Steps:
- Identify the question type. Although not phrased in the typical Cambridge format (“What is the assumption in the argument…”) we can easily identify that it is asking for an assumption.
- Strategy Tool Kit for solving assumptions
- Find the conclusions
- Find the reasons
- Find the unwritten link that the conclusion relies on
- Discard and decide (use negation test if needed)
A Any differences between the amount of nicotine absorbed from smoking and the amount absorbed from nicotine patches and chewing gum can be disregarded:
The amount of nicotine could play a role in whether or not blow flow increases. If there is much more nicotine in patches than in cigarettes, then you cannot conclude that nicotine as a substance will always cause the rate of blood flow to increase because it would be dependent on the amount. Therefore A is incorrect.
B Carbon monoxide is not absorbed from nicotine patches and nicotine chewing gum:
We have already identified in the past that carbon monoxide is one of the causes of an increase in the rate of blood flow, so for us to make the conclusion that nicotine is the agent causing the rise in blood flow from patches and gum, we would have to make sure that there is nothing else that could be causing it (e.g. carbon monoxide). Therefore B is incorrect because we have to assume that nicotine is the only substance causing the increase in blood flow in the patches and gum for the argument to stand.
C Carbon monoxide would not produce a rise in the rate of blood flow in the absence of nicotine:
The author is saying that it was previously thought that it was ONLY the carbon monoxide which is causing this increase in blood flow, nothing else. Now, the author is stating that it is not only the carbon monoxide but the nicotine is also playing a role. This answer is stating that we now assume that carbon monoxide by itself who not produce a rise in blood flow, which is not true. We still are assuming that carbon monoxide alone produces a rise in blood flow, in addition to nicotine alone. Therefore C is the correct answer as we cannot assume this.
D The effect of nicotine on the body does not depend on the way in which it was absorbed:
This is an assumption we have to make because we are comparing two different ways to get nicotine into the body, and the author does not really address this. The two different methods could have different effects, and this is common in the drug world (ex. Smoking marijuana vs eating it). In our case, we are assuming that smoking and nicotine patches have the same effects when in reality they could be different. Therefore D is incorrect because it is an assumption.
E There is nothing else in nicotine patches and chewing gum which might cause an increase in the rate of blood flow:
This is another assumption made because if there was something else causing an increase in the rate of blood flow, it would mean that we cannot conclude that nicotine is responsible for the blood flow in smoking or any of the other methods mentioned, meaning that carbon monoxide could be the sole cause in smoking and not nicotine. Therefore E is incorrect.