I'm assuming that this is out of a passage. I can't answer the question without the passage.
In this problem together with the given example, the most probable answer and the most likely one to be the correct answer would be C. analogical reasoning.
The reason would be how the example presented itself. The example goes like "all cats are independent. Mitzy is a cat. Therefore, Mitzy is independent."
With this, it is important to take note that analogy was being used in this given example. Through establishing that one side has a similarity to the other, then it could be also said that the other side can also be compared to another if it has any established similarities.
The answer is c.
hope this answer helps ♥
The answer is 'colluded', because it means that they schemed to do it secretly. The other options aren't possible here, and most of them are adjectives, and you need a verb.