Critical Reasoning

Extensive housing construction is underway in Pataska Forest the habitat of a large population of deer. Because deer feed at the edges of forests, these deer will be attracted to the spaces alongside the new roads being cut through the Patska forest to serve the new residential areas. Consequently, once the housing is occupied, the annual number of the forest's deer hit by cars will be much higher than before construction started.

Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends?


A. the number of deer hit by commercial vehicles will not increase significantly when the housing is occupied.

B. Deer will be as attracted to the forest edge around new houses as to the forest edge alongside roads.

C. In years past, the annual number of deer that have been hit by cars on existing roads through Pataska Forest has been very low.

D. the development will leave sufficient forest to sustain a significant population of deer

E. no deer hunting will be allowed in Pataska forest when the housing is occupied
Spoiler: OA