Necessary AssumptionDiff: Easy
Logic Breakdown
Passage Summary: The journalist claims the mayor isn't introspective because he speaks with such unwavering confidence.
Conclusion: The new mayor is not a person who engages in self-reflection.
Reasoning: The mayor makes statements with absolute confidence and total certainty.
Analysis: The journalist is making a big leap from how someone speaks to how their mind works. To make this argument stick, the journalist must assume that being introspective is actually incompatible with speaking with utter certainty. If an introspective person could still project total confidence, the evidence provided wouldn't prove the mayor lacks introspection. Look for an answer that bridges this gap between outward confidence and internal self-reflection.
Conclusion: The new mayor is not a person who engages in self-reflection.
Reasoning: The mayor makes statements with absolute confidence and total certainty.
Analysis: The journalist is making a big leap from how someone speaks to how their mind works. To make this argument stick, the journalist must assume that being introspective is actually incompatible with speaking with utter certainty. If an introspective person could still project total confidence, the evidence provided wouldn't prove the mayor lacks introspection. Look for an answer that bridges this gap between outward confidence and internal self-reflection.
Passage Stimulus
Passage Redacted
Unlock Full Passage7.Which one of the following is an assumption required by the journalist's argument?
Correct Answer
A
Correct. If introspective people do not make assertions with utter certainty and confidence, then the mayor’s making such assertions supports the conclusion that he is not introspective. Negation test: If introspective people can make such assertions, the evidence no longer shows he isn’t introspective, and the argument fails—so A is necessary.
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