Last visit was: 19 Nov 2025, 03:46 It is currently 19 Nov 2025, 03:46
Home
GMAT
Messages
Tests
Schools
Events
Rewards
Chat
My Profile
Close
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Go to My Error Log Learn more
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel
Back to Forum
Create Topic
   1   2   3   4   5   6   7 
655-705 Level|   Assumption|         
User avatar
Milkyway_28
User avatar
Joined: 23 May 2024
Last visit: 19 Apr 2025
Posts: 50
Own Kudos:
56
 [1]
Given Kudos: 71
Location: Kazakhstan
Posts: 50
Kudos: 56
 [1]
GMAT Club Olympics 2024 (Day 2): To improve air quality, the city 10 Jul 2024, 07:26
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
It is important to understand what is meant by "an assumption on which the environmental officer's claim depends". An assumption is defined as the unspoken part of an argument that must be true in order for the argument to hold up. In this question, only one such statement does that and that is (B), "The number of diesel vehicles currently used within the city will not increase from its current level." This is for the very simple reason that the entire argument for improving air quality and reucing the level of air pollution in a city, made by the environmental officer, rests on the premise that reducing the use of diesel vehicles will reduce the level of air pollution and thus improve the air quality. Therefore, in order for this statement to claim to hold, there must be a decrease in the number of diesel vehicles used, it is simply not enough for the air pollution to decrease from other methods. Therefore answer is B
Bunuel
­To improve air quality, the city council of a metropolitan area is considering imposing a heavy fine on the use of diesel vehicles within city limits. The city's environmental officer claims that this fine will significantly reduce the level of air pollution in the city within one year.

Which of the following is an assumption on which the environmental officer's claim depends?

(A) The funding allocated to air quality monitoring in the city will not decrease from its current level.
(B) The number of diesel vehicles currently used within the city will not increase from its current level.
(C) The amount of industrial pollution in the city will not increase from its current level.
(D) The number of vehicles entering the city from nearby areas will not significantly increase over the next year.
(E) The overall traffic volume in the city will not increase from its current level.



­
 


This question was provided by GMAT Club
for the GMAT Club Olympics Competition

Win over $30,000 in prizes such as Courses, Tests, Private Tutoring, and more

 

­
Show more
­
User avatar
Suboopc
User avatar
Joined: 14 Mar 2023
Last visit: 02 Jul 2025
Posts: 82
Own Kudos:
138
 [1]
Given Kudos: 5
Posts: 82
Kudos: 138
 [1]
GMAT Club Olympics 2024 (Day 2): To improve air quality, the city 10 Jul 2024, 08:36
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Bunuel

Bunuel
­To improve air quality, the city council of a metropolitan area is considering imposing a heavy fine on the use of diesel vehicles within city limits. The city's environmental officer claims that this fine will significantly reduce the level of air pollution in the city within one year.

Which of the following is an assumption on which the environmental officer's claim depends?

(A) The funding allocated to air quality monitoring in the city will not decrease from its current level.
(B) The number of diesel vehicles currently used within the city will not increase from its current level.
(C) The amount of industrial pollution in the city will not increase from its current level.
(D) The number of vehicles entering the city from nearby areas will not significantly increase over the next year.
(E) The overall traffic volume in the city will not increase from its current level.



­
 


This question was provided by GMAT Club
for the GMAT Club Olympics Competition

Win over $30,000 in prizes such as Courses, Tests, Private Tutoring, and more

 

­
­

GMAT Club Official Explanation:



Correct Answer: B. The number of diesel vehicles currently used within the city will not increase from its current level.

For the plan to work, the number of diesel vehicles within the city has to decline, significantly decline and the city council expects the fine will do exactly just that. The correct answer will basically say that the fine proposal will hold/work. This choice is that one assumption that for environmental officer needs for their claim to hold - that the number of diesel vehicles will not increase.  Otherwise, if the number of diesel vehicles were to increase, it would offset the intended effects of the fine, and not reduce the polution. Note that this may not be the most comfy answer that makes you fuzzy such as "The environmental officer assumes that the fine plan works" but this is the best answer and for a hard question, esp if you consider the alternatives. 

A. The funding allocated to air quality monitoring in the city will not decrease from its current level.

We do not care about funding allocated to air quality. This is irrelevant. This choice does not make a difference when it comes to the reduction in air pollution and diesel vehicles, which is our focus. We are not sure how air quality is monitored or how it is funded so we cannot even evaluate this answer choice.  Eliminate.

