If only the people using a carpool and only small cars with

Question

If only the people using a carpool and only small cars with single passengers were allowed to use the roads that remain over crowded throughout the day, it would greatly reduce the congestion on these roads. This will also reduce the accident rates.
Which of the following has been assumed by the above passage?

A. Using small cars would be more convenient for people.
B. As yet, not many people use a carpool.
C. A reduction in traffic would lead to people driving at a higher speed.
D. All the roads remain overcrowded.
E. The roads are not built to cope with high traffic.

kraizada84 · Accepted Answer

Except B all other options are just irrelevant, Main idea is that congestion on roads is prevalent and for this to reduce pooling and small cars with single passengers has been recommended.

Only option B stands; negating it renders the conclusion invalid.
 
suppose, if the pooling is already prevalent in the area then the argument would not have mentioned pooling it would have only mentioned small vehicles. but argument mentions pooling as a factor and hence it is a part of assumption for the argument to stand.

Hope this helps..!!

Runner2 · Answer

Passage states that ... If  only  the people using a carpool and  only  small cars with single passengers were allowed... OA states that ...not many people use a carpool...

But IMO it  can be  that  many  people use a carpool, but  even greatest number of people use very large other cars , as according to passage congestion whould be reduced if  only  the people using a carpool and  only  small cars

khaadu · Answer

Even i have the similar conundrum...need clarification

Runner2 · Answer

why not E? 
if roads are over crowded and if to solve this we need small cars it assumes that roads are not built to cope with high traffic itself

naveenhv · Answer

I somehow don't get this argument and the accompanying answers. What is the source of this question? I feel E is the answer. Very strange question.

Sarang · Answer

Answer B is correct based on point of elimination.

kraizada84 · Answer

Negate E.
The roads are  not  built to cope with high traffic.

okay now the argument says for reducing congestion X and Y has to be done.
Nowhere in this agenda the statement that roads are built to cope with high traffic affects. The author doesnt care road may cope or not his agenda is pretty straight to reduce the congestion. both are different issues.

Negating E doesnt touches the argument hence is not correct.

Hope this helps..!!

sagarsir · Answer

This would rather be a strengthen question than assumption question. POE pioints to B. But even B need not be an assumptions as negating it does not destroy the conclusion. If many people did use a carpool, the author might argue that they did not use small cars. Both the conditions are necessary according to the author. Kudo me if u like

infotalk · Answer

I am very confused between B and E.

B) It says "many". Now what does many mean ? Does it mean most ? It refers to a number and we dont know what proportion is it among the people who go by car. If 5% cars which amount to 100,000 do carpooling, still it is many people are already carpooling but its not sufficient to remove congestion.

E) This assumption covers everything. "High Traffic". If there is high traffic, that can lead to congestion and it can also lead to more accidents. So, if the roads are not meant to cope with high traffic, that would be a reasonable assumption for the "congestion" problem and also the proposed solution of "carpooling"

Someone needs to clarify. Where are all the CR gurus

mvictor · Answer

agree with the above comments..the question is not very good for practice..

rsh12 · Answer

Negate the options.

a) Using small cars would not be convenient - Doesn't mean they won't be driving a small car.
b) Many people already use a carpool - Bingo. Then why is still there a congestion? It weakens the conclusion.
c) doesn't matter.
d) doesn't matter
e) they were not before.. they would be after. Doesn't change anything.

B.

vishwash · Answer

thanks for a lovely question i would say. i too had selected the wrong option.. however after seeing others explain with such clarity, i agree with the oa... good one dude... +1 kudo for you

Sm@gmat · Answer

If we negate B:
many People use carpool.Now the argument might still hold.As there may be other factor contributing to traffic congestion like large cars which do not use car pool.
If we negate E:
Roads are built to cope with heavy traffic. Now this does not help either.The argument assumes that the only way to reduce congestion is by car pooling or allowing small cars to ply on roads.So whether roads are built to cope with high traffic or not is not much relevant.
I believe that the real assumption is that "traffic congestion is caused by Big sized cars which do not use car pooling" .
But this assumption is not mentioned in the options.What say people?? :roll:

rulingbear · Answer

While I concur that this question may not be clear as it tries to trap with the additional inference- i.e that there would be less accident, it still a great assumption question. It helps to pre-think negatively in assumption question, i.e that car pooling hasn't been substantial enough to reduce congestion, hence why it's recommended by the author. In my opinion, this is a direct and classic assumption question.

rulingbear · Answer

Hi,

You are right to assume that the congestion is caused by largely by one person operated big cars and that this is not explicitly stated in the options. Yet, this is synonymous with option B, i.e that many people are not carpooling. You've got the answer!

Best,

talismaaniac · Answer

Even I choseE. Still not believe why B

Worst question ever ? Where did you get this one?

Posted from my mobile device

mukulvaidya · Answer

Not satisfied with B too. What if there are many guys having carpools but having large cars. The assumption should take care both the factors, which it hasn't. I went with option E just because implicitly it might lead to the cause

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Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using  GMAT Club Forum mobile app

mukulvaidya · Answer

After pondering over it for a minute more, I found that even option E doesn't make any relevance to the argument's stem. Can someone please confirm the authenticity of this question?

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darn · Answer

I personally feel that this is a horrible question

If only the people using a carpool and only small cars with

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