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Critical Reasoning — Implicit Assumptions Observation: “In spite of the heavy rains, the traffic has not been disrupted this year.”

Difficulty: Easy

Only I is implicit
Only I and II are implicit
Only III is implicit
Only II and III are implicit
None is implicit

Correct Answer: None is implicit

Explanation:

Introduction / Context:
The statement is an observation contrasting heavy rainfall with uninterrupted traffic. We examine which assumptions must underlie this observation.

Given Data / Assumptions:

I. Traffic is disrupted in rainy seasons only.
II. Rains do not affect traffic movement.
III. Adequate precautions were taken for traffic management during the rainy season.

Concept / Approach:
An assumption is required only if the statement would be unreasonable without it. The sentence merely reports a fact for “this year.” It does not claim causes or exclusivity.

Step-by-Step Solution:

1) I is not required. The statement says nothing about other seasons; disruption can happen in many conditions.2) II contradicts the phrasing “in spite of heavy rains,” which implies rains typically hinder traffic. So II is not assumed.3) III suggests a reason (precautions), but the statement does not assert any causal explanation. Thus III is not necessary.

Verification / Alternative check:
Even if there were no special precautions, it is still possible that traffic was not disrupted this year. Hence none of the three is indispensable.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

I, II, or III (alone or in combination) add claims about causes or exclusivity that the observation never makes.

Common Pitfalls:
Reading implied causes (“precautions”) into a bare observation, or treating one year’s outcome as a universal rule.

Critical Reasoning — Implicit Assumptions Observation: “In spite of the heavy rains, the traffic has not been disrupted this year.”

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