Critical Reasoning — Assumptions Statement: “Among newspapers, I always read the National Times.” Which assumptions are implicit in this personal preference claim?

Introduction / Context:
The speaker expresses a preference: among newspapers, they always read one particular title. We must assess whether this implies anything about comprehensiveness or others’ preferences.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• I: The National Times gives very comprehensive news.
• II: Some people prefer other newspapers.

Concept / Approach:
Personal preference statements typically do not require universal claims about quality or about what others prefer. The key is necessity for the statement to make sense.

Step-by-Step Solution:
1) Negate I: Even if the paper were not “very comprehensive,” the speaker might still read it for style, editorial stance, habit, or local coverage. The preference remains coherent; therefore I is not required.2) Negate II: Even if everyone else also preferred the same paper, the statement “I always read the National Times” still holds. The sentence does not depend on others’ choices.3) Hence, neither assumption is essential to support the preference claim.

Verification / Alternative check:
Preference claims need no justification beyond the speaker’s habit or taste unless explicitly stated.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Only I / Only II / Either / Both: These add external content (quality judgments or social comparisons) not required by the personal statement.

Common Pitfalls:
Do not convert a personal habit into a general evaluation of quality or into a claim about the population’s tastes.

Final Answer:
Neither I nor II is implicit