Critical Reasoning — Assumptions Statement: "The economic condition continues to be critical even after a good harvest season." Which assumptions are implicit?
-
AOnly I and II are implicit
-
BOnly II is implicit
-
COnly II and III are implicit
-
DOnly III is implicit
-
EOnly I and III are implicit
Answer
Correct Answer: Only III is implicit
Explanation
Introduction / Context:The sentence contrasts a good harvest with a continuing critical economic condition. We must identify the presupposition that gives this contrast its force.
Given Data / Assumptions:
- I: The economy was not critical before the harvest.
- II: The economy could not have improved without a good harvest.
- III: The economy was expected to improve after a good harvest season.
Concept / Approach:When a writer highlights persistence of a problem despite a favorable factor, the implicit belief is that the favorable factor typically helps. The statement does not state anything about the economy before the harvest nor claim that a good harvest is the only route to improvement.
Step-by-Step Solution:III is necessary. The phrase even after a good harvest signals an expectation that such a harvest normally eases economic stress. The persistence of crisis is therefore noteworthy.I is not necessary. The sentence is silent on the earlier state; it only speaks about the current continuation of a critical condition.II is not necessary and is too strong. The statement does not assert that improvement is impossible without a good harvest; it simply notes that a good harvest did not suffice this time.
Verification / Alternative check:Negating III removes the contrast and the informational value of the sentence. Negating I or II does not affect the logic.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
- I with II, or II alone, or II with III: each includes a nonessential or extreme claim.
- I with III: adds an irrelevant temporal claim.
Common Pitfalls:Do not overgeneralize to only necessary conditions when the language indicates a typical expectation, not exclusivity.
Final Answer:Only III is implicit