- What key assumption underlies the planners' argument for converting car lanes to bike lanes?
Answer: A significant number of current car commuters will switch to bicycling if safe and convenient bike lanes are made available.
The planners' argument assumes that bike lanes will actually reduce car traffic by encouraging people to switch from driving to cycling. Without this behavioral change, removing a car lane would worsen congestion rather than improve it. Choice A addresses traffic capacity but doesn't explain how bike lanes would help congestion. Choice C concerns the relevance of other cities' experiences but isn't essential to the core argument about behavior change. Choice D relates to cost-benefit analysis but doesn't address the fundamental mechanism by which bike lanes would reduce traffic.
- What underlying assumption supports the critics' argument that test-focused schools harm students?
Answer: Teachers and schools have limited time and resources, so emphasis on test preparation necessarily reduces attention to other educational priorities.
The argument that test-focused schools harm students assumes that educational resources are finite—that preparing for tests takes time and attention away from developing other skills. Without this zero-sum assumption, schools could theoretically do both test prep and creativity training. Choice A addresses test bias but doesn't connect to the harm argument. Choice C makes a value judgment about skill importance that isn't necessary for the basic argument. Choice D makes an empirical claim about test performance that goes beyond what the argument requires.
- Which assumption is most fundamental to the activists' argument for carbon taxes?
Answer: Consumers and businesses will respond to higher fossil fuel prices by reducing consumption rather than simply absorbing the increased costs.
The entire argument depends on the assumption that higher prices will change behavior—that people will use less fossil fuel when it costs more. Without this price-responsive behavior, carbon taxes wouldn't reduce emissions regardless of their other merits. Choice A concerns political strategy rather than the mechanism of emission reduction. Choice C addresses the relevance of European examples but isn't essential to the core economic argument. Choice D relates to practical implementation but the argument could work even with limited alternatives if people simply reduce overall energy consumption.
- What key assumption underlies the founder's decision to offer equity instead of higher salaries?
Answer: The correlation between stock ownership and positive workplace outcomes indicates that equity participation directly causes improved employee performance and commitment.
The founder's strategy assumes that giving employees equity will cause the improved productivity and loyalty observed in companies with stock ownership plans. This causal assumption is essential because correlation doesn't guarantee that equity ownership will produce the desired behavioral changes. Choice A addresses employee acceptance but doesn't establish that equity will improve performance. Choice C questions research applicability but doesn't address the causal mechanism. Choice D weighs costs and benefits but doesn't establish that equity ownership will actually change employee behavior.
- What key assumption supports the librarian's proposal to eliminate overdue fines?
Answer: Overdue fines currently discourage recreational reading rather than encouraging returns.
The proposal assumes that fines are actually preventing recreational reading rather than encouraging timely returns. If fines don't discourage borrowing, eliminating them wouldn't increase reading. This assumption is essential for the policy to achieve its intended effect. Choice B addresses whether increased reading helps comprehension but doesn't establish that eliminating fines will increase reading. Choice C concerns potential negative consequences but doesn't address whether the policy will work. Choice D weighs costs and benefits but doesn't establish the mechanism by which eliminating fines would improve reading.
- What key assumption underlies the school districts' decision to expand music programs?
Answer: Music education directly causes improved mathematical reasoning abilities rather than simply being correlated with higher test scores.
The districts' decision to expand music programs to improve test scores assumes that music education causes better math performance, not just that the two are correlated. Without this causal assumption, the intervention wouldn't make logical sense. Choice B addresses selection bias but isn't essential to the districts' reasoning. Choice C concerns test validity but doesn't affect the core logic of the intervention. Choice D addresses practical implementation but isn't fundamental to the underlying rationale for expecting academic improvements.
- What assumption underlies the school district's language learning mandate?
Answer: Students who learn a second language in school settings will achieve sufficient proficiency to gain the cognitive benefits associated with true bilingualism.
