Critical Reasoning

Archaeologist: There were several porcelain-production centers in 18th-century Britain, among them Bristol, Plymouth, and New Hall. Each center developed a unique recipe for its porcelain that might include flint glass, soapstone, bone ash, clay, quartz, and so on. We will therefore be able to determine, on the basis of compositional analysis, where the next cup we recover from this archaeological site was made.

Indicate 2 different statements as follows: one statement identifies an assumption required by the archaelogist's argument and the other identifies a possible fact, if true, would provide significant logical support for the required assumption.

Choices:
A) Other cups have been recovered from the archaeological site, all of which were made of porcelain.
B) Some of the cups recovered from the archaeological site were not made of porcelain.
C) The next cup to be recovered from the site will likely be made of porcelain.
D) Porcelain makers often traveled between centers, experimenting with one another's recipes.
E) There was considerable overlap of materials in the recipes used by the various centers.
F) Most porcelain in 18th-century Britain was made at one of the several centers.

OA: Assumption required [spoiler](C)[/spoiler] | Possible fact [spoiler](A)[/spoiler]

Could you explain why F does not fit in either the assumption or possible fact?

Thank you

hmm its a unique CR
while i do understand that C is the assumption but i think a fact to support this assumption sud be B and not A

here is how C is assumption :
fact is :There were several porcelain-production centers in 18th-century Britain, among them Bristol, Plymouth, and New Hall. Each center developed a unique recipe for its porcelain that might include flint glass, soapstone, bone ash, clay, quartz, and so on

conclusion : therefore be able to determine, on the basis of compositional analysis, where the next cup we recover from this archaeological site was made.

so when u say that any next cup u will able to identify its origin then u making the assumption that the cup ought to be made of porcelain !!

i think the fact to support this assumption sud be B
however if i were asked to put a fact to support the argument then i wud have picked A

can instructors plz help me in this !!

lj88 wrote:Archaeologist: There were several porcelain-production centers in 18th-century Britain, among them Bristol, Plymouth, and New Hall. Each center developed a unique recipe for its porcelain that might include flint glass, soapstone, bone ash, clay, quartz, and so on. We will therefore be able to determine, on the basis of compositional analysis, where the next cup we recover from this archaeological site was made.

Indicate 2 different statements as follows: one statement identifies an assumption required by the archaelogist's argument and the other identifies a possible fact, if true, would provide significant logical support for the required assumption.

Choices:
A) Other cups have been recovered from the archaeological site, all of which were made of porcelain.
B) Some of the cups recovered from the archaeological site were not made of porcelain.
C) The next cup to be recovered from the site will likely be made of porcelain.
D) Porcelain makers often traveled between centers, experimenting with one another's recipes.
E) There was considerable overlap of materials in the recipes used by the various centers.
F) Most porcelain in 18th-century Britain was made at one of the several centers.

OA: Assumption required [spoiler](C)[/spoiler] | Possible fact [spoiler](A)[/spoiler]

Could you explain why F does not fit in either the assumption or possible fact?

Thank you

The premise is about the origin of PORCELAIN.
The conclusion is that we will be able to determine the origin of the NEXT CUP.
The assumption is that there is a LINK between PORCELAIN and the NEXT CUP.
If there is no link between porcelain and the next cup -- in other words, if the next cup is not made of porcelain -- then the argument cannot conclude that we will be able to determine the origin of the next cup.

Answer choice C: The next cup to be recovered from the site will likely be made of porcelain.
This is the assumption, as stated above.

Answer choice A: Other cups have been recovered from the archaeological site, all of which were made of porcelain.
If EVERY CUP recovered thus far has been made of porcelain, the assumption that the NEXT CUP will be made of porcelain is supported.

Answer choice F: Most porcelain in 18th-century Britain was made at one of the several centers.
This answer choice confirms the PREMISE that there were several porcelain-production centers in 18th-century Britain.
A premise is a FACT: it does not need to be supported.

Answer choice B: Some of the cups recovered from the archaeological site were not made of porcelain.
This answer choice WEAKENS the assumption that the next cup will be made of porcelain.