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Twenty percent of all energy consumed in the country is consumed by home appliances. If appliances that are twice as energy-efficient as those currently available are manufactured, this figure will eventually be reduced to about ten percent. The argument above requires which of the following assumptions?

1. Home-appliance usage would not increase along with the energy efficiency of the appliances.
2. It would not be expensive to manufacture home appliances that are energy-efficient.
3. Home-appliance manufacturers now use technology to produce appliances that are as energy-efficient as those currently available.
4. The cost of energy to the consumer would rise with increases in the energy efficiency of home appliances.

Correct answer: Home-appliance usage would not increase along with the energy efficiency of the appliances.

Solution

The argument assumes that making appliances more efficient will reduce total energy consumed by appliances. If people simply use appliances more, the reduction may not happen. Therefore, the needed assumption is that appliance usage would not increase along with efficiency.

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