Statement and Assumption Questions

• Statement: “It is dangerous to lean out of a running train.” Assumptions: I. Anyone who leans out of a running train runs a real risk of being hurt. II. Generally, people do not want to get hurt. Which of the above assumptions are implicit in the statement?
• Statement: “Buy pure and natural honey of company X,” says a newspaper advertisement. Assumptions: I. Artificial or impure honey can be (and is) prepared in the market. II. People do not mind paying more for pure honey. III. No other company supplies pure honey. Which of the above assumptions are implicit?
• Statement: “Buy pure and natural honey of company X,” says a newspaper advertisement. Assumptions: I. No other company supplies pure and natural honey. II. People read advertisements (and can be reached through newspapers). Which of the above assumptions is implicit in the statement?
• Statement — The fiscal-deficit target of 5% of GDP could not be achieved because there was a major shortfall in revenue collection. Assumptions — I. A shortfall in revenue collection increases the fiscal deficit. II. A shortfall in revenue collection decreases the fiscal deficit.
• Statement — “The impact of economic sanctions on an economy that is already very weak could be devastating.” Assumptions — I. Economic sanctions impact only a weak economy. II. The impact of sanctions varies from one economy to another.
• Statement — “Exercise is necessary to maintain good health,” says the advertisement. Assumptions — I. Exercise is a prerequisite for good health. II. Advertisements like this can influence people at least to some extent.
• Statement — The railway authority has decided to increase freight charges by 10% because there is a possibility of incurring losses in the current financial year. Assumptions — I. The freight volume during the remaining period will not fall drastically (it may remain broadly stable). II. The additional revenue from the 10% increase can offset part or all of the estimated deficit.
• Statement — “Given that his ministry includes several hawala-tainted ministers, the Prime Minister has a moral obligation to resign,” says a politician. Assumptions — I. The politician is not close to the Prime Minister. II. The politician wants to promote moral principles in politics.
• Statement — “Those who are appearing for this examination for the first time should be helped in filling the forms,” instructs the invigilating staff. Assumptions — I. The application/answer form is somewhat complicated. II. A candidate can appear for this examination more than once.
• Statement — “Be humble even after gaining victory.” Assumptions — I. Many people are already humble after winning. II. Generally, people are not humble after winning (hence the advice is needed).
• Statement — The income-tax rules need to be amended so that people have greater incentive to declare their actual wealth. Assumptions — I. The current income-tax rules are inadequate or sub-optimal. II. Some people do not declare their actual wealth under the present rules.
• Statement — The General Administration Department allows employees to take lunch at any half-hour slot between 1:00 pm and 2:30 pm, effective henceforth. Assumptions — I. Employees will likely appreciate and use staggered lunch slots. II. Staggering lunch will prevent work from coming to a complete halt.
• Statement — The Government has decided not to reduce the prices of petroleum products despite a significant fall in international crude prices. Assumptions — I. International crude prices may rise again in the near future. II. Maintaining current product prices provides a buffer to handle possible future increases.
• Statement — The Government has appealed to all citizens to pay income tax honestly and to file returns reflecting true income levels so that development activities can be carried out. Assumptions — I. People may respond to the appeal and start paying more taxes honestly. II. Total income-tax collections may increase considerably in the near future as a result of better compliance.
• Statement — The school authority will increase the number of students per classroom to seventy from the next academic session in order to bridge the income–expenditure gap to a large extent. Assumptions — I. The extra fee income from additional students per class will be sufficient to bridge the gap substantially. II. The school will in fact get enough additional students in each class from the next session.
• Statement — The driver of a large truck pulled the emergency brakes to avoid hitting an auto-rickshaw that suddenly cut in front of the truck. Assumptions — I. The auto-rickshaw driver may steer away from the oncoming truck and clear the path. II. The truck driver may be able to stop the truck in time before impact.
• Statement — The doctor warned the patient to stop consuming alcohol immediately if he wanted to be cured of the ailment and live longer. Assumptions — I. The patient may follow the doctor’s advice and stop drinking alcohol. II. If the patient stops alcohol consumption, the doctor may be able to cure the ailment.
• Statement — The company chairman urged employees to refrain from making long personal calls during working hours in order to boost productivity. Assumptions — I. A majority of employees will respond positively to the chairman’s appeal. II. Most employees will continue to make long personal calls during working hours despite the appeal.
• Statement — The local cultural club decided to organize a musical event to raise money for constructing its club building. Assumptions — I. Local residents may not allow the club to organize a musical event in the locality. II. The money raised through the musical event may be substantial enough to start construction.
• Statement — The traffic police have installed large notice boards at all major city junctions warning drivers: “Do not use a cell phone while driving, or your license will be impounded.” Assumptions — I. Drivers may ignore the warning and continue to use cell phones while driving. II. The traffic police can catch most offenders and actually impound their licenses.