Critical Reasoning

Longview Prep Board Member: Our student body has a drug problem. Over the last five years, the school's administrators have noticed signs of a significant increase in drug use, and there has been simultaneously a drop in the averages of the scores our students have been getting on state-issued tests. Schools that offer drug use awareness classes have experienced significant reductions in drug use by students. If by incorporating drug use awareness classes into the curriculum at Longview Prep we can reduce drug use, we can increase the averages of Longview Prep students' state-issued test scores to the levels at which they were five years ago.

Which of the following is an assumption on which the board member's conclusion depends?

(A) Students who use drugs the most will not leave Longview Prep and enroll in other schools because they prefer not to attend drug use awareness classes.

(B) Teachers at Longview Prep have not over the past five years updated the school's entire curriculum, making it innovative and unique.

(C) Longview Prep students who use drugs are not able to hide their use of drugs from teachers and administrators at Longview Prep.

(D) Test focused review sessions would not be effective in increasing Longview Prep students' state-issued test scores.

(E) Most students who use drugs will not eventually reduce their drug use on their own, without having taken drug use awareness classes.

OA: B