Statement-Assumption

Statement-Assumption

Statement - A message that is stated or declared; a communication (oral or written) setting forth particulars or facts etc.

An assumption is the act of taking for granted or supposing. In general terms Assumptions are beliefs or ideas that we hold to be true — often with little or no evidence required. We make assumptions every day of our lives; for example, as a  driver on the highway, I assume that other drivers will obey traffic signals, so that when I go through an intersection with a green light, I assume that the cross traffic will stop at its red light. In logic an assumption is a proposition that is taken for granted, as if it were true based upon presupposition without preponderance of the facts. An assumption that is considered to be self-evident or otherwise fundamental is called an axiom.

  

Some assumptions may have supporting evidence are called warranted assumptions, but many assumptions have no supporting evidence at all which are called unwarranted assumptions. In the study of religion, for example, many people make all sorts of assumptions about the existence of a God/Gods, the origins of the universe, the source of good and evil, etc. Indeed, the religious among us have a word for accepting or believing an idea with no evidence required — faith. Furthermore, some authors will come out directly and tell the reader what s/he assumes before s/he begins an essay or an argument. Rarely do writers make such explicit assumptions. More commonly, the reader must determine what the writer's assumptions are since the writer is not so explicit at all; such assumptions are called implicit assumptions. Generally speaking, we tend to trust writers and their conclusions more when they explicitly state their assumptions and support them with reasoning or evidence. However, even if they are explicit, we should not think that all those assumptions are relevant and valid: we still need to evaluate those assumptions just as critically as we would any other kind of assumption.

Solved Examples

1.  Statement: Be humble even after being victorious.

Assumptions: (I) Many people are humble after being victorious. (II) Generally people are not humble.

A. Only assumption I is implicit

B. Only assumption II is implicit

C. Either I or II is implicit

D. Neither I nor II is implicit

1(B) Clearly, nothing is mentioned about the nature of the people. So, I is not implicit. Also, the statement gives an advice of being humble even after being victorious. This means that generally people are not humble. So, II is implicit.

2. Statement: The government has decided to pay compensation to the tune of Rs. 1 lakh to the family members of those who are killed in railway accidents.

Assumptions: (I) The government has enough funds to meet the expenses due to compensation. (II) There may be reduction in incidents of railway accidents in near future.

A. Only assumption I is implicit

B. Only assumption II is implicit

C. Either I or II is implicit

D. Neither I nor II is implicit

2(A) Clearly, the amount of compensation must have been decided keeping in mind the monetary position of the Government. So, I is implicit. However, nothing can be said about the frequency of railway accidents in future. So, II is not implicit.

3. Statement: Films have become indispensable for the entertainment of people.

Assumptions: (I) Films are the only media of entertainment. (II) People enjoy films.

A. Only assumption I is implicit

B. Only assumption II is implicit

C. Either I or II is implicit

D. Neither I nor II is implicit

3(B) 'Films are indispensable' does not mean that they are the only means of entertainment. So, I is not implicit. Clearly, II follows from the statement. So, it is implicit.

4. Statement: Of all the newspapers published in Mumbai, readership of the "Times" is the largest in the Metropolis.

Assumptions: (I) 'Times' is not popular in mofussil areas. (II) 'Times' has the popular feature of cartoons on burning social and political issues.

A. Only assumption I is implicit

B. Only assumption II is implicit

C. Either I or II is implicit

D. Neither I nor II is implicit

4(D) Neither the volume of readership of the 'Times' in areas other than the Metropolis nor the reason for its huge acclamation is evident from the statement So, neither I nor II is implicit.

5. Statement: Apart from the entertainment value of television, its educational value cannot be ignored.

Assumptions: (I) People take television to be a means of entertainment only. (II) The educational value of television is not realized properly.

A. Only assumption I is implicit

B. Only assumption II is implicit

C. Either I or II is implicit

D. Both I and II are implicit

5(D) The statement makes the first assumption clear though educational value is not to be ignored. So, I is implicit. That the educational value must not be ignored also shows that educational value is not realized properly. So, II is also implicit.

6. Statement: Children are influenced more by their teachers nowadays.

Assumptions: (I) The children consider teachers as their models. (II) A large amount of children's time is spent in school.

A. Only assumption I is implicit

B. Only assumption II is implicit

C. Either I or II is implicit

D. Neither I nor II is implicit

6(A) Clearly, it is because children consider teachers as their model that they are more influenced by them. So, I is implicit. It is not necessary that the children are influenced by teachers because they spend much time in school. So, II is not implicit.

