#5 - Gardener: The design of Japanese gardens should

[Administrator]

Complete Question Explanation

Assumption. The correct answer choice is (B)

This gardener’s statements begin with the fact that Japanese gardens should be designed in such
a way as to manifest harmony with nature. Based on this premise, and the fact that there is wide
variation in rocks found in nature, the gardener concludes that rocks chosen for Japanese gardens
should reflect similar variation. The argument breaks down as follows:

• Premise: Japanese gardens should be designed to reflect harmony with nature.
  Conclusion: Rocks used for Japanese rock gardens should vary as much as those found in
  nature.

Following the stimulus is an Assumption question, and in this case we should be looking for the
Supporter Assumption that nature-like rock variation equals harmony with nature.

Answer choice (A): The gardener’s argument does not require that every key value be embodied—
just the variation in rock type. Since the conclusion does not depend upon the assumption provided
by this answer choice, it can be ruled out. To confirm that this is not an assumption on which the
author’s argument relies, the Assumption Negation process can be used; if an argument depends on
a given assumption, the negated version of that assumption will hurt the author’s conclusion. In this
case, the negated version would be as follows:

• “The selection of rocks for a Japanese garden should NOT necessarily reflect every key value
  embodied in Japanese garden design.”

Since this negated version does not weaken the author’s conclusion (which is that the degree of
variation should be similar), this choice cannot be the correct answer choice to this Assumption
question.

Answer choice (B): This is the correct answer choice. As prephrased above, the gardener’s
conclusion depends upon the assumption that imitation of nature helps to achieve harmony with
nature.

To confirm this choice as the right answer, Assumption Negation can again be applied. The negated
version of this choice would be the following:

• “In selecting Japanese garden rocks, imitation of nature does NOT help to achieve harmony
  with nature.”

If this is the case, then the author’s conclusion falls apart, because there would be no reason to
imitate natural rock variation if such imitation does not actually achieve harmony with nature.

Since this negated version would refute the gardener’s conclusion, this confirms this choice to be the
correct answer.

Answer choice (C): This choice doesn’t even mention the imitation of nature’s rock variation that
is suggested by the gardener. Further, the gardener’s conclusion does not depend on variety being only criterion. To clarify, we can apply the Assumption Negation technique; in an Assumption
question such as this one, the negated version of the correct answer choice will weaken the argument
in the stimulus. The negated version of this choice would be as follows:

• “There could be other criteria for rock selection.”

Since this negated version does nothing to weaken the author’s argument, it confirms that this cannot
be the right answer.

Answer choice (D): The argument presented in the stimulus does not rely on the assumption that
expressing harmony with nature is the same as being natural. To confirm, we can negate this answer
choice to see whether the negated version weakens the author’s argument. The negated form would
be:

• “Expressing harmony with nature is not the same as being natural.”

Since this negated version has no effect on the gardener’s conclusion (which deals instead with rock
variety), this choice cannot provide the right answer.

Answer choice (E): This assumption is not required of the gardener’s argument; to confirm this fact,
take away, or negate, the assumption and consider whether doing so hurts the argument:

• “Not every component of a genuine Japanese garden is varied.”

Since this does not weaken the gardener’s conclusion that the rocks in a Japanese garden should be
varied, it cannot be an assumption that the gardener’s argument relies upon.