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Joined: 20 Feb 2017
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Re: Although there is no record of poet Edmund Spenser's parentage, we do
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12 Feb 2022, 08:42
Step 1: Identify the Question
The word assumption in the question stem indicates that this is a Find the Assumption question.
Step 2: Deconstruct the Argument
No record ES parents, but he attended MT school
3 possible parents
Conclusion: ES paid less $, so dad was probably the least rich guy
This argument is basically a sleuth’s attempt to figure out who Edmund’s dad was. What is the author assuming when reaching this conclusion? First, he’s assuming that the journeyman member actually was the least affluent. Second, he’s assuming that the reduced fee Edmund paid was a result of some poverty, but that’s not necessarily true. What if, for example, one of the perks of being the Guild’s Warden was that you didn’t have to pay as much for your son to attend the school? The author is also assuming that one of these three is Edmund’s father; perhaps he was an orphan or his father had a different last name for some reason.
sleuth (noun) = someone whose job is to discover information about crimes and find out who is responsible for them
Step 3: Pause and State the Goal
On assumption questions, the goal is to find an answer that the author must believe to be true in drawing his conclusion.
Step 4: Work from Wrong to Right
(A) The argument revolves around the likely father of Edmund Spenser, not whether professional tailors were required to be members of the Guild.
(B) The author’s argument does not revolve around what Edmund eventually did for a living.
(C) The argument does not assume that the Guild Warden must also have been a gentleman, only that he was not the least affluent of the three potential fathers of Edmund.
(D) This choice goes too far. While the author is assuming that Edmund’s father was a member of the Guild, he does not have to assume that most members enrolled their children in the school.
(E) CORRECT. The author concludes that, because Edmund paid a reduced fee, his father is likely the least affluent. He is assuming that the more affluent members would not have paid reduced fees for their children.
79% (02:00) correct
