Adoption agency representative: it is true that eight of our last ten babies have been placed with parents who were personally acquainted with at least one of our staff members before initiating the adoption process. however, there is no truth to the accusation against us of favoritism; our decisions have been guided solely by the best interests of the children. indeed, all ten babies' new parents far surpassed the adoption criteria set both by the law and by our own policy.

which of the following is an assumption on which the representative's argument depends?

(a) the agency's prior placements of babies with parents who were previously acquainted with its staff have not, in general, been more successful than those with parents unacquainted with the staff.

(b) of those prospective parents who substantially surpassed the criteria for adoption, most were personally acquainted with agency staff before beginning the application process.

(c) for a time period equal in duration to that during which the data were collected, the average number of babies placed by the agency is close to ten.

(d) most prospective parents who apply to adopt babies do not meet the agency's criteria for adoption.

(e) the agency will only place babies with parents who not only meet the legal and institutional criteria for adoption, but who in fact surpass those criteria.