Assumptions | Logical Reasoning for Judiciary Exam - Judiciary Exams PDF Download

Introduction

• The statements and assumptions question are the crucial part of reasoning section for CLAT examination. The questions from statements and assumptions feature regularly in exams. They are variant of verbal reasoning questions asked to check the efficiency of decision making skill of aspirants.
• In this questions statement is given in the question and it is followed by two or more assumptions. For the correct answer, the student needs to access the given statement and decide which of the given assumption is implicit to the statement in the question above. To solve the questions you need to follow a pattern and thus it becomes essential to know what statement and assumptions stand for.
• We use statements daily in the form of communication. It is a very integral part of our speech whenever we speak with others. But in term of communication, most of the ideas are  conveyed in the speech and thus remain unuttered. So to find a way to utter these ideas we use implications. These implications are indirectly used in our statements.
• An assumption is something that can be supposed by the implied meaning of the given statement. Imply means “to suggest or Express indirectly”. Often people do not speak what is in their mind or what they think in in totality, but we can infer  or assume what must have been in their Mind from the statement made by them. For example when somebody says an honest officer has come to the city, and so crime will be checked then the assumption you make is that if officer is honest, he could put a check on crime.
• Thus, when we say something we do not Express everything, every aspect of our ideas into words. We tend to leave many things are Idea and said, which may be defined as an assumption. If it is that part of an argument on the basis of which we say something. Now, we can say that there is a option is the part of an argument which is not expressed or said explicitly as it is assumed or understood intrinsically.

Argument

A number of propositions which leads towards the conclusion. For the t to be valid the propositions on the basis of which the conclusion is arrived at must be true. In logic, we check the validity of the argument on the basis of the rationale on which the conclusion is arrived at.

Reasoning is concerned with the formation of right conclusion based on the propositions (information). Therefore if the propositions are false, the conclusions cannot be correct.

An assumption is something that is assumed, supposed and taken for granted. When somebody says something he does not put every thing, every aspect of his idea into words. There is a lot which he leaves unsaid. That which he leaves unsaid, that which he takes for granted, may be defined as an assumption.

• Assumptions is the missing link of the logical structure of an argument. It is left unsaid and therefore, assumed.
• There are some standard categories of statements that have standard ways of assuming some things.
• In judging the validity of a given assumption, special case should be taken of some keywords. 

Some Tips for Quick Answers

(i) No either

• An argument may have more than one assumption. But they are almost never exclusive of each other. It implies that if both assumptions look true to you, choose the choice “both are implicit” and not “either of them is implicit.” The answer-choice “either of them is implicit” is very rarely correct for assumption question. You can take this as a thumb-rule.

(ii) Eliminate with the help of the certain

• Usually we are unsure of only one or two of the assumptions and we are sure of some other assumptions. We can with the help of these sure ones to eliminate some choices. For examples, suppose that a question has three assumptions – I, II and III. When you read these suggested assumptions you may find that you are certain that I is an assumption and that III is not an assumption, but you are not sure about II. So you can look for those choices that include I and exclude III. This will reduce your number of answer choices from 5 to 2 or maybe 1.

(iii) Remember some examples

• Many of the questions form a usual standard pattern. In such cases it helps to keep a similar example at the back of your mind.

Questions

1. Statement: The advisable age for a child to join a school is 5 years.
Assumptions:
I: At this age, the child is familiar to adaptability
II: After this age, kids do not like to go to school
III: Schools do not take admission of children who are more than 5 years old
(a) Only Assumption I follows
(b) Both Assumptions I & III follow
(c) Assumption I, II & III follow
(d) Only Assumption II follows
(e) None of the Above
Ans: a
Explanation: In the given statement it is mentioned that 5 years is an advisable age for kids to join the school. The only sensible assumption which proves the statement to be true is that chances of kids getting more adaptable to the school at this young age are very high.

2. Statement: Food poisoning due to the consumption of liquor is very common in rural areas
Assumptions:
I: There are more illegal and unauthorised shops selling liquor in villages and rural areas
II: The ratio of people drinking liquor in villages is much more than that in towns
(a) Both Assumption I and II follow
(b) Neither Assumption I nor Assumption II follows
(c) Only Assumption I follows
(d) Assumption II follows but Assumption I does not follow
(e) Either Assumption I or Assumption II follows
Ans: c
Explanation: The statement is talking about food poisoning due to liquor so the number of people consuming liquor in towns or villages is not the main concern here. Which is why the only assumption I follow.

3. Statement: Divya was advised by the Doctor that she should not take part in the dance competition
Assumptions:
I: The Doctor did not want Divya to take part in the competition because he was afraid that she might lose
II: Divya had major surgery because of her injury
III: Divya did not have the money to go for the auditions
(a) All Assumption I, II & III follow
(b) Only Assumption I follows
(c) Assumption II follows but Assumption I and III do not follow
(d) None of the three assumptions follow
(e) Only Assumption III follows
Ans: c
Explanation: Based on the statement given, the Doctor would only advice a patient to not do certain things if they are unwell, in this case surgery. Which is the only suitable assumption why the doctor would advise Divya to not take part in the dance competition.

4. Statement 1: The school has decided to cancel the summer camp this year
Assumptions:
I: No entries have been received by the Institution for students willing to join the summer camp 
II: It is being cancelled because the weather is too hot Only
(a) Assumption I follows
(b) Only Assumption II follows
(c) Neither Assumption I nor Assumption II follows
(d) Either Assumption I or Assumption II follows
(e) Both Assumption I and Assumption II follow
Ans: a
Explanation: Because the school was not receiving any student entries for participation in the summer camp, that is why it was cancelled. The second option is not implicit because the camp is being conducted in summers, so the weather is expected to be hot.