What type of indicators suggest cause and effect reasoning?

The phrase "because of" serves as a strong indicator of cause and effect reasoning. It explicitly connects an action or event with its consequences, indicating that one thing leads to another. When you encounter "because of," it suggests that the first element mentioned is the cause, and the following element is the effect. This type of reasoning helps establish relationships where certain conditions result in specific outcomes, making it clear that there is a direct causal connection being asserted.

In contrast, the other options lack this direct implication. For example, "must be true" indicates a conclusion drawn based on premises but does not specifically denote a cause-effect relationship. "Over time" suggests a temporal sequence rather than a causal one, as it refers to changes or developments without inherently linking them as cause and effect. "People who" does not indicate causation; rather, it introduces a group of individuals without specifying any relationship between them and an effect. Thus, "because of" is the unique choice that clearly frames the connection between cause and effect.