Critical Reasoning

The media claim that the economy is entering a phase of growth and prosperity. They point to lower unemployment
rates and increased productivity. This analysis is false, though. The number of people filing for bankruptcy has
increased every month for the last six months, and bankruptcy lawyers report that they are busier than they have
been in years. Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends?

"¢ Unemployment rates are not useful indicators of growth and prosperity.
"¢ Economic growth cannot be measured in terms of productivity.
"¢ Legislation has not been recently passed to make legal bankruptcy easier to obtain.
"¢ There has not been an increase in the number of bankruptcy lawyers.
"¢ The media often misrepresent the current state of economic affairs.

In my opinion, this question does not have a correct answer. The listed OA is C. However, that does not rise to the level of an assumption. What if legislation had just been passed that made it easier to file for bankruptcy? People could still be filing for bankruptcy because the economy is terrible.

It is difficult to write a good assumption question. I admit that it would be nice to know that there was no recent law that makes it easier to file bankruptcy and this would work as a strengthen answer. However, as an assumption it does not work.

An example of a correct assumption answer would be "the rate of bankruptcy filings is not wholly unrelated to the health of the economy." If you take away that answer then you would say that the "bankruptcy rate is wholly unrelated to the health of the economy."