The following appeared as a
recommendation by a committee
planning a ten-year budget for the city of
Calatrava.
"The birthrate in our city is declining: in
fact, last year's birthrate was only onehalf that of five years ago. Thus the
number of students enrolled in our public
schools will soon decrease dramatically,
and we can safely reduce the funds
budgeted for education during the next
decade . At the same time, we can reduce
funding for athletic playing fields and
other recreational facilities. As a result,
we will have sufficient money to fund city
facilities and programs used primarily by
adults, since we can expect the adult
population of the city to increase."
Write a response in which you discuss
what specific evidence is needed to
evaluate the argument and explain how
the evidence would weaken or
strengthen the argument.
Thus the number of students
enrolled in our public schools will
soon decrease dramatically, and
we can safely reduce the funds
budgeted for education during the
next decade.
What’s the constitution of and the
proportion of local students
enrolled in city’s public schools.
1. Before the government make
the funding cut, we should
consider all prospects including
the education quality, the
current firmware condition,
albeit the enrollment will drop.
The birthrate in our city is declining: in fact, last
year's birthrate was only one-half that of five
years ago.
1. Where does this evidence come from?
2. Was the declination a constant tendency?
3. Without the gross population, we can’t
make any conclusion about number of
infants the city except leave it unknown.
4. Given data on birthrate of last five years fail
to embody the shifts of future population.
At the same time, we can
reduce funding for athletic
playing fields and other
recreational facilities.
1. This argument is based on
a assumption that the
main user community of
these recreational
facilities is local students.
This assumption, however,
has not been proved by
any mentioned evidence.
As a result, we will have sufficient money to fund city
facilities and programs used primarily by adults, since we
can expect the adult population of the city to increase.
1. The anticipation that the adult population of the city was
completely indemonstrable due to none relevant
evidence was given.
2. The money save out of the children’s program might not
be sufficient for adults use, For proving this point, the
speaker should demonstrate the details of these
program.
The following appeared in a letter to the editor
of Parson City's local newspaper.
"In our region of Trillura, the majority of
money spent on the schools that most
students attend—the city-run public schools—
comes from taxes that each city government
collects. The region's cities differ, however, in
the budgetary priority they give to public
education. For example, both as a proportion
of its overall tax revenues and in absolute
terms, Parson City has recently spent almost
twice as much per year as Blue City has for its
public schools—even though both cities have
about the same number of residents. Clearly,
Parson City residents place a higher value on
providing a good education in public schools
than Blue City residents do."
Write a response in which you discuss what
specific evidence is needed to evaluate the
argument and explain how the evidence would
weaken or strengthen the argument.
In our region of Trillura, the majority
of money spent on the schools that
most students attend—the city-run
public schools—comes from taxes
that each city government collects.
1. The credibility of this claim
about the source of education
cost.
2. The detail of this claim.
For example, both as a proportion of
its overall tax revenues and in
absolute terms, Parson City has
recently spent almost twice as much
per year as Blue City has for its public
schools—even though both cities have
about the same number of residents.
1. We can’t assess the educational
investment in the past by only
knowing the recent data.
2. A higher proportion of its tax
income spending on education does
not mean a higher stronger
investment for this affair before
specifying the economic development,
the consumption level, etc.
3. Before comparing these two cities,
we should consider the demographic
structure of them, while similarity in
gross population becomes a irrelevant
data.
Clearly, Parson City residents place a higher value on
providing a good education in public schools than Blue
City residents do.
1.The conclusion is based on the assumption that …
（论据一）
2.A governmental behavior cannot absolutely reflect a
public notion and consciousness about the importance
of education.
The following appeared in a memo
from a vice president of Quiot
Manufacturing.
"During the past year, Quiot
Manufacturing had 30 percent more
on-the-job accidents than at the nearby
Panoply Industries plant, where the
work shifts are one hour shorter than
ours. Experts say that significant
contributing factors in many on-the-job
accidents are fatigue and sleep
deprivation among workers. Therefore,
to reduce the number of on-the-job
accidents at Quiot and thereby increase
productivity, we should shorten each of
our three work shifts by one hour so
that employees will get adequate
amounts of sleep.“
Write a response in which you examine
the stated and/or unstated
assumptions of the argument. Be sure
to explain how the argument depends
on these assumptions and what the
implications are for the argument if the
assumptions prove unwarranted.
During the past year, Quiot Manufacturing had
30 percent more on-the-job accidents than at
the nearby Panoply Industries plant, where the
work shifts are one hour shorter than ours.
1. Assumption: workers in Q did not have
adequate sleep because of the one-hourlonger work shifts.
2. What’s the meaning of 30 percent? An
average amount of increase or a total
augment.
3. False analogue between Q and P. different
conditions of Q and P.
Experts say that significant contributing factors
in many on-the-job accidents are fatigue and
sleep deprivation among workers.
1. Who are these experts?
2. How are their claim qualified? (Context of
this claim)
Therefore, to reduce the number of on-the-job
accidents at Quiot and thereby increase
productivity, we should shorten each of our three
work shifts by one hour so that employees will get
adequate amounts of sleep.
1. Reducing in number of accidents does not
represent a increasing productivity.
2. Was the deficiency of sleep really a factor lead
to a increase in accidents? Will this one-hour
plan really work?
3. Considering other causes.
The following appeared in a
memorandum from the planning
department of an electric power
company.
"Several recent surveys indicate that
home owners are increasingly eager to
conserve energy. At the same time,
manufacturers are now marketing many
home appliances, such as refrigerators
and air conditioners, that are almost
twice as energy efficient as those sold a
decade ago. Also, new technologies for
better home insulation and passive solar
heating are readily available to reduce
the energy needed for home heating.
Therefore, the total demand for
electricity in our area will not increase—
and may decline slightly. Since our three
electric generating plants in operation
for the past twenty years have always
met our needs, construction of new
generating plants will not be necessary."
Write a response in which you examine
the stated and/or unstated assumptions
of the argument. Be sure to explain how
the argument depends on these
assumptions and what the implications
are for the argument if the assumptions
prove unwarranted.
Several recent surveys indicate
that home owners are
increasingly eager to conserve
energy.
1. The credibility of these
surveys:
2. How many of them will
develop a home-base
energy conservation?
3. Assumption: most of these
people who show willing
for a energy conservation
will actually build or
purchase one.
At the same time, manufacturers
are now marketing many home
appliances, such as refrigerators
and air conditioners, that are
almost twice as energy efficient
as those sold a decade ago.
1. People may not replace their
old appliances by newly
promoted products.（
assumption）
2. Regardless the demand of
these equipment, people may
consume much more
electricity by using them
more frequently since the
changes of their lifestyle.
Also, new technologies for better
home insulation and passive solar
heating are readily available to
reduce the energy needed for
home heating.
1. Assumption: these system has a
bright future market and local
residents will utilize to reduce the
energy cost.
Conclusion 1: Therefore, the total demand for electricity
in our area will not increase—and may decline slightly.
1. The future number of equipment and people who own
them can not be conjecture from current data.
Conclusion2: Construction of new generating plants will not be necessary.
1. The speaker failed to render this conclusion cogent by neglects the total number of
these appliances, and the gross population in the future, etc.
Since our three electric
generating plants in operation
for the past twenty years have
always met our needs.
1. The working process of
these old plants might
frequently encounter
glitches or failure.
2. We cannot conjecture the
future demand by present
satisfactory condition.