the user need: alertness for productivity. That makes I a plausible immediate cause for II.
Step-by-Step Solution:
1) I → II: The stimulant effect directly supports the popularity in work settings requiring focus.2) II → I is invalid: popularity does not generate the chemical property.3) Non-causal options do not match the natural explanatory flow.Verification / Alternative check:Even if taste, habit, or culture also matter, the stimulant property provides a clear proximate reason for office popularity.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:Options B/C/D misstate direction or deny the obvious functional link.
Common Pitfalls:Demanding exclusivity of cause; multiple reasons can exist, but I remains an immediate cause.
Final Answer:If I is the immediate cause and II is its effect.