Assumption questions, as I always tell my students in class, are possibly the trickiest questions on the entire Critical Reasoning section primarily because you tend to get so used to strengthening arguments that you invariably end up either strengthening the argument or inferring something from the argument whereas all you have to do is mention the assumption on which the argument is based.
Consider the following example:
A recent study of some of the most popular models of refrigerators has revealed that the bigger the size of the refrigerator the more electricity it consumes. Thus, the researchers concluded that to minimise the consumption of electricity, one step that the government could take is to immediately impose a higher sales tax on large sized refrigerators.
Which of the following is assumed in the argument above?
(A) There are no other methods of reducing power consumption available to the government.
(B) The bigger the size of the refrigerator the more powerful is its compressor and as a rule the more powerful the compressor the more electricity it consumes.
(C) Large sized refrigerators emit very high levels of CFC, chemicals that accelerate the rate of depletion of the ozone layer.
(D) The refrigerator models considered by the study are representative of all refrigerator models sold within the country.
(E) Consumers actually prefer smaller sized refrigerators because they are cheaper to purchase and also more portable
The argument states as evidence the results of a recent study that bigger refrigerators consume more electricity and, based on this evidence, it goes on to conclude that to reduce the consumption of electricity the government should increase the sales tax on these refrigerators.
Now, before you start evaluating the options, get one thing absolutely clear – in assumption questions you start off by accepting that the conclusion, no matter how absurd it may sound, is absolutely, completely true. Do not start questioning the conclusion or weakening it, which is what most students do.
Lets evaluate the options one by one:
(A) – The argument says that 'one step that the government could take' and not 'the only step', so this cannot be an ssumption.
(B) – This option provides extra information to explain why bigger refrigerators consume more electricity but that is outside our scope. If anything, it strengthens the argument but that's not what we are required to do. A trap!
(C) – Another option that strengthens the argument by providing additional information, but is not an assumption.
(D) – The correct option. If you notice the entire argument is based around the results of a study. Now what if there are other large sized refrigerators, not considered by the study, available in the market which actually consume less electricity. If this were true the argument would fall apart; hence, this must be an assumption (remember the 'Negation rule')
(E) Partly out of scope and partly a strengthener but nowhere close to being an assumption.
To Sum it up:
- In Assumption questions the conclusion, no matter how absurd, is always true.
- Avoid options that provide extra information to strengthen or explain the argument.
- Eliminate options that just restate/rephrase what is already mentioned in the argument. An assumption is always 'assumed' and never 'stated'.
- If you are confused between 2 options apply the 'Negation Rule' – try negating both the options and the one that cannot be negated for the conclusion to be true is your answer
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