The mandate assumes that classroom language learning will produce the bilingual proficiency that research shows provides cognitive benefits. This is crucial because limited school-based language exposure might not create true bilingualism. Choice B connects cognitive benefits to academic performance but doesn't address whether students will actually become bilingual. Choice C concerns implementation capacity but doesn't justify the expected outcomes. Choice D addresses timing but doesn't establish that school language programs will achieve the necessary proficiency levels.
- What assumption underlies the coach's implementation of mandatory sleep schedules?
Answer: Enforced schedules will be as effective as voluntary regular sleep patterns.
The coach's policy assumes that mandatory sleep schedules will produce the same performance benefits observed in research on regular sleep patterns. This is crucial because forced compliance might not yield the same physiological benefits as voluntary good sleep habits. Choice A suggests there's a current problem but doesn't justify the mandatory approach. Choice C weighs costs and benefits but doesn't address whether forced schedules will actually work. Choice D prioritizes sleep over other factors but doesn't establish that mandatory schedules will be effective.
- Which assumption underlies the researchers' conclusion about universal afterlife beliefs?
Answer: Expensive grave goods were only placed in burials by people who believed the deceased would need or use these items after death.
The conclusion that expensive grave goods indicate afterlife beliefs assumes these items were intended for the deceased's use in death, not for other purposes like honoring memory, displaying wealth, or following tradition. Without this assumption, elaborate burials wouldn't necessarily indicate afterlife beliefs. Choice B addresses the reliability of archaeological evidence but doesn't connect burial practices to specific beliefs. Choice C concerns independent development versus cultural exchange but doesn't address what the burials actually mean. Choice D relates to economic factors but doesn't explain the connection between grave goods and afterlife beliefs.
- Which assumption underlies the mayor's proposal to encourage homeownership?
Answer: Homeownership directly causes positive community outcomes rather than correlation.
The mayor's strategy assumes that homeownership causes better civic behavior and lower crime, not just that responsible people tend to buy homes. Without this causal relationship, encouraging home purchases wouldn't necessarily improve community outcomes. Choice A addresses whether new homeowners will behave like existing ones but doesn't establish the causal mechanism. Choice B concerns the effectiveness of incentives but doesn't justify why homeownership would improve communities. Choice D relates to cost-benefit analysis but doesn't address whether the policy will actually achieve its stated goals.
- Which assumption supports the therapist's recommendation to strengthen extended family relationships?
Answer: The benefits of extended family support observed in traditional societies will apply to individuals living in modern individualistic cultural contexts.
The therapist's approach assumes that extended family benefits observed in traditional societies will work for people in modern individualistic cultures where family structures and social norms may be very different. Without this assumption, the anthropological evidence wouldn't justify the treatment approach. Choice A addresses whether clients need family relationship improvement but doesn't justify why it would help in this cultural context. Choice C makes comparative claims about treatment effectiveness that aren't necessary for the basic recommendation. Choice D concerns practical implementation but doesn't address whether family support will actually provide mental health benefits in this cultural setting.
- What assumption underlies the policymakers' proposal for universal basic income?
Answer: Displaced workers will be unable to find new employment opportunities or retrain for jobs in different industries within a reasonable timeframe.
The proposal assumes that job displacement will create a lasting problem requiring government support—that people won't quickly find new work on their own. If displaced workers could easily transition to new jobs, universal basic income wouldn't be necessary. Choice B addresses precedent but isn't logically required for the proposal. Choice C concerns funding mechanisms but doesn't justify why the program is needed. Choice D relates to the speed of change but doesn't establish that displaced workers will need ongoing financial support.
- What assumption supports the officials' belief that warning labels will improve eating habits?
Answer: People will modify their food choices when provided with clear information about the health risks associated with processed foods.
The proposal assumes that providing information through warning labels will actually change behavior—that people will eat differently when they see health warnings. This behavioral response is essential for the policy to work. Choice A addresses awareness but isn't necessary since labels could work even if people already know guidelines. Choice C provides supporting evidence but isn't a logical assumption underlying this specific proposal. Choice D suggests a causal relationship but the labels could encourage better choices regardless of why people currently eat poorly.
- What assumption supports the animal shelter's training requirement for adopters?
