<p>All companies are required to keep copies of their financial statements <u>as</u> evidence of tax compliance.</p><div data-answer="a"><span style="font-size: 13.008px;">The correct answer is (A) "as". In this sentence, "as" is used as a preposition to show the purpose or role of keeping copies of financial statements. The phrase "as evidence of tax compliance" clarifies why companies are required to keep copies of their financial statements. The preposition "as" is commonly used in this context to indicate the function or role of something. For example, "I use my phone as an alarm clock." In this case, the financial statements serve as evidence of tax compliance. The other options (B) "by", (C) "like", and (D) "through" do not convey the intended meaning in this sentence.</span><br></div>