Rising interest rates (cause) leads to curtailed spending (effect), which then dampens growth. This is a clear causal relationship.

'Might' is used for hypothetical past situations and is the past form of 'may'. Option B correctly uses 'might' in the third conditional.

'Confluence' means the meeting or flowing together of multiple elements. Here it refers to how multiple factors converge to create change.

Hyperbole is extreme exaggeration. Comparing two hours to 'an eternity' is exaggerated for emphasis and effect.

The sentence describes initial skepticism ('met with skepticism') followed by validation ('vindicated her conclusions'). The tone traces a journey from doubt to vindication.

'Ambivalent' means having mixed or conflicting feelings. 'Quandary' means confusion. Option B captures both meanings accurately.

The passage describes assuming that correlation (two things occurring together) proves causation (one causes the other). This is the false cause and effect fallacy.

In British English, collective nouns can take plural verbs. However, in American English and SSC standard, 'committee' typically takes a singular verb 'has'. But British usage accepts 'have', making this contextually correct.

'Spartan' means simple and austere, which contrasts with wealth. The word 'Despite' signals a contrast, making 'spartan' the most appropriate choice.

Direct questions within quotation marks should start with a capital letter and end with a question mark inside the quotation marks.