Answer: Adopters will consistently apply training techniques with their new pets.
The shelter's policy assumes that requiring training will actually result in trained dogs, which depends on adopters following through with the training consistently after adoption. Without this assumption, the requirement wouldn't achieve its intended behavioral benefits. Choice B addresses whether research applies to shelter dogs but doesn't ensure training will actually occur. Choice C concerns policy effects on adoption rates but doesn't address whether training will happen. Choice D connects behavioral benefits to adoption success but doesn't establish that training will actually take place.
- Which assumption underlies the CEO's decision to require remote work?
Answer: The productivity gains observed in the study will apply equally to all employees regardless of their specific roles or individual working styles.
The CEO's decision assumes the study's findings will generalize to his specific workforce and situation. Without this assumption, the 13% productivity figure wouldn't justify the company-wide policy change. Choice B addresses recruitment benefits but isn't necessary for the productivity-based argument. Choice C concerns cost savings, which isn't mentioned in the CEO's stated reasoning. Choice D prioritizes productivity but doesn't address whether the study results will actually apply to this particular company's employees.
- Which assumption underlies the hospital's decision to implement the companion program?
Answer: The observed correlation between social connections and recovery speed indicates a causal relationship rather than mere coincidence.
The hospital's program assumes that social connections actually cause faster recovery, not just that socially connected people happen to recover faster for other reasons. Without this causal assumption, providing companions wouldn't be expected to improve outcomes. Choice A addresses the quality of volunteer relationships but isn't necessary if any social contact helps. Choice B suggests the program addresses a real problem but doesn't justify why it should work. Choice D concerns benefits of faster recovery but doesn't address whether the program will actually achieve those results.
- Which of the following assumptions underlies the author's conclusion that more comprehensive approaches are necessary?
Answer: School-based interventions should have been sufficient to reduce childhood obesity rates significantly if institutional factors were the primary cause.
The author concludes that comprehensive approaches are needed because school interventions alone haven't reduced obesity rates. This reasoning assumes that if schools were the main problem, then school-based solutions should have been effective. The continued rise in obesity despite school changes implies other factors are at work. Choice B contradicts the premise that any interventions could work. Choice C, while possibly true, isn't necessary for the author's logical progression. Choice D misrepresents the argument's focus on solution effectiveness rather than problem identification.
- What assumption supports the consulting firm's recommendation to prioritize diversity in hiring?
Answer: Diversity directly causes improved company performance rather than mere correlation.
The recommendation assumes that diversity causes better performance, not just that diverse companies happen to perform better for other reasons. Without this causal assumption, prioritizing diversity in hiring wouldn't be expected to improve results. Choice B questions the study's applicability but isn't essential to the firm's reasoning. Choice C addresses whether clients need improvement but doesn't justify why diversity initiatives would help. Choice D concerns measurement validity but doesn't address the fundamental relationship between diversity and performance.
- Which assumption underlies the experts' argument for promoting democracy?
Answer: Democracy directly causes peaceful foreign policies rather than mere correlation.
The argument assumes that democracy causes peaceful behavior, not just that peaceful countries happen to be democratic for other reasons. Without this causal relationship, promoting democracy wouldn't necessarily increase peace. Choice A addresses the sustainability of democratic transitions but doesn't connect democracy to peace. Choice C concerns the feasibility of democracy promotion but doesn't justify why it would work. Choice D relates to foreign policy priorities but doesn't address the mechanism linking democracy to peace.
- What key assumption underlies the consultant's proposal for mandatory workplace meditation?
Answer: Mandatory meditation will produce the same benefits as voluntary practice.
The proposal assumes that mandatory meditation will produce the same benefits observed in studies of voluntary practitioners. This is crucial because people forced to meditate might not experience the same positive effects as those who choose to practice. Choice B addresses whether there's a workplace problem but doesn't justify the proposed solution. Choice C concerns practical implementation but doesn't address effectiveness. Choice D connects stress reduction to business outcomes but doesn't address whether mandatory meditation will actually reduce stress.
