Mergers are closely scrutinized by the government because a. they always result in a more efficient market. b. they might allow the firms involved to dominate the market and act as a legalized cartel (monopoly). c. they always result in lower joint profits of the firms involved. d. all mergers are undesirable.

B.

Explanation:

Mergers are transactions in which the ownership of two companies or businesses are made into a single entity. According to my research on different law firm strategies, I can say that based on the information provided within the question they are scrutinized because they might allow the firms involved to dominate the market and act as a legalized cartel. In other words they might become a Monopoly which brings with it various problems for other people and entities.

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d. i assume the underlined word is "role." reformat if it isn't.

explanation:

role is closest to part because when replacing words, "playing a vital decision," "playing a vital activity," and "playing a vital dollar" don't make logical sense. the only meaningful choice is "playing a vital part."

this fits one of merriam-webster's definitions of role: "a function or part performed especially in a particular operation or process."