Difficulty: Medium
Correct Answer: Only 2 is true
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This question concerns a statement about the physical condition of an office building. The statement says that the building needs repairing and also needs internal and external painting, both urgently. Assumptions are hidden beliefs that must be taken as true for the statement to be meaningful. We must decide whether the statement is based on assumptions about employee efficiency and about the financial implications of repair and painting.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
The statement simply comments on the physical needs of the building; it does not explicitly mention worker efficiency or performance. Although better surroundings may improve efficiency, the statement does not depend on that link. It could be made purely for aesthetic or safety reasons. Therefore the statement does not necessarily assume that efficiency cannot improve without repairing. On the other hand, whenever someone talks about repairing and painting a building, especially in an organisational context, it is understood that such work will cost money. The need for funds is a basic and relevant assumption behind any maintenance decision. We must therefore see which assumption is truly required by the statement and which is not.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Consider Assumption 1. The statement does not discuss employee performance or productivity at all.Step 2: The building might need repair to prevent structural damage or peeling paint, even if employee efficiency stays unchanged.Step 3: Therefore the statement can stand without believing that efficiency cannot improve unless repair takes place, so Assumption 1 is not implicit.Step 4: Consider Assumption 2. Any repair and painting activity in an office requires materials, labour, and other resources, all of which need money.Step 5: Hence, when one says the building needs urgent repair and painting, one usually also accepts that funds will need to be arranged, so Assumption 2 is implicit.
Verification / Alternative check:
If we deny Assumption 2 and claim that repairing and painting require no money, that would be unrealistic and would undermine the practical meaning of the statement.If we deny Assumption 1, saying efficiency might be independent of repairs, the statement about physical need still remains meaningful.Therefore only the second assumption is necessary for the statement to make practical sense.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A is wrong because it chooses only Assumption 1, which is not required.Option C is wrong because it suggests either assumption alone is necessary, but Assumption 1 is clearly not needed.Option D is wrong because at least one assumption, about the need for funds, is clearly implicit.
Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to read extra objectives like improving efficiency into statements that mention only repair and painting.Another pitfall is to treat obvious practical facts, such as expenses, as not being assumptions, even though they are essential in organisational contexts.
Final Answer:
Hence only the second assumption is implicit in the given statement, so the correct answer is Only 2 is true.
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