The Amount of Violence in Films has Increased Significantly Over the Past 10 Years.

Question: The amount of violence in films has increased significantly over the past 10 years. To prevent our society from becoming more violent, Congress should pass a law limiting movie violence.

The argument above relies on which of the following assumptions?

1. Watching violence in films encourages real life violence.
2. Over the past 5 years, crime rates have risen.
3. The movie industry will do its best to prevent such legislation.
4. Every film made in the last 10 years includes violent scenes.
5. The number of sex scenes has also increased significantly over the past 10 years.

Answer: A
Explanation:

A GMAT Critical Reasoning section comprises some facts and statements. GMAT critical reasoning tests the reasoning, logical and analytical thinking abilities of the candidate. The candidate has to deduce the correct option by finding the logically correct argument or by eliminating the irrelevant arguments.

To solve this Assumption question, we will have to first break down the argument. The second sentence includes a recommendation (should) so it's the conclusion, and the first must be a premise.

Now let us check the options one by one:

1. Watching violence in films encourages real life violence. - We need to ask ourselves if the author believes limiting movie violence will prevent society from becoming more violent. However, we need to know the missing link between the premise (movie violence) and the conclusion (real life violence). What unfounded connection or assumption does the author make?
   We get the answer from this option. The author assumes that there is a very casual relation between film violence and actual real life violence. The author also says that watching violent films causes viewers and society to become violent. Hence, this is the assumption that author makes on which the argument relies.
2. Over the past 5 years, crime rates have risen. - The author states in the passage that the number of volient movies have increased in the past decade. We can assume that watching those movies encourages real life violence. However, this does not mean that the crime has increased due to the movies. We cannot assume that the crime has increased rather than casual violence. Hence, this is incorrect.
3. The movie industry will do its best to prevent such legislation. - As per the passage, the violence movies are increasing. This means that the movie industry has done nothing to decrease or prevent such legislation. Hence, this assumptiuon does not go with the conclusion. This is incorrect.
4. Every film made in the last 10 years includes violent scenes. - This answer choice presents a new premise. It states that all films made violent scenes which irrelevant and does not supports the conclusion. We are looking for is the assumption. Here the assumption is all movies were violent which is incorrect.
5. The number of sex scenes has also increased significantly over the past 10 years. - The passage talks about vioelent scenes and not sex scenes. Both are different and does not relate to each other. Hence, this is also incorrect.

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