Multiple choice

What is a necessary assumption in the argument above?

Directions: Answer the given question based on the following passage:

A recent report in an animal health magazine stated that the big breeds of domestic dogs suffer from an unusually high incidence of hip dysplasia, a disease in which the animal loses cartilage around the bones fitting into the hip joint, and which can result in arthritis and painful osteoporosis. The study also pointed out that wild wolves rarely, if ever, suffer from hip dysplasia. Hence, it is in the interest of dog lovers to replicate, as far as possible, the living conditions that the dogs would face in the wild.

  1. The uneven ground encountered in the wild, as against the smooth floors of human homes, help in regeneration of cartilage.

  2. The lifestyle of the wolves in the wild is the overriding factor behind their healthier bones and joints.

  3. Living in conditions replicating those found in the wild helps dogs to be as strong as wolves.

  4. Hunting for food helps the wolves stay limber and gives them stronger bones and joints.

  5. The small breeds of dogs do not get hip dysplasia because they get adequate exercise even in small urban homes.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

(1) Incorrect; the smoothness of the floors in human habitats, as against the wild terrain, would be just one of the factors contributing to the lifestyle of dogs and wolves. (2) Correct; if we negate this assumption, the conclusion of the argument is also negated. If the lifestyle of the wolves in the wild is not responsible for the low incidence of hip dysplasia in them, it would not make any sense to replicate the same living conditions for domesticated dogs. (3) Incorrect; the focus of the argument is not on making dogs stronger, but on making them less susceptible to hip dysplasia. (4) Incorrect; hunting for food would be only one of the components of the lifestyle of wolves in the wild. (5) Incorrect; the crux of the argument is on the comparison between large breeds of dogs and wolves.

Keep practicing — related questions