Administrative advisory and assumptions: Farmers warned against indiscriminate pesticide use due to ground water pollution — identify the implicit assumption

Given data

• Statement: District administration advises farmers not to use pesticides indiscriminately as it may pollute ground water.
• Assumption I: People may stop using ground water if indiscriminate pesticide use continues.
• Assumption II: Farmers may refrain from indiscriminate pesticide use if advised.

Concept/Approach

Public advisories presuppose that addressees can modify behavior in response. They do not require any assumption about how the wider public will react to potential pollution.

Step-by-Step reasoning1) The effectiveness of the circular hinges on farmer compliance; hence II is implicit.2) Whether people stop using ground water is irrelevant to the administrative act; therefore I is not needed.

Verification/Alternative

Even if the populace continues to use ground water, the advisory still makes sense as a preventive action directed at farmers.

Common pitfalls

• Shifting focus from the target audience (farmers) to end users (public) and assuming a reaction that the statement never references.

Final AnswerOnly assumption II is implicit.