Question

Choose from the options given, the word(s) that give rise to (or trigger) \textbf{presuppositions when reading the following lines: } \begin{quote} A Jewish physicist, Robert Oppenheimer, directed the development of a new kind of bomb in a project called Trinity. He regretted the building of the bomb because of the cost to mankind. After the war, he was suspected of having communist sympathies and he quickly lost popular support. \end{quote}

• A. regretted
• B. Oppenheimer
• C. after
• D. directed

Hint:

Words like \textbf{regret, stop, continue, again, after, before, even, know} etc. often act as \textbf{presupposition triggers} in linguistics. Always check whether the sentence assumes an event or fact as already true.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A, B, C

Step 1: Understand what triggers presuppositions
Presuppositions are background assumptions implied by certain words or structures in a sentence. These words assume the truth of some prior information, regardless of whether the sentence is true or false. Step 2: Check each option carefully 1. (A) regretted → Presupposes that the event actually happened.
Example: "He regretted building the bomb" presupposes that the bomb was actually built. 2. (B) Oppenheimer → Proper nouns presuppose existence.
Example: Mentioning "Oppenheimer" presupposes that such a person actually existed. 3. (C) after → Temporal words presuppose the occurrence of two events in sequence.
Example: "After the war" presupposes that a war took place. 4. (D) directed → Does not presuppose in the same strong sense; it is an assertion rather than a presupposition. Saying "He directed the development of a bomb" does not imply the action beforehand — it is simply a factual claim. Step 3: Final Answer
Thus, the presupposition triggers here are: regretted, Oppenheimer, and after. \[ \boxed{\text{Correct Answer: (A), (B), (C)}} \]