Statement and Assumption Questions

 

Tips to keep in mind:

• These type of questions are a cake walk. Do not worry much. 
• Read like Sherlock Holmes (a metaphor for detective). Just like a detective, pay attention to every little detail leaving no space for a negative marking. 
• Statement given in the question is sole thing you have. Do not apply any of your logical reasoning into it as in never assume anything on your own. 
• Nothing can help you but practice. 

The questions of this type may vary as:

• Statement and Conclusion 
• Statement and Arguments 
• Statement and Assumptions 
• Statement and Course of action 
• Cause and Effect 

Let us try and explore Statement and Assumption as of now.

Statement and Assumption:

Assumption: 

An assumption is something which is assumed, supposed and taken for granted.
In easy words, when someone says something, he does not put everything forward. There is a lot which he leaves unsaid. That which he left unsaid is called assumption.
Assumption is said to be IMPLICIT (when valid) and EXPLICIT (when invalid).
Let us try and understand this with a few examples;

Ex 1: 

Statement: “According to me, you should get your child examined by a specialist doctor.”
Assumption: Specialist doctors are able to diagnose better than ordinary doctors.
Explanation: The assumption is implicit.
TIP: An advice is always an implicit assumption.

Ex 2: 

Statement: The government has directed all the degree colleges to declare results of all the examinations within a fortnight after the last date of examination.
Assumption: The college authorities may not be able to declare all the results within the stipulated time.
Explanation: The assumption is explicit.
TIP: When the assumption goes against the statement, it is explicit. 

Ex 3: 

Statement: Seats allocated for only Physically Disabled people.
Assumption: Only females who are physically disabled can occupy these seats.
Explanation: The assumption is explicit.
TIP: When the statement is generalized and assumption is specific, it is explicit. Similarly, if the statement is specific and the assumption is generalized, that is also explicit. 

Ex 4: 

Statement: The government has decided to run all commercial vehicles on biofuels in order to save the depleting fossil fuel reserves.
Assumption: Sufficient amount of biofuel can be produced in the country to run all commercial vehicles.
Explanation: The assumption is explicit.
TIP: The phrase “can be produced” talks about future and an assumption never ever talks about past or future. This makes our assumption here explicit. 

Ex 5: 

Statement: Banks should always check financial status before lending money to a client.
Assumption: Clients sometimes may not present the correct picture of their ability to repay loan amount to the bank.
Explanation: The assumption is explicit.
TIP: A negative assumption is always explicit. 

Statement & Assumption Reasoning Tricks and Rules

These are the few tips you need to keep in mind while solving “statement and assumption” type of verbal reasoning questions.
Here I am leaving you with a couple questions, hoping they will help you achieve desirable results. 

Question

Question 1. 

Statement: Let there be a signboard also indicating the directions and instructions.
Assumption: I. Signboard can be prepared without using any language.
II. Signboard is the only effective tool to indicate directions. 

ANS: Both the assumptions are explicit.

Question 2.

Statement: “Why are only high profile people considered to be adventurous? The villagers in India, who have no buses, walk barefoot for miles on dusty, untarred roads. Isn’t that more adventurous than rafting or gliding?”---View of a person
Assumption: I. It is a Herculean task to walk barefoot for miles on dusty untarred roads.
II. Rafting and gliding are considered adventurous by the people.
III. Walking barefoot for miles on dusty untarred roads is not considered adventurous by the people.
ANS: All I, II and III are implicit.

Question 3.

Statement: “If you did not have a mobile connection of MTNL, you will feel a jolt when you come to know about a unique, free incoming facility from 10 PM to 8AM, without any condition, for any network.”---X tells Y
Assumption: I. X knows about the facilities provided by other mobile services.
II. X wants Y to be a subscriber of MTNL mobile services.
III. People like free incoming facilities without any condition.
ANS: All I, II and III are implicit.

Question 4.

Statement: “Let us enter into a deal with company Y to come out of our financial crisis.”—Company X
Assumption: I. Company Y can bail company X out of its financial crisis.
II. Two companies can enter into a deal.
III. Company Y is financially sound.
ANS: All I, II and III are implicit.

Question 5.

Statement: The employees’ association has appealed to the Managers of Company ‘S’ to introduce written examination for clerical cadre recruitment to prevent selection of incompetent persons.
Assumption: I. So far the Company ‘S’ used to select candidates without conducting a written examination.
II. A written examination can help to identify competent persons.
III. At higher level, written examination may not be of much use.
ANS: Only I and II.