Conclusion: Greeks actually adopted alphabetic writing at least two centuries earlier

Evidence: (1) the text of these earliest surviving Greek inscriptions sometimes runs from right to left and sometimes from left to right.
(2)Now Greeks learned alphabetic writing from the Phoenicians,
(3) Originally, Phoenician writing ran in either direction, but by the eighth century B.C. it had been consistently written from right to left for about two centuries.

Assumption: (2) says Greeks learned from Phoenicians...in that process..they would surely have adopted whatever convention the Phoenicians were then using with respect to the direction of writing. Look at the word "surely" - thats shows author is assuming that Greek adopted Phoe convetion about Greek learned from Phoe.

1st is conclusion so D/E out; C is out bcoz 1st is not an evidence or fact...its conclusion or author's view which author is trying to establish.
A - 2nd BF does not oppose auhor's position...rather is an assumption which trying to support

IMO B

This was wat testluv wrote before..
As an aside, a statement can NEVER be an assumption because, by definition, an assumption is unstated.

pnk wrote:Conclusion: Greeks actually adopted alphabetic writing at least two centuries earlier

Evidence: (1) the text of these earliest surviving Greek inscriptions sometimes runs from right to left and sometimes from left to right.
(2)Now Greeks learned alphabetic writing from the Phoenicians,
(3) Originally, Phoenician writing ran in either direction, but by the eighth century B.C. it had been consistently written from right to left for about two centuries.

Assumption: (2) says Greeks learned from Phoenicians...in that process..they would surely have adopted whatever convention the Phoenicians were then using with respect to the direction of writing. Look at the word "surely" - thats shows author is assuming that Greek adopted Phoe convetion about Greek learned from Phoe.

1st is conclusion so D/E out; C is out bcoz 1st is not an evidence or fact...its conclusion or author's view which author is trying to establish.
A - 2nd BF does not oppose auhor's position...rather is an assumption which trying to support

IMO B

Agreed..Thanks

What Testluv wrote was completely right, but that was for 'find an assumption' question.

In case of BF questions be very open, in this very question we have 'they would surely have', past situation. Remember 'if.....then' construction. IF I had, then I would have. Therefore, this is completely an assumption

adi_800 wrote:This was wat testluv wrote before..
As an aside, a statement can NEVER be an assumption because, by definition, an assumption is unstated.

Same argument..but bold face changed...

Although the earliest surviving Greek inscriptions written in an alphabet date from the eighth century B.C., a strong case can be made that the Greeks actually adopted alphabetic writing at least two centuries earlier. Significantly, the text of these earliest surviving Greek inscriptions sometimes runs from right to left and sometimes from left to right. Now, the Greeks learned alphabetic writing from the Phoenicians, and in the process they would surely have adopted whatever convention the Phoenicians were then using with respect to the direction of writing. Originally, Phoenicians writing ran in either direction, but by the eighth century B.C. it had been consistently written from right to left for about two centuries.

In the argument given, the two portions in boldface play which of the following roles?
A. The first provides evidence in support of the position that the argument seeks to establish; the second is that position.
B. The first provides evidence in support of the position that the argument seeks to establish; the second presents an assumption on which that argument relies.
C. The first is an assumption that the argument concludes is unjustified; the second
presents part of the grounds for that conclusion.
D. The first is evidence that forms the basis for an objection to the position that the argument seeks to establish; the second is that position.
E. The first is evidence that forms the basis for an objection to the position that the argument seeks to establish; the second is a judgment that is introduced in order to call into question the relevance of that evidence.

I guess answer would be B..

Yes I feel so. Thanks