Cause and Effect: I) Ten hardcore criminals escaped from police custody while being taken to jail in a city. II) All schools in the city remained closed for two days.

Introduction / Context:
The task is to identify how two events relate causally. Event I describes a jailbreak of hardcore criminals. Event II states that all schools remained closed for two days. We must test whether one event causes the other, or whether both are effects of some other independent causes.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• I: Escape of criminals while in custody.
• II: Citywide school closures for two days.
• No explicit link is given between the two.

Concept / Approach:
For “I causes II,” the closure would need to be a direct public-safety response to the escape. While conceivable, closures of all schools citywide for two days due solely to an escape is an unusual, strong reaction and is not asserted. For “II causes I,” the direction makes no sense. The remaining possibility is that both are effects of different causes.

Step-by-Step Solution:
1) Consider I → II: Not necessary; schools might close for unrelated reasons (e.g., weather, strike, public order advisories unrelated to the jailbreak).2) Consider II → I: Illogical; school closures cannot cause a prior jailbreak.3) Most conservative inference: both are effects of independent causes.

Verification / Alternative check:
Without an explicit administrative order linking closures to the jailbreak, we must avoid assuming causality.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
“I causes II” infers an extraordinary policy response not stated; “II causes I” is temporally and logically implausible; “Both are independent causes” misreads the format (they are events, not causes producing other events here).

Common Pitfalls:
Assuming dramatic citywide measures from a single incident without textual support.

Final Answer:
If both statements I and II are effects of independent causes