Bank depositors in the United States are all financially protected against bank failure because the government insures all individuals’ bank deposits．An economist argues that this insurance is partly responsible for the high rate of bank failures，since it removes from depositors any financial incentive to find out whether the bank that holds their money is secure against failure．If depositors were more selective，then banks would need to be secure in order to compete for depositors’ money．

45．The economist's argument makes which of the following assumptions?

(A)  Bank failures are caused when big borrowers default on loan repayments．

(B)  A significant proportion of depositors maintain accounts at several different banks．

(C)  The more a depositor has to deposit，the more careful he or she tends to be in selecting a bank.

(D)  The difference in the interest rates paid to depositors by different banks is not a significant factor in bank failures．

(E)  Potential depositors are able to determine which banks are secure against failure．

Argument Construction

Situation An economist contends that the high rate of bank failures can partly be blamed on federal insurance of bank deposits．The insurance removes any financial incentive for depositors to seek those banks that are the most secure against failure．In the absence of more selective depositors，the banks need not be secure to compete for deposits．

Reasoning What assumption underlies the economist’s argument? The economist argues that banks would have to be more secure in a competitive environment with more discriminating depositors. The economist encourages potential depositors to be more selective in choosing a bank and therefore must believe that they know what makes a bank secure against failure．Only with this knowledge could depositors choose the best bank．

A  This statement explains how a bank failure may occur, but it is not a necessary assumption for the economist’ s argument about how depositors choose a bank．

B  The argument never discusses multiple accounts，so this statement cannot be assumed．

C  The economist argues that depositors are not careful in selecting banks；this statement contradicts that position．at least for some depositors，so it cannot possibly be assumed．

D  In arguing about choosing banks，the economist mentions nothing about the relation of interest rates to bank failures，so this statement is not assumed．

E  Correct．This statement properly identifies the economist’ s underlying assumption that potential depositors are able to determine which banks are more secure．

The correct answer is E．

我觉得economist’s argument指的是 this insurance is partly responsible for the high rate of bank failures，但是OG却是依据最后一句If depositors were more selective，then banks would need to be secure in order to compete for depositors’ money．来分析的，我觉得很困惑啊。否则如果根据this insurance is partly responsible for the high rate of bank failures

就应该选D这个排除他因的选项。 有没有人给我指正下，不胜感激！

就应该选D这个排除他因的选项。 有没有人给我指正下，不胜感激！

我的理解是：

argument 应该是 premises + conclusion

premises = since it removes from depositors any financial incentive to find out whether the bank that holds their money is secure against failure．If depositors were more selective，then banks would need to be secure in order to compete for depositors’ money
conclusion = this insurance is partly responsible for the high rate of bank failures

解题思路是需要架桥：从 depositors more selective 到 find out whether the bank that holds their money is secure against failure

我也认为argument应该是包括后面所有的句子，不光是结论。

D所说的什么利率，是新元素，题目没有的。题目是问assumption，答案中不能出现新元素。

这道题意思应该是这样：经济学家并不赞成这种保险，因为他使得存款人对银行不加

选择，主要是银行就放心地把钱存进去。但这样做不利于银行的竞争。好的银行应该让存

款人放心的存款，不好的银行就逐步被淘汰，遵循适者生存的原则。经济学家所坚持的观

点，是通过竞争来体现一种区分度，这样银行才有所发展，但他的观点的一个前提是：存

款人有能力去区别哪家银行可以放心存入，哪家银行不让人放心。