C. The amount of industrial pollution in the city will not increase from its current level.

The officer's claim specifically talks about reducing pollution through the control of diesel vehicles, not industrial emissions. Irrelevant. Nobody is assuming this. We are only concerned with diesel vehicles and polution reduction from these specific vehicles within teh specific geography. Eliminate.

D. The number of vehicles entering the city from nearby areas will not significantly increase over the next year.

This is a trap answer. It is a weaker version of the correct answer choice with a fatal flaw. First problem with this choice is that it does not talk about diesel vehicles specifically. It talks about All vehicles. We are not concrned with all but only the diesel vehicle polution. With this choice, we do not know how many diesel vehicles would be entering from nearby areas so we can’t evaluate the impact of this answer choice. Second problem is that this answer is that it is a much weaker/limited version of B. B says - diesel vehicles form all sources will not increase. This choice says vehicles from one source (nearby areas) will not increase. What if there is a diesel truck stop for far-away vehicles built in the city? It would not cover that situation.  Eliminate for 2 reasons.

E. The overall traffic volume in the city will not increase from its current level.

The argument is about the impact of fining diesel vehicles, not managing overall traffic volume. This answer choice is too broad - we again are not concerned with traffic or any other vehicles except diesel, and this answer choice does not address diesel vehicles. Eliminate.
­
Show more
­Option C's explanation is not exactly clear. The claim is regarding the level of air pollution in the city. Never does it allude that this level of air pollution refers to the one caused by diesel vehicles.
With such clear wording, it would be incorrect to assume that the claim only refers to air pollution by diesel vehicles.
Not saying that Option B is incorrect but Option C is not wrong either.
User avatar
bb
User avatar
Founder
Joined: 04 Dec 2002
Last visit: 18 Nov 2025
Posts: 42,384
Own Kudos:
82,113
Given Kudos: 24,107
Location: United States
GMAT 1: 750 Q49 V42
GPA: 3
Products:
GMAT Club Tests Forum Quiz
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
GMAT 1: 750 Q49 V42
Posts: 42,384
Kudos: 82,113
GMAT Club Olympics 2024 (Day 2): To improve air quality, the city 10 Jul 2024, 08:47
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
You are right.
I have not considered this scenario when checking the answer. The argument is about cars but you are absolutely correct that the question states pollution without specifying, making this an acceptable option.

we need to clarify in the stem that it is vehicle-borne pollution or smth like that.

PS. I will give kudos to C answers as well as it is a plausible option.


Suboopc
Bunuel

Bunuel
­To improve air quality, the city council of a metropolitan area is considering imposing a heavy fine on the use of diesel vehicles within city limits. The city's environmental officer claims that this fine will significantly reduce the level of air pollution in the city within one year.

Which of the following is an assumption on which the environmental officer's claim depends?

(A) The funding allocated to air quality monitoring in the city will not decrease from its current level.
(B) The number of diesel vehicles currently used within the city will not increase from its current level.
(C) The amount of industrial pollution in the city will not increase from its current level.
(D) The number of vehicles entering the city from nearby areas will not significantly increase over the next year.
(E) The overall traffic volume in the city will not increase from its current level.



­
 


This question was provided by GMAT Club
for the GMAT Club Olympics Competition

Win over $30,000 in prizes such as Courses, Tests, Private Tutoring, and more

 

­
­

GMAT Club Official Explanation:



Correct Answer: B. The number of diesel vehicles currently used within the city will not increase from its current level.

For the plan to work, the number of diesel vehicles within the city has to decline, significantly decline and the city council expects the fine will do exactly just that. The correct answer will basically say that the fine proposal will hold/work. This choice is that one assumption that for environmental officer needs for their claim to hold - that the number of diesel vehicles will not increase.  Otherwise, if the number of diesel vehicles were to increase, it would offset the intended effects of the fine, and not reduce the polution. Note that this may not be the most comfy answer that makes you fuzzy such as "The environmental officer assumes that the fine plan works" but this is the best answer and for a hard question, esp if you consider the alternatives. 

A. The funding allocated to air quality monitoring in the city will not decrease from its current level.

We do not care about funding allocated to air quality. This is irrelevant. This choice does not make a difference when it comes to the reduction in air pollution and diesel vehicles, which is our focus. We are not sure how air quality is monitored or how it is funded so we cannot even evaluate this answer choice.  Eliminate.