7. Statement: You know that your suit is excellent when people ask about your tailor who tailored the suit.

Assumptions: (I) People do not ask about your tailor if your suit is not good. (II) The people want to know the criterion of an excellent suit.

A. Only assumption I is implicit

B. Only assumption II is implicit

C. Either I or II is implicit

D. Neither I nor II is implicit

7(A) The statement mentions that if the people ask about the tailor, your suit is good. This means that people ask only in the situation when the thing is good. So, I is implicit. The criterion of an excellent suit is not mentioned. So, II is not implicit.

8. Statement: His recent investment in the shares of Company A is only a gamble.

Assumptions: (I) He may incur loss on his investment. (II) He may gain from his investment.

A. Only assumption I is implicit

B. Only assumption II is implicit

C. Either I or II is implicit

D. Neither I nor II is implicit

8(C) The use of the world 'gamble' indicates that he may either gain or lose in the deal.

9. Statement: Why don't you go to the court if the employer does not pay you the Provident Fund contribution?

Assumptions: (I) Courts can intervene in matters of dispute between employer and employees. (II) It is obligatory for the employer to pay the Provident Fund contribution to the employees.

A. Only assumption I is implicit

B. Only assumption II is implicit

C. Either I or II is implicit

D. Both I and II are implicit

9 (D) Clearly, the statement encourages one to go to court to get his Provident Fund from his employer. This implies that the issue comes under the jurisdiction of courts and that it is the right of the employee to claim his Provident Fund. So, both I and II are implicit.

10. Statement: 'Double your money in five months.' - An advertisement.

Assumptions: (I) The assurance is not genuine. (II) People want their money to grow.

A. Only assumption I is implicit

B. Only assumption II is implicit

C. Either I or II is implicit

D. Neither I nor II is implicit

E. Both I and II are implicit

10(B) The truth or falsity of the promise made in the statement cannot be judged. So, I is not implicit. Since the concerned firm advertises with the assurance that money can be doubled quickly by investing with it, so II is implicit.

Exercise

1.  Statement: The education of a student at collegiate level, not taking into account maintenance expenses, costs four hundred rupees a year. Collegiate education is thus drawing heavily upon the national resources of an impoverished community. So college education should be restricted to a brilliant few.

Assumptions: (I) Our resources are very limited. (II) Only a few students should be admitted to the colleges.

A. Only assumption I is implicit

B. Only assumption II is implicit

C. Neither I nor II is implicit

D. Both I and II are implicit

2. Statement: A's advice to B - "Go to Jammu via Amritsar - the shortest route".

Assumptions: (I) B wishes to go to Jammu. (II) A gives advice to everybody.

A. Only assumption I is implicit

B. Only assumption II is implicit

C. Either I or II is implicit

D. Neither I nor II is implicit

3. Statement: All existing inequalities can be reduced, if not utterly eradicated, by action of governments or by revolutionary change of government.

Assumptions: (I) Inequality is a man-made phenomenon. (II) No person would voluntarily part with what he possesses.

A. Only assumption I is implicit

B. Only assumption II is implicit

C. Either I or II is implicit

D. Both I and II are implicit

4. Statement: The campaign of 'Keep your city clean' started by the Civil Council did not evoke any response from the citizens.

Assumptions: (I) People do not desire to keep their city clean. (II) The Civil Council has failed in its campaign.

A. Only assumption II is implicit

B. Either I or II is implicit

C. Neither I nor II is implicit

D. Both I and II are implicit

5. Statement: The district administration has issued a circular to all the farmers under its jurisdiction advising them for not using pesticides indiscriminately as it may pollute the ground water.

Assumptions: (I) People may stop using ground water if the farmers continue to use pesticides indiscriminately. Farmers may refrain from using pesticides indiscriminately.

A. Only assumption I is implicit

B. Only assumption II is implicit

C. Either I or II is implicit

D. Neither I nor II is implicit

6. Statement: "You should not grant him leave in this week due to exigency of work." - A supervisor advises the administrative officer.

Assumptions: (I) Request for leave can be turned down also. (II) The supervisor has reviewed the work required to be done during the said period.

