Which statement is an example of deductive reasoning used by the author of this passage? A) If people want to adopt a dog, they should look for one that matches their lifestyle. B) If you are looking for companionship in a pet, you should probably look at pets other than dogs. C) If a person wants a dog, he or she should just get the first dog available no matter what breed or type. D) If you are somebody who likes to snuggle on the couch, a greyhound or Labrador retriever is the dog for you.

The correct answer is A.

Here, the author deduces that, if a person wants to adopt a dog, it is important that he does not get just any dog. He should investigate what type of dog would suit his lifestyle better, for not all dogs can live in all spaces.

For example, if he lives in an appartment, he should not get a big dog that would need a great amount of space to run and excercise. He should probably get a small or even medium dog that would live there more comfortably.

A. If people want to adopt a dog, they should look for one that matches their lifestyle.

Explanation:

Deductive reasoning exemplifies a reasoning or logical process where a conclusion is based on the concordance of one or more statements (premises that has to be logical) which are generally assumed to be true and taken as ground to draw the conclusion. The statement among the given option that illustrates the deductive reasoning would be option A as the premises ("If people want to adopt a dog) is determining the specific conclusion that ("they should look for one that matches their lifestyle"). It takes the general idea to a specific conclusion. Thus, option a is the answer.