Critical Reasoning Assumption Mock Tests

A technology company plans to switch all its employees to a four-day workweek without reducing pay, arguing that this will improve productivity. The company president cites a trial at a British retail company where employees maintained their output while working fewer hours. The president predicts that the company's overall revenue will increase because the cost savings from reduced office operations will outweigh the cost of paying employees for the same number of hours worked. The president's prediction depends on which of the following assumptions?

Every company that has adopted the new management software has seen an increase in employee productivity. Therefore, any company that wants to increase its employees' productivity should adopt the new management software. Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends?

TechCorp plans to eliminate all in-person meetings and operate entirely remotely. The CEO argues that since a recent survey showed 85% of employees prefer remote work, the company will see a 20% increase in productivity within the first year. The CEO's argument depends on which of the following assumptions?

The following argument was made at a city council meeting: "We should not raise the property tax rate, because doing so would punish hardworking homeowners who are already struggling with rising costs, and no policy should be adopted that punishes ordinary people." Which of the following identifies the underlying assumption in this argument?

A study of 5,000 employees found that those who reported high job satisfaction also reported higher levels of overall life satisfaction. Based on this correlation, a workplace wellness consultant concluded that improving employee job satisfaction would directly improve their overall life satisfaction. Which of the following is an assumption required by the consultant's conclusion?

The discovery of a previously unknown species of deep-sea squid, which possesses a transparent head and a bioluminescent lure, has challenged biologists' assumptions about the evolution of camouflage in marine predators. The transparent head was thought impossible in a species that relies on stealth to ambush prey, yet the squid's lure serves to distract potential prey rather than to attract the squid's attention. Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends? A) The transparent head is an evolutionary adaptation that evolved independently in this species. B) Biologists had never before observed any marine predator with a transparent body part. C) The bioluminescent lure is not itself visible to the prey species that the squid hunts. D) The squid relies solely on its lure and transparent head for capturing prey, with no other sensory organs involved.

Music therapists have found that patients recovering from stroke who listened to classical music for thirty minutes daily showed greater improvement in motor function than those who did not. Music therapy clinics therefore claim that listening to classical music accelerates stroke recovery. Which of the following is an assumption required by the clinics' argument?

A research team found that companies with diverse executive teams — defined by gender, ethnicity, and educational background — consistently outperform homogeneous teams in terms of revenue growth and innovation metrics. The consulting firm that conducted the study concluded that increasing diversity in executive leadership directly causes improved company performance. Which of the following is an assumption required by the consulting firm's conclusion?