Cause & Effect — Identify the Relationship:\nI. Many shops in the locality remained closed throughout the day.\nII. Many offices in the same locality closed during the day.\nWhich option best captures the link between I and II?

Introduction / Context:
Two closures occur on the same day: shops and offices. The aim is to determine whether one closure caused the other, or whether both are effects of a broader (possibly common) cause.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• I: Shops closed all day.
• II: Offices closed during the day.
• No explicit directional cue or trigger is provided.

Concept / Approach:
Simultaneous closures often arise from an external cause (e.g., strike, bandh, security advisory, natural event). The stem does not support I→II or II→I directly. Hence, it is safest to treat both as effects of (possibly the same) external cause. In the answer framework, this corresponds to “effects of independent causes.”

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Introduce plausible external triggers (city-wide strike, curfew, storm); both I and II follow as effects.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
They impose an unsupported direction or deny linkage to external conditions.

Common Pitfalls:
Assuming thematic proximity (same locality) implies direct causation between I and II.

Final Answer:
Option D: Both are effects of (independent/external) causes.