A. Only assumption I is implicit

B. Only assumption II is implicit

C. Neither I nor II is implicit

D. Both I and II are implicit

7. Statement: "I have not received telephone bills for nine months inspite of several complaints" - A telephone customer's letter to the editor of a daily

Assumptions: (I) Every customer has a right to get bills regularly from the telephone company. (II) The customer's complaints point to defect in the services which are expected to be corrected.

A. Only assumption I is implicit

B. Only assumption II is implicit

C. Either I or II is implicit

D. Both I and II are implicit

8. Statement: Government has permitted unaided colleges to increase their fees.

Assumptions: (I) Unaided colleges are in financial difficulties. (II) Aided colleges do not need to increase fees.

A. Only assumption I is implicit

B. Only assumption II is implicit

C. Either I or II is implicit

D. Neither I nor II is implicit

E. Both I and II are implicit

9. Statement: The Government has decided to levy 2 percent on the tax amount payable for funding drought relief programmes.

Assumptions: (I) The Government does not have sufficient money to fund drought relief programmes. (II) The amount collected by way of surcharge may be adequate to fund these drought relief programmes.

A. Only assumption I is implicit

B. Only assumption II is implicit

C. Either I or II is implicit

D. Both I and II are implicit

10. Statement: It will be a substantial achievement in the field of education if one provides one school for every village in our country and enforce attendance.

Assumptions: (I) Children in villages do not attend school regularly. (II) Providing school to every village is desirable.

A. Only assumption I is implicit

B. Only assumption II is implicit

C. Either I or II is implicit

D. Both I and II are implicit

11. Statement: The government has decided to disinvest large chunk of its equity in select public sector undertakings for a better fiscal management.

Assumptions: (I) The amount generated out of the disinvestment process may reduce substantially the mounting fiscal deficits. (II) There will be enough demand in the market for the shares of these undertakings.

A. Only assumption I is implicit

B. Only assumption II is implicit

C. Either I or II is implicit

D. Neither I nor II is implicit

12. Statement: The State government has decided to appoint four thousand primary school teachers during the next financial year.

Assumptions: (I) There are enough schools in the state to accommodate four thousand additional primary school teachers. (II) The eligible candidates may not be interested to apply as the government may not finally appoint such a large number of primary school teachers.

A. Only assumption I is implicit

B. Only assumption II is implicit

C. Either I or II is implicit

D. Neither I nor II is implicit

E. Both I and II are implicit

13. Statement: A warning in a train compartment - "To stop train, pull chain. Penalty for improper use is Rs. 500."

Assumptions: (I) Some people misuse the alarm chain. (II) On certain occasions, people may want to stop a running train.

A. Only assumption I is implicit

B. Only assumption II is implicit

C. Either I or II is implicit

D. Both I and II are implicit

14. Statement: If it is easy to become an engineer, I don't want to be an engineer.

Assumptions: (I) An individual aspires to be professional. (II) One desires to achieve a thing which is hard earned.

A. Only assumption I is implicit

B. Only assumption II is implicit

C. Either I or II is implicit

D. Neither I nor II is implicit

15. Statement: "The bridge was built at the cost of Rs. 128 crores and even civil bus service is not utilizing it, what a pity to see it grossly underutilized." - A citizen's view on a new flyover linking east and west sides of a suburb.

Assumptions: (I) The building of such bridges does not serve any public objective.

(II) There has to be some accountability and utility of money spent on public projects.

A. Only assumption I is implicit

B. Only assumption II is implicit

C. Either I or II is implicit

D. Neither I nor II is implicit

16. Statement: "In order to bring punctuality in our office, we must provide conveyance allowance to our employees." - In charge of a company tells Personnel Manager?

Assumptions: (I) Conveyance allowance will not help in bringing punctuality. (II) Discipline and reward should always go hand in hand.

A. Only assumption I is implicit

B. Only assumption II is implicit

C. Either I or II is implicit

D. Neither I nor II is implicit

17. Statement: Unemployment allowance should be given to all unemployed Indian youth above 18 years of age.

Assumptions: (I) There are unemployed youth in India who needs monetary support.

(II) The government has sufficient funds to provide allowance to all unemployed youth.

A. Only assumption I is implicit

B. Only assumption II is implicit

C. Either I or II is implicit

D. Neither I nor II is implicit

18. Statement: The regulatory authority has set up a review committee to find out the reasons for unstable stock prices.

Assumptions: (I) The investors may regain confidence in stock market by this decision.

(II) The review committee has the expertise to find out the causes for volatility in the stock market.

