How do you recognize an author’s assumption in a text?

• A. A belief the author states outright and proves with data.
• B. The author presents multiple charts to illustrate a point.
• C. The author presents a hypothesis that is directly tested in the text.
• D. A belief the author takes for granted but does not prove with evidence.

Answer: (D)

Recognizing an author's assumption means spotting a belief the argument relies on but does not prove with evidence within the text. Assumptions are the underlying ideas the conclusion rests on; they’re accepted as true without direct proof in the piece. For example, if an author argues that more funding improves outcomes and takes for granted that funding directly causes those improvements, without providing evidence for that link in the text, that belief is the assumption guiding the argument.

The correct choice captures that idea: a belief the author takes for granted but does not prove with evidence. The other scenarios describe things that are explicitly supported or tested with data or charts, which show stated evidence rather than hidden assumptions.