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Difficulty: Very hardStatement and Assumptions

Statement: The National Highway Authority (NHA) has decided to double the toll tax for all commercial freight vehicles operating on the Northern Expressway during peak daytime hours (8 AM to 8 PM), while simultaneously offering a 30% discount on the standard toll for the same vehicles traveling between midnight and 6 AM.

Assumption I: A significant proportion of commercial freight operators possess the logistical flexibility to reschedule their transit operations from daytime to nighttime hours.
Assumption II: The traffic congestion currently experienced on the Northern Expressway during peak daytime hours is predominantly caused by commercial freight vehicles rather than private passenger cars.

Based on the statement provided, which of the given assumptions is/are logically implicit?

  1. A
    Only assumption II is implicit
  2. B
    Both assumptions I and II are implicit
  3. C
    Neither assumption I nor II is implicit
  4. Only assumption I is implicitAnswer
  5. E
    Either assumption I or II is implicit

Answer

Only assumption I is logically implicit.
The correct answer is that only the first assumption is implicit. The NHA's policy of differential toll pricing is fundamentally a behavioral incentive designed to shift traffic to off-peak hours. For the author of the statement to believe this policy will succeed, they must inherently assume that the target demographic (freight operators) has the capability to actually alter their transit schedules. Without this flexibility, the incentive structure collapses. The second assumption is not implicit because it relies on the extreme qualifier 'predominantly'. While the NHA is targeting freight vehicles to ease congestion, the statement's logic remains perfectly intact even if freight only causes a minority fraction of the total traffic.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the core objective and mechanism of the given policy statement.
The NHA's policy utilizes differential pricing (taxing daytime travel, subsidizing nighttime travel) specifically to encourage commercial freight vehicles to shift their operating hours.
Identifying the functional intent of the statement is the first step in uncovering its foundational unstated premises.
2
Evaluate Assumption I for implicit necessity.
For a behavioral incentive like differential pricing to work, the target group must have the ability to change their behavior. If freight operators lacked the logistical flexibility to switch to night travel, the policy would fail to shift traffic. Therefore, the author of the policy must assume this flexibility exists.
An assumption must be logically mandatory for the statement's objective to remain viable.
3
Evaluate Assumption II for implicit necessity.
The statement aims to reduce congestion by targeting freight vehicles. However, it is not logically required that freight vehicles are the 'predominant' (majority) cause of the congestion. Reducing even a 20% contributor can significantly alleviate traffic.
The presence of extreme language ('predominantly') transforms a plausible related thought into an invalid assumption.

Key Concept

Identifying mandatory unstated premises versus extreme logical inferences.
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Topics

Statement and Assumptions

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