assumption

armaan700+ wrote:Some geologists argue that if oil is as common in unsampled areas of the world as it is in those already sampled, our current estimate of reserves that exist underground must be multiplied by a factor of 10,000. From this we can conclude that we can meet the oil needs of the entire world for at least five centuries, even assuming that future consumption grows at an accelerating rate.

To reach the stated conclusion, the author must assume which of the following?

A) It is possible to recover the oil contained in unexplored areas of the world
B) The consumption rate for oil will not grow rapidly
C) Oil will remain an important energy source for at least 500 years
D) The world will achieve and maintain zero population growth
E) New technology will make oil discovery and drilling more feasible than ever before

armaan700+ wrote:Some geologists argue that if oil is as common in unsampled areas of the world as it is in those already sampled, our current estimate of reserves that exist underground must be multiplied by a factor of 10,000. From this we can conclude that we can meet the oil needs of the entire world for at least five centuries, even assuming that future consumption grows at an accelerating rate.

To reach the stated conclusion, the author must assume which of the following?

A) It is possible to recover the oil contained in unexplored areas of the world
B) The consumption rate for oil will not grow rapidly
C) Oil will remain an important energy source for at least 500 years
D) The world will achieve and maintain zero population growth
E) New technology will make oil discovery and drilling more feasible than ever before

thephoenix wrote:A) It is possible to recover the oil contained in unexplored areas of the world
[Hold it]
B) The consumption rate for oil will not grow rapidly
[This is already taken into account . NEGATING it does not fail the conclusion]
C) Oil will remain an important energy source for at least 500 years
[Not possible, since if oil is not an energy source, conclusion is still valid]
D) The world will achieve and maintain zero population growth
[Out of scope- also even if future consumption grows its ok]
E) New technology will make oil discovery and drilling more feasible than ever before
[Out of scope]

armaan700+ wrote:Some geologists argue that if oil is as common in unsampled areas of the world as it is in those already sampled, our current estimate of reserves that exist underground must be multiplied by a factor of 10,000. From this we can conclude that we can meet the oil needs of the entire world for at least five centuries, even assuming that future consumption grows at an accelerating rate.

To reach the stated conclusion, the author must assume which of the following?

Assumption questions allow us to double check our answer choices by using Negation Technique. When the CORRECT answer choice is negated, the answer MUST WEAKEN the argument. Lets see which one does that for us :

A) It is possible to recover the oil contained in unexplored areas of the world
Correct : On negating this answer choice states something like.... It is NOT possible to recover blah blah blah of the world. This WEAKENS the argument. Hence this is the correct answer choice.

B) The consumption rate for oil will not grow rapidly
Incorrect : It is already ASSUMED in the stimulus that consumption will grow rapidly (at an accelerating rate)

C) Oil will remain an important energy source for at least 500 years
Incorrect : Irrelevant to the scope of our argument

D) The world will achieve and maintain zero population growth
Incorrect : Population growth is clearly out of scope

E) New technology will make oil discovery and drilling more feasible than ever before
Incorrect : On negating, this answer choice DOES NOT WEAKEN the argument. Eliminated !