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CR query!!!

Expert replies
by rajatvmittal » Tue Feb 05, 2013 7:29 am
A reduction in the number of people filing new claims for state unemployment benefits is one of the first signs that a nationwide recession is coming to an end. Usually such a reduction indicates that companies are not dismissing as many people, a sure sign of economic recovery. The number of people collecting state unemployment benefits has dropped considerably over the last three months, so the recession is coming to an end.

Which of the following is assumed in the passage above?

A majority of the number of people who became eligible to file unemployment benefits from the state in the past three months chose to do so.
The drop in the number of people collecting unemployment benefits from the state cannot be traced to a reduction in the number of people being dismissed from minimum wage jobs.
A substantial number of people who had been collecting unemployment benefits have been rehired by their former employers during the last three months.
A substantial number of people have not in the last three months moved from one state where they have collected unemployment benefits to another state where they continue to receive jobless benefits.
The reduction in the number of people collecting unemployment benefits from the state is not because of an increase in the number of people whose benefits came to an end.


oa is E

I want to know why is A wrong?

Reason:- If it is negated, conclusion falls apart.

if a majority of the number of people who became eligible to file unemployment benefits from the state in the past three months DID NOT choose to do so, then there is under-reporting of people who are unemployed. Hence, recession can't be said to be coming to an end.
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Source: — Critical Reasoning |

by GMATGuruNY » Tue Feb 05, 2013 8:44 am
=
rajatvmittal wrote:A reduction in the number of people filing new claims for state unemployment benefits is one of the first signs that a nationwide recession is coming to an end. Usually such a reduction indicates that companies are not dismissing as many people, a sure sign of economic recovery. The number of people collecting state unemployment benefits has dropped considerably over the last three months, so the recession is coming to an end.

Which of the following is assumed in the passage above?

A majority of the number of people who became eligible to file unemployment benefits from the state in the past three months chose to do so.
The drop in the number of people collecting unemployment benefits from the state cannot be traced to a reduction in the number of people being dismissed from minimum wage jobs.
A substantial number of people who had been collecting unemployment benefits have been rehired by their former employers during the last three months.
A substantial number of people have not in the last three months moved from one state where they have collected unemployment benefits to another state where they continue to receive jobless benefits.
The reduction in the number of people collecting unemployment benefits from the state is not because of an increase in the number of people whose benefits came to an end.
This CR exhibits a SHIFT IN SCOPE.
Conclusion: The reduction in the number of people COLLECTING unemployment benefits is a sign that the current recession is ending.
Premise: A reduction in the number of people FILING new unemployment claims is a sign that a given recession is ending.
Assumption: COLLECTING = FILING.
According to the premise, only a decrease in the number of people FILING is sign that the recession is ending.
Thus, if there has NOT been a reduction in the number of people filing, then the conclusion that the current recession is ending is invalidated.

Answer choice E, negated: The reduction in the number of people collecting unemployment benefits from the state is because of an increase in the number of people whose benefits came to an end.
The negation of E indicates that the decrease in the number of people COLLECTING is NOT due to a decrease in the number of people FILING, invalidating the conclusion that the current recession is ending.
Since the negation of E invalidates the conclusion, E is the necessary assumption: WHAT MUST BE TRUE for the conclusion to be valid.

The correct answer is E.

Answer choice A, negated: A majority of the number of people who became eligible to file unemployment benefits from the state in the past three months chose NOT do so.
The negation of A SUPPORTS the assumption that fewer people are FILING for benefits.
The reason for this reduction is irrelevant: according to the premise, if fewer people are filing for benefits, then the recession is ending.
Thus, when A is negated, the conclusion remains intact.
Since the negation of A does not invalidate the conclusion, A is NOT the necessary assumption.
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