LSAT Assumption qstn- effective way to reduce such emissions

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Please hlep me with your response on below CR Assumption question from LSAT powerScore CR guide:

Emissions from automobiles that burn gasoline and
automobiles that burn diesel fuel are threatening the
quality of life on our planet, contaminating both
urban air and global atmosphere. Therefore, the only
effective way to reduce such emissions is to replace
the conventional diesel fuel and gasoline used in
automobiles with cleaner-burning fuels, such as
methanol, that create fewer emissions.
Which one of the following is an assumption on
which the argument depends?
(A) Reducing the use of automobiles would not
be a more effective means to reduce
automobile emissions than the use of
methanol.
(B) There is no fuel other than methanol that is
cleaner-burning than both diesel fuel and
gasoline.
(C) If given a choice of automobile fuels,
automobile owners would not select
gasoline over methanol.
(D) Automobile emissions constitute the most
serious threat to the global environment.
(E) At any given time there is a direct correlation
between the level of urban air pollution and
the level of contamination present in the
global atmosphere.
OA follows..

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by sunnyjohn » Sat Jul 09, 2011 8:21 am
IMO: E

- Premise: Gasoline and Diesel engine produce emission which is causing pollution.
Conclusion: the only way to reduce emission it to switch to methanol.

GAP - reducing emission will reduce pollution.

so a direct relationship has been assumed.

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by abhishric » Sat Jul 09, 2011 8:46 am
sunnyjohn wrote:IMO: E

- Premise: Gasoline and Diesel engine produce emission which is causing pollution.
Conclusion: the only way to reduce emission it to switch to methanol.

GAP - reducing emission will reduce pollution.

so a direct relationship has been assumed.
my strategy was to try and hurt the conclusion in order to find the assumption without which the conclusion can not hold true. I guess, author's point is to emphasise the use of cleaner burning fuels, such as methanol.
Also, author mentioned that "The only effective way to" which means that he holds strong position about cleaner-burning fuel. I am not able to understand the reasoning behind OA.
[spoiler]OA - 'A' [/spoiler]

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by dinaroneo » Sun Jul 10, 2011 3:06 am
IMO :A

The conclusion is 'The only effective way.....' this ignores all other ways to curb pollution.
Thus A

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by abhishric » Sun Jul 10, 2011 3:17 am
dinaroneo wrote:IMO :A

The conclusion is 'The only effective way.....' this ignores all other ways to curb pollution.
Thus A
Bang on! can you share how you come to figure out this assumption. Since, a prevailing problem has been discussed by giving a solution in the end as the main conclusion. how can we think of attacking the root cause of the problem ie removing the use of automobiles. I assumed when we read the argument we make certain core assumptions in which denying the use of automobile is one of them.
We can think of many assumptions when discussing on an argument but while choosing a particular assumption in CR problem handling, we generally choose the relavant assumptins. Let me know if point is not being conveyed properly.
Please share your reasoning. Thanks!

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by dinaroneo » Sun Jul 10, 2011 3:41 am
The key lies here:
whenever in an argument there is a superlative qulalifier used (such as: best way, most effective way or the only way) that is we are told the given path is the only way to reach the goal, the underlying assumption is there can not be any onther way to reach the goal.

(Reference: MGMAT, Chap 4, Page 60)

Choose the answer which talks about any other way (being less efective- in this case)

Regards!