Bunuel
12 Days of Christmas 2024 - 2025 Competition with $40,000 of PrizesThe cobblestone streets in the old quarter of Castellonia provide urban planners and historians with an authentic representation of medieval street design. These streets have been preserved with minimal modern intervention, unlike many other historic city centers that have been updated or rebuilt.
Which of the following assumptions is the argument above making?
(A) The buildings surrounding the old quarter of Castellonia are largely from the same era as the cobblestone streets.
(B) There are no other city areas in Castellonia that have preserved their medieval street layouts.
(C) Many modern urban centers have street designs based on principles developed in medieval times.
(D) The cobblestone streets in Castellonia’s old quarter are more similar to their original medieval design than those in most other historic city centers.
(E) The techniques used to preserve streets in Castellonia have not changed significantly over the centuries.
To identify the assumption of the argument, we need to find a statement that must be true for the argument to hold. The argument is:
• The cobblestone streets in the old quarter of Castellonia provide an authentic representation of medieval street design because they have been preserved with minimal modern intervention.
• This is contrasted with other historic city centers that have been updated or rebuilt.
Analysis of the Answer Choices:
(A) The buildings surrounding the old quarter of Castellonia are largely from the same era as the cobblestone streets.
• The argument is focused on the streets, not the buildings. The authenticity of the streets does not depend on the era of the buildings.
• Incorrect.
(B) There are no other city areas in Castellonia that have preserved their medieval street layouts.
• The argument is about the uniqueness of Castellonia’s old quarter in comparison to “many other historic city centers,” not areas within Castellonia.
• Incorrect.
(C) Many modern urban centers have street designs based on principles developed in medieval times.
• The argument does not rely on this assumption; it compares Castellonia’s streets to other historic centers, not modern urban centers.
• Incorrect.
(D) The cobblestone streets in Castellonia’s old quarter are more similar to their original medieval design than those in most other historic city centers.
• The argument claims Castellonia provides an authentic representation due to minimal modern intervention. For this to be valid, Castellonia’s streets must be closer to their original design than the streets in other historic centers.
• Correct.
(E) The techniques used to preserve streets in Castellonia have not changed significantly over the centuries.
• The argument is about the outcome (authentic representation), not the preservation techniques used.
• Incorrect.
Correct Answer: (D)