Critical Reasoning: Assumption Questions
The famous WXYZ band is about to embark on the international tour that it performs once every 3 years. Since the last tour, an oil crisis led to global inflation which has caused increases in the prices of concert tickets, averaging at 6%. Therefore, in accordance with this trend, fans that wish to calculate how much they will spend on tickets to a concert in the upcoming tour can simply increase the price of a ticket to a concert from the last tour by 6%.
The above conclusion is properly drawn if which of the following is assumed?
Terrific work!
[[snippet]]Based on the fact that the average post-crisis inflation rate is 6%, the author concludes that fans anywhere (in any country) could all simply add 6% to the last ticket price to calculate the new ticket price. This conclusion requires that the author assume that the inflation rate in every country is the same - 6%. Otherwise, every fan would have to add their own country's inflation rate.
Incorrect.
[[snippet]]The second premise already tells us that oil prices affected the ticket prices. This answer choice simply provides additional data about this cause-and-effect relationship. However, what we are trying to find is the assumption that the author made in order to reach the conclusion.
Incorrect.
[[snippet]]Global inflation's relation to the cancellation of concerts is irrelevant to this argument, which does not discuss cancellation at all. You are looking for the assumption, which should explain how the author drew the conclusion based on the premises.
Incorrect.
[[snippet]]This answer choice opposes the conclusion in the argument and therefore cannot be the underlying assumption. If every country is affected differently by inflation, then the author's conclusion becomes weakened: fans of countries A and B cannot both calculate the new ticket price by simply adding 6%.
Remember, the tone of an assumption must be consistent with that of the argument's conclusion, rather than prove it to be incorrect.
Incorrect.
[[snippet]]This answer choice presents new data about taxes and cultural ministries, which is irrelevant to the argument. Focus on the conclusion. You should be looking for the assumption that helped the author reach this judgment based on the given premises alone.
