Critical Reasoning

In one of several university mergers to have taken place recently, four institutions in the city of Hangzhou have been merged to form Zhejiang University, China's largest. Officials say such mergers help the schools achieve economies of scale, and minimize their administrative burdens. They also hope these 'mega-universities' will do better at attracting grant money and investment from Chinese and foreign organizations, who will be more eager to collaborate with big-name institutions. But out of China's population of more than 1 billion, there are now fewer than 7 million university students. Only 50% of China's middle-school graduates now go on to receive any secondary education. And for many of China's poorest families, including the children of millions of migrant laborers, finding any school at all can be a problem.

Q. Which of the following is an assumption in the passage?

(a) University mergers do not benefit a majority of the students in China.

(b) China has focused too much on a handful of top universities in major cities while failing to improve lower-level education throughout the country.

(c) Lower-level education is a serious issue in China as many children are unable to get access to educational facilities.

(d) University mergers, though favored by Chinese officials, do precious little for the majority of the students and children.

(e) The mergers of four universities in China to form the biggest university have failed to bring in the promised benefits.