Critical Reasoning — Assumptions Statement: A advises B, “You must learn to refer to a dictionary if you want to become a good writer.” Assumptions to evaluate: I. Only writers refer to the dictionary. II. All writers, good or bad, refer to the dictionary.

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: Neither I nor II is implicit

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
Many advice statements suggest a helpful practice without asserting anything about exclusivity or universality. Here, dictionary use is recommended as a means to become a good writer. We must test two extreme claims for necessity: “only writers use dictionaries” and “all writers use dictionaries.”


Given Data / Assumptions:

  • Advice: Use a dictionary to improve writing quality.
  • Assumption I: Only writers use dictionaries.
  • Assumption II: All writers use dictionaries (universal behavior).


Concept / Approach:

  • An implicit assumption must be essential for the advice to make sense.
  • Effectiveness of dictionary use for writing does not require claims about who else (non-writers) uses it nor that all writers do so.


Step-by-Step Solution:

Assumption I is irrelevant. Non-writers (e.g., students, editors) can use dictionaries too; that does not affect the advice’s validity.Assumption II is also not required. Some good writers may not frequently consult a dictionary; the advice still stands as a recommended path, not a universal law.


Verification / Alternative check:

The advice remains meaningful even if many non-writers use dictionaries and even if some writers do not. Therefore neither I nor II is necessary.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:

Picking I, II, Either, or Both introduces unwarranted extremes that the statement never relies on.


Common Pitfalls:

Mistaking a recommended means for an exclusive or universal condition.


Final Answer:

Neither I nor II is implicit

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