Assumption Identification Flashcards
7 cards from real LNAT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Assumption Identification flashcards as text
'The candidate's speech was passionate, so voters will be persuaded by it.' What assumption is made in this argument?
Answer: Voters are persuaded primarily by passionate delivery rather than by content alone
The argument assumes that passionate delivery is what drives voter persuasion, without considering whether the content or other factors matter.
'Since this country has low unemployment, its economy must be doing well.' What is the underlying assumption?
Answer: Low unemployment is a comprehensive and sufficient indicator of overall economic health
The argument assumes that unemployment rates alone fully capture the health of an economy, ignoring other economic indicators.
'Since the defendant cannot explain where he was that night, he must be guilty.' What assumption does this argument make?
Answer: Innocent people are always able to account fully for their whereabouts
The argument assumes that an innocent person would always have an explanation for their whereabouts, making inability to explain equivalent to evidence of guilt.
'More people are attending university today than 30 years ago, so educational standards must have risen.' What assumption is made?
Answer: Increased attendance necessarily indicates that educational standards have improved
The argument assumes that the quantity of people attending university is a reliable indicator of the quality of education being provided.
'The company's profits have doubled, so employees should receive bonuses.' What assumption underlies this argument?
Answer: Employees contributed directly and meaningfully to the profit increase
The argument assumes that employees were responsible for generating the profits and therefore have a legitimate claim to share in the gains.
'As temperatures rise globally, we are seeing more extreme weather events. Therefore, we must reduce carbon emissions immediately.' What key assumption is being made?
Answer: Carbon emissions are the primary cause of rising global temperatures
The argument assumes a causal chain in which carbon emissions drive temperature increases that in turn produce extreme weather events.
'The newspaper has published false information before, so nothing it publishes can be trusted.' What assumption underlies this argument?
Answer: A source that has been inaccurate on one occasion can never be considered reliable
The argument assumes that a single instance of error permanently and completely destroys a source's credibility.