Supply the assumption explanation
Last updated: 13 Oct 2008
Now we will work through the example together.
New medical studies indicate that if the average employee improves his physical health, then his productivity also increases markedly. Company XYZ should therefore introduce mandatory exercise programs every morning in order to augment productivity.
The author assumes which of the following to be true?
- The mandatory exercise programs will be successful in improving the physical health of the employees at XYZ.
- Employees who take exercise programs at work are no more productive than are employees who take exercise programs outside of work.
- Employees who exercise sleep better than employees who do not do so do.
- Employees who exercise at work often complain of tiredness throughout the day.
- Employees often resist mandatory exercise programs, viewing them as intrusions on their privacy and on their labor rights.
We can see that this a supply the assumption question because it asks us which of the answers is assumed by the author, so we can apply our strategy to this question.
The correct answer choice must fill the gap in the logic, and also support the conclusion.
Identify the premises of the argument
First we must identify the premise(s), and then the conclusion. The first premise in the text says that 1) improved physicality leads to 2) (the second premise) increased productivity.
Identify the conclusion of the argument
The conclusion states that therefore 1) the exercise program will lead to 2) increased productivity.
Identify the gap in the argument
There is a gap in the logic here. To correct this gap in the argument, we must say that 1) exercise program leads to 2) improved physicality which leads to 3) increased productivity.
What is the new element in the conclusion?
The part about the exercise program. So we must establish the link between the exercise program and the improved physicality.
Process of elimination
We can also make eliminations.
B says that employees who take exercise programs at work are no more productive than those who take them at work, which actually weakens the main idea and therefore is not a good assumption.
Whether employees who exercise or not get more sleep has little bearing on whether the plan will work, so C is not a good answer.
D states that employees who exercise at work often complain of tiredness throughout the day, which does not support the conclusion and thus should be eliminated.
E says that employees often resist such programs, which also does not support the argument and can be discarded.
Choose an answer
A, the answer, fills the gap in the logic nicely by stating that the mandatory exercise programs will be successful in improving the physical health of the employees at XYZ.
It also supports and strengthens the conclusion, which is another requirement of the assumption.
Additionally, it introduces the new element in the conclusion, the mandatory exercise program.
Therefore, for all these reasons, A is the best answer.