C. The amount of industrial pollution in the city will not increase from its current level.

The officer's claim specifically talks about reducing pollution through the control of diesel vehicles, not industrial emissions. Irrelevant. Nobody is assuming this. We are only concerned with diesel vehicles and polution reduction from these specific vehicles within teh specific geography. Eliminate.

D. The number of vehicles entering the city from nearby areas will not significantly increase over the next year.

This is a trap answer. It is a weaker version of the correct answer choice with a fatal flaw. First problem with this choice is that it does not talk about diesel vehicles specifically. It talks about All vehicles. We are not concrned with all but only the diesel vehicle polution. With this choice, we do not know how many diesel vehicles would be entering from nearby areas so we can’t evaluate the impact of this answer choice. Second problem is that this answer is that it is a much weaker/limited version of B. B says - diesel vehicles form all sources will not increase. This choice says vehicles from one source (nearby areas) will not increase. What if there is a diesel truck stop for far-away vehicles built in the city? It would not cover that situation.  Eliminate for 2 reasons.

E. The overall traffic volume in the city will not increase from its current level.

The argument is about the impact of fining diesel vehicles, not managing overall traffic volume. This answer choice is too broad - we again are not concerned with traffic or any other vehicles except diesel, and this answer choice does not address diesel vehicles. Eliminate.
­
­Option C's explanation is not exactly clear. The claim is regarding the level of air pollution in the city. Never does it allude that this level of air pollution refers to the one caused by diesel vehicles.
With such clear wording, it would be incorrect to assume that the claim only refers to air pollution by diesel vehicles.
Not saying that Option B is incorrect but Option C is not wrong either.
Show more

Posted from my mobile device
User avatar
bb
User avatar
Founder
Joined: 04 Dec 2002
Last visit: 18 Nov 2025
Posts: 42,384
Own Kudos:
82,113
Given Kudos: 24,107
Location: United States
GMAT 1: 750 Q49 V42
GPA: 3
Products:
GMAT Club Tests Forum Quiz
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
GMAT 1: 750 Q49 V42
Posts: 42,384
Kudos: 82,113
GMAT Club Olympics 2024 (Day 2): To improve air quality, the city 10 Jul 2024, 08:56
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
As there was a flaw in the answers of this question, and it seems multiple could have been correct in the current version, I have given Kudos to all answers for the question since it was incorrect and had multiple answers. 

The points for the latest Kudos will get updated in the next 1 hour.
Also, the original question has been modified for anyone in the future looking it up to contain diesel vehicle restriction which was not present in the question in the past. Just in case so you do not think you are crazy. 

Thank you for your valuable input Suboopc!­
User avatar
DUMDUM21
User avatar
Joined: 12 Jan 2020
Last visit: 16 Jun 2025
Posts: 22
Own Kudos:
1
Given Kudos: 19
Location: India
Concentration: Finance, Economics
Schools: Tepper '27 Anderson '27 Stern '27 ISB '27 Goizueta '27 Imperial Jones '27 Yale '27
GPA: 3.6
WE:Consulting (Consulting)
Products:
My Reviews
Schools: Tepper '27 Anderson '27 Stern '27 ISB '27 Goizueta '27 Imperial Jones '27 Yale '27
Posts: 22
Kudos: 1
GMAT Club Olympics 2024 (Day 2): To improve air quality, the city 10 Jul 2024, 09:02
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
I think C is the right answer because if you negate it then it will falsify the claim of reducing air pollution within one year.­
User avatar
SirSanguine
User avatar
Joined: 08 Jun 2022
Last visit: 13 May 2025
Posts: 79
Own Kudos:
38
Given Kudos: 79
Location: India
Concentration: Leadership, Strategy
Schools: INSEAD MiM "26 ISB '27 LBS '26 Said '27 Bocconi IESE '27 HEC Tuck
GMAT Focus 1: 675 Q90 V81 DI84
GPA: 4
WE:General Management (Education)
Products:
My Reviews
Schools: INSEAD MiM "26 ISB '27 LBS '26 Said '27 Bocconi IESE '27 HEC Tuck
GMAT Focus 1: 675 Q90 V81 DI84
Posts: 79
Kudos: 38
GMAT Club Olympics 2024 (Day 2): To improve air quality, the city 10 Jul 2024, 22:46
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Bunuel

Bunuel
­To improve air quality, the city council of a metropolitan area is considering imposing a heavy fine on the use of diesel vehicles within city limits. The city's environmental officer claims that this fine will significantly reduce the level of air pollution in the city within one year.

