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Cause–Effect reasoning: Decide the most plausible relationship between the local protest and citywide mall openings. Statement I: A majority of residents in the locality decided to protest the municipality's decision to allow construction of a shopping mall in their area. Statement II: Many shopping malls have been opened across the city in recent times. Choose the correct option describing the relationship.

Difficulty: Easy

Statement I is the cause and Statement II is its effect
Statement II is the cause and Statement I is its effect
Both are independent causes
Both are effects of independent causes
Both are effects of a common cause

Correct Answer: Both are effects of a common cause

Explanation:

Concept/Approach
Look for a policy or market trend that could simultaneously lead to widespread mall openings and approval of a new mall in one locality, which then sparks a local protest.

Reasoning
A permissive urban policy or commercial push (common cause) can explain many new malls citywide (Statement II) and the municipality allowing a new local mall (which then triggers the protest in Statement I). Neither statement directly causes the other.

Common pitfalls
Assuming that citywide openings directly cause a local protest, when the immediate trigger is the local approval decision.

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