A. Only assumption I is implicit

B. Only assumption II is implicit

C. Either I or II is implicit

D. Neither I nor II is implicit

19. Statement: Cases of food poisoning due to consumption of liquor are increasing in rural areas.

Assumptions: (I) Percentage of people consuming liquor is more in rural areas.

(II) There are many unauthorized spurious liquor shops in the rural areas.

A. Only assumption I is implicit

B. Only assumption II is implicit

C. Either I or II is implicit

D. Neither I nor II is implicit

20. Consider the following assumptions: (UPSC Pre GS Paper-2, 2011)

1. The food chains/food web in an ecosystem are influenced by keystone species.
2. The presence of keystone species is a specific characteristic of aquatic ecosystems.
3. If the keystone species is completely removed from an .ecosystem, it will lead to the collapse of the ecosystem.
With reference to the passage, which of the above assumptions is/are valid?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3

Solution

1(D) The use of the words 'impoverished community' in the statement makes I implicit while the phrase 'college education should be restricted to a brilliant few' makes II implicit.

              

2(A) A has advised B the route to Jammu. This means that B wishes to go to Jammu. So, I is implicit. The statement mentions only A's advice to B. So, II is not implicit.

3(A) Since inequality can be reduced; it means that it is not natural but created. So, I is implicit. Nothing is mentioned about people's response. So, II is not implicit.

4(D) According to the statement, the campaign did not get any response from citizens. This means that people are not interested in keeping the city clean and the campaign has failed. So, both I and II are implicit.

5(B) The district administration has issued a circular to make the farmers aware of hazards that indiscriminate use of pesticides poses to ground water and plead them to refrain from the same. So, II is implicit. However, I cannot be assumed from the given statement and so it is not implicit.

6(D) The advice is given to turn down the request for leave. So, I is implicit. The mention of the 'exigency of work' makes II implicit.

7(D) The customer's eagerness to get the bills makes I implicit. Besides, the customer has written to the editor to bring the malfunctioning of the department to public notice. So, II is also implicit.

8(A) Unaided colleges have been allowed to increase their fees. This means that they are in financial difficulties. So, I is implicit. Nothing is mentioned about the aided colleges. So, II is not implicit.

9(D) Since a surcharge has been levied to fund drought relief programmes, it follows that the Government does not have sufficient money for the same. So, I is implicit. Besides, the percentage of surcharge must have been decided after studying the expected inflow in relation to amount of funds required. So, II is also implicit.

10(D) The statement lays stress on enforcing attendance. This implies that children in villages do not attend school regularly. So, I is implicit. Besides, the statement calls 'one school for every village' a 'substantial achievement'. So, II is also implicit.

11(A) The fact given in I directly follows from the phrase '..... for a better fiscal management' in the statement. So, I is implicit. However, the public response to the new policy cannot be ascertained. So, II is not implicit.

12(A) Such decisions as given in the statement are taken only after taking the existing vacancies into consideration. So, assumption I is implicit while II isn't.

13(D) Clearly, the penalty is imposed to prevent people from misusing the alarm chain. This means that some people misuse it. So, I is implicit. The alarm chain is provided to stop the running train in times of urgency. So, II is also implicit.

14(B) Clearly, nothing is mentioned about the professional nature of the job. So, I is not implicit. The statement hints that one rejects a thing that is easy to achieve. So, II is implicit.

15(B) Clearly, the statement expresses grave concern over a newly-built flyover not being utilized by public. This implies that such projects need to be taken up only after working out their utility and that the huge expenditure incurred on building such structures is worthwhile only if they prove useful for the public. Thus, only II is implicit.

16(B) Assumption I goes against the statement. So, it is not implicit. The allowance will serve as a reward to the employees and shall provoke them to come on time. So, II is implicit.

17(A) I directly follows from the statement and so is implicit. Also, the statement is a suggestion and does not tell about a government policy or its position of funds. So, II is not implicit.

18 (D) Clearly, I mentions the aim for which the step talked about in the statement, has been undertaken while II mentions the essential requirement for it. So, both I and II are implicit.

19(B) The statement talks of number of cases of food poisoning due to consumption of liquor and not of the number of cases consuming liquor. So, I is not implicit. Besides, the statement indicates that people in rural areas are getting spurious or low-grade liquor and no check is being kept on shops selling liquor there. So, II is implicit.

20 (C)