Which of the following is an assumption on which the environmental officer's claim depends?

(A) The funding allocated to air quality monitoring in the city will not decrease from its current level.
(B) The number of diesel vehicles currently used within the city will not increase from its current level.
(C) The amount of industrial pollution in the city will not increase from its current level.
(D) The number of vehicles entering the city from nearby areas will not significantly increase over the next year.
(E) The overall traffic volume in the city will not increase from its current level.



­
 


This question was provided by GMAT Club
for the GMAT Club Olympics Competition

Win over $30,000 in prizes such as Courses, Tests, Private Tutoring, and more

 

­
­

GMAT Club Official Explanation:



Correct Answer: B. The number of diesel vehicles currently used within the city will not increase from its current level.

For the plan to work, the number of diesel vehicles within the city has to decline, significantly decline and the city council expects the fine will do exactly just that. The correct answer will basically say that the fine proposal will hold/work. This choice is that one assumption that for environmental officer needs for their claim to hold - that the number of diesel vehicles will not increase.  Otherwise, if the number of diesel vehicles were to increase, it would offset the intended effects of the fine, and not reduce the polution. Note that this may not be the most comfy answer that makes you fuzzy such as "The environmental officer assumes that the fine plan works" but this is the best answer and for a hard question, esp if you consider the alternatives. 

A. The funding allocated to air quality monitoring in the city will not decrease from its current level.

We do not care about funding allocated to air quality. This is irrelevant. This choice does not make a difference when it comes to the reduction in air pollution and diesel vehicles, which is our focus. We are not sure how air quality is monitored or how it is funded so we cannot even evaluate this answer choice.  Eliminate.

C. The amount of industrial pollution in the city will not increase from its current level.

The officer's claim specifically talks about reducing pollution through the control of diesel vehicles, not industrial emissions. Irrelevant. Nobody is assuming this. We are only concerned with diesel vehicles and polution reduction from these specific vehicles within teh specific geography. Eliminate.

D. The number of vehicles entering the city from nearby areas will not significantly increase over the next year.

This is a trap answer. It is a weaker version of the correct answer choice with a fatal flaw. First problem with this choice is that it does not talk about diesel vehicles specifically. It talks about All vehicles. We are not concrned with all but only the diesel vehicle polution. With this choice, we do not know how many diesel vehicles would be entering from nearby areas so we can’t evaluate the impact of this answer choice. Second problem is that this answer is that it is a much weaker/limited version of B. B says - diesel vehicles form all sources will not increase. This choice says vehicles from one source (nearby areas) will not increase. What if there is a diesel truck stop for far-away vehicles built in the city? It would not cover that situation.  Eliminate for 2 reasons.

E. The overall traffic volume in the city will not increase from its current level.

The argument is about the impact of fining diesel vehicles, not managing overall traffic volume. This answer choice is too broad - we again are not concerned with traffic or any other vehicles except diesel, and this answer choice does not address diesel vehicles. Eliminate.
­
Show more
­Hi Bunuel ,

I would like to disagree with your explanation for c. as the statemnt made by officer is conclusion , precisely about pollution in general and not just from deisel vehicles. "that this fine will significantly reduce the level of air pollution in the city within one year", So if the pollution increses via some other ways his claim is defeated whilst fine being effective. Please help.
User avatar
bb
User avatar
Founder
Joined: 04 Dec 2002
Last visit: 18 Nov 2025
Posts: 42,384
Own Kudos:
82,113
Given Kudos: 24,107
Location: United States
GMAT 1: 750 Q49 V42
GPA: 3
Products:
GMAT Club Tests Forum Quiz
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
GMAT 1: 750 Q49 V42
Posts: 42,384
Kudos: 82,113
GMAT Club Olympics 2024 (Day 2): To improve air quality, the city 11 Jul 2024, 06:37
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Thank you!
You are correct! Please see this post: https://gmatclub.com/forum/gmat-club-ol ... l#p3422667

SirSanguine
Bunuel

Bunuel
­To improve air quality, the city council of a metropolitan area is considering imposing a heavy fine on the use of diesel vehicles within city limits. The city's environmental officer claims that this fine will significantly reduce the level of air pollution in the city within one year.

