Question

Paper lice feed on microscopic spores of a certain fungus that grows primarily in damp areas; when these fungal spores are present on the pages of a book, the paper lice will also ingest the paper comprising the pages unless the paper is treated with insecticide. However, many rare and valuable books are too fragile to be treated with insecticide. Dehumidifying the environment to minimize dampness will allow rare books that cannot be treated with insecticide to be stored without risking damage from paper lice.

The argument depends on which of the following assumptions?
A. Paper lice can be prevented from entering an area that is being dehumidified.
B. Treating rare books with insecticide will cause more significant damage than that caused by paper lice.
C. After the fungus has been eliminated, fungal spores do not remain in any significant quantity.
D. It is possible to store rare books in a dry environment without causing the pages to become brittle and crack.
E. No other insects, aside from paper lice, typically feed on the paper used to create books.

Answer 1

The argument depends on the assumption that dehumidification will effectively eliminate or significantly reduce the presence of the fungus and its spores, thereby deterring paper lice without the need for harmful insecticides. The correct option of choice is C. After the fungus has been eliminated, fungal spores do not remain in any significant quantity.

Step-by-step explanation:

The argument put forth suggests that dehumidifying the environment where rare books are stored can prevent damage from paper lice without using insecticides, which may be harmful to fragile texts. The assumption upon which this argument rests is that by reducing dampness, the fungus and, subsequently, its spores on which the paper lice feed will be eliminated or significantly reduced, thereby creating an environment that is no longer conducive to paper lice infestation. Therefore, the underlying assumption is most aligned with option C: After the fungus has been eliminated, fungal spores do not remain in any significant quantity. This assumes that the dehumidification will be effective enough to remove the primary food source of the lice.