Premise:
"When choosing gifts to be shipped, remember to bypass the extremely fragile items and always ask for handling and insurance rates before you buy, as they can frequently double the price."
Hypothesis: It is possible to get charged double for shipping insurance if you do not ask first.

yes

Premise:
"A long piece on China describes one family's struggle to survive the Mao and Deng eras, while the opening Comment says that Chinese involvement in the campaign-finance scandal could sour Sino-American relations."
Hypothesis: The piece chronicalizes a family's struggle during the Mao and Deng eras.

yes

Premise:
"GSA officials responsible for the program told us they believe the savings achieved through this program far outweigh the benefits the government would gain through more aggressive efforts to capture and use frequent flyer miles for official travel."
Hypothesis: GSA officials are responsible for the air travel program.
it is not possible to tell