Which of the following is an assumption on which the environmental officer's claim depends?

(A) The funding allocated to air quality monitoring in the city will not decrease from its current level.
(B) The number of diesel vehicles currently used within the city will not increase from its current level.
(C) The amount of industrial pollution in the city will not increase from its current level.
(D) The number of vehicles entering the city from nearby areas will not significantly increase over the next year.
(E) The overall traffic volume in the city will not increase from its current level.



­
 


This question was provided by GMAT Club
for the GMAT Club Olympics Competition

Win over $30,000 in prizes such as Courses, Tests, Private Tutoring, and more

 

­
­

GMAT Club Official Explanation:



Correct Answer: B. The number of diesel vehicles currently used within the city will not increase from its current level.

For the plan to work, the number of diesel vehicles within the city has to decline, significantly decline and the city council expects the fine will do exactly just that. The correct answer will basically say that the fine proposal will hold/work. This choice is that one assumption that for environmental officer needs for their claim to hold - that the number of diesel vehicles will not increase.  Otherwise, if the number of diesel vehicles were to increase, it would offset the intended effects of the fine, and not reduce the polution. Note that this may not be the most comfy answer that makes you fuzzy such as "The environmental officer assumes that the fine plan works" but this is the best answer and for a hard question, esp if you consider the alternatives. 

A. The funding allocated to air quality monitoring in the city will not decrease from its current level.

We do not care about funding allocated to air quality. This is irrelevant. This choice does not make a difference when it comes to the reduction in air pollution and diesel vehicles, which is our focus. We are not sure how air quality is monitored or how it is funded so we cannot even evaluate this answer choice.  Eliminate.

C. The amount of industrial pollution in the city will not increase from its current level.

The officer's claim specifically talks about reducing pollution through the control of diesel vehicles, not industrial emissions. Irrelevant. Nobody is assuming this. We are only concerned with diesel vehicles and polution reduction from these specific vehicles within teh specific geography. Eliminate.

D. The number of vehicles entering the city from nearby areas will not significantly increase over the next year.

This is a trap answer. It is a weaker version of the correct answer choice with a fatal flaw. First problem with this choice is that it does not talk about diesel vehicles specifically. It talks about All vehicles. We are not concrned with all but only the diesel vehicle polution. With this choice, we do not know how many diesel vehicles would be entering from nearby areas so we can’t evaluate the impact of this answer choice. Second problem is that this answer is that it is a much weaker/limited version of B. B says - diesel vehicles form all sources will not increase. This choice says vehicles from one source (nearby areas) will not increase. What if there is a diesel truck stop for far-away vehicles built in the city? It would not cover that situation.  Eliminate for 2 reasons.

E. The overall traffic volume in the city will not increase from its current level.

The argument is about the impact of fining diesel vehicles, not managing overall traffic volume. This answer choice is too broad - we again are not concerned with traffic or any other vehicles except diesel, and this answer choice does not address diesel vehicles. Eliminate.
­
­Hi Bunuel ,

I would like to disagree with your explanation for c. as the statemnt made by officer is conclusion , precisely about pollution in general and not just from deisel vehicles. "that this fine will significantly reduce the level of air pollution in the city within one year", So if the pollution increses via some other ways his claim is defeated whilst fine being effective. Please help.
Show more

Posted from my mobile device
User avatar
VerbalBot
User avatar
Non-Human User
Joined: 01 Oct 2013
Last visit: 04 Jan 2021
Posts: 18,832
Own Kudos:
986
Posts: 18,832
Kudos: 986
GMAT Club Olympics 2024 (Day 2): To improve air quality, the city 17 Jul 2025, 22:37
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Hello from the GMAT Club VerbalBot!

Thanks to another GMAT Club member, I have just discovered this valuable topic, yet it had no discussion for over a year. I am now bumping it up - doing my job. I think you may find it valuable (esp those replies with Kudos).

Want to see all other topics I dig out? Follow me (click follow button on profile). You will receive a summary of all topics I bump in your profile area as well as via email.
   1   2   3   4   5   6   7 
Moderators:
GMATNinja
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
7445 posts
GMATNinjaTwo
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
234 posts
miag
188 posts