In Assumption questions, we
need to find the conclusion.
The conclusion is that,
by selling the helium, the government can not only pay off that debt but reduce its overall debt as well.It's a simple argument: by doing X, we can achieve Y.
Let's go through the options:
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A. The government has no current need for helium.
This is a common trap in Assumption questions. To avoid falling for this trap, we need to recall what the conclusion:
by selling the helium, the government can not only pay off that debt but reduce its overall debt as well. Whether the government has a need for helium is not a necessary assumption. A is out.
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B. Twenty-five percent of the debt the government has accumulated in Stockpiling helium is not an insignificant portion of the government’s Total debt.
We're looking for a necessary assumption, not a statement that may weaken the conclusion. Out.
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C. It is not in the lawmaker’s interest to advocate raising taxes as a Means of reducing government debt.
We're not concerned with lawmaker's interest here -- we want to find a necessary assumption on which the argument depends. C is out.
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D. Attempts to sell the government’s helium will not depress the market Price of helium by more than 25 percent.
Interesting. If attempts to sell the government’s helium
will depress the market Price of helium by more than 25 percent, then the government might not be able to pay off its debt by selling helium. D is a necessary assumption.
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E. The government will not incur any costs in closing its facilities for stockpiling helium.
Whether the government will incur any costs is not essential to the argument. E is out.
D is the answer.