Premise: Nearby, their illustrious predecessors Renoir, Van Gogh, and Gauguin lived and worked in the Rue Cortot, Rue de l'Abreuvoir, and Rue Saint-Rustique (site of the restaurant A la Bonne Franquette, where Van Gogh painted his famous La Guinguette).

Hypothesis: Famous artists had lived and worked nearby.
Answer: yes

Premise: In fact, the letter, though written on stamped notepaper, might have been posted from anywhere?

Hypothesis: The letter could have really come from as far out as Seattle for all we know.
Answer: it is not possible to tell

Premise: According to the Association, 200 companies responded.

Hypothesis: The Association had very trustworthy sources of information.
Answer: it is not possible to tell

Premise: Last week Time magazine reported some preliminary results from a poll it has been conducting on its Internet site about whom it should pick for its Person of the Century.

Hypothesis: Time conducted a poll about its Person of the Century.
Answer: yes