Given below are sentences that use discourse markers/expressions to make them complete. Identify the most appropriate discourse marker and mark your answer accordingly on the Answer Sheet. __________, the records have been completely undermined by shoddy book-keeping.

Step-by-step solution

The blank requires a discourse marker that introduces a concluding statement or a consequence. The word 'Hence' means 'as a consequence' or 'for this reason'. It correctly introduces the result that the records have been undermined. 'Because of' is a preposition and requires a noun phrase object following it. 'As such' is typically used to refer back to a previously mentioned noun or category. 'Forever' is an adverb of time and does not fit the logical flow of the sentence as a discourse marker here. Therefore, 'He