232The following appeared in a memo from the sales manager of Eco-Power, a company that manufactures tools and home appliances.

 

"Many popular radio and television commercials use memorable tunes and song lyrics to call attention to the products being advertised. Indeed, a recent study of high school students showed that 85 percent could easily recognize the tunes used to advertise leading soft drinks and fast-food restaurants. Despite our company's extensive advertising in magazines during the past year, sales of our home appliances declined. Therefore, to boost company profits, we should now switch to advertisements featuring a distinctive song."

 

In this argument, the author suggests that Eco-Power should switch to advertisement featuring a distinctive song. To support his suggestion, the author cites that memorable tunes and song lyrics are commonly used for many popular radio and television commercials. The author also points out that a study showing students are easily recognize the tune used for the advertisement of soft drinks and fast-food restaurants and the sale of its home appliance declined. However, this argument suffers from several logical flaws and is unpersuasive as it stands.

 

Firstly, the author fails to provide us the exact reason why the sales of Eco-Power's home appliance declined. Many factors will influence the sales, such as quality, style, appearance of the products and marketing strategy. Since the author cannot exclude these factors, we cannot just assume that it is the advertising problem that leads to declination of the sales.   

 

Secondly, the study cited by the author on which the argument depend is dubious. First, the respondents are not representative of overall people who watch the advertisement. Second, the study is unreliable since we do not know how many students had been covered by the study. Third, this study does not make much sense to the Eco-Power company because people who buy the home appliance are not just confined to the high students.     

 

Thirdly, the author unfairly assumes a false analogy between the food product and home appliance. For food service, possibly a recognized tune or lyrics is one of the suitable way of promoting their product. But for home appliance, it is not the case at all. Common sense tells me that most of customers would not be willing to buy a certain home appliance because they are fond of the tune of lyrics of the song in the advertisement. 

 

Last but not the least, profits are influenced by cost and revenue. To boost company profit, we need to cut the cost and raise the revenue. But an advertisement featuring a tune would not help.   

 

In sum, this argument is poorly supported. To bolster the argument, we need to find out the reason why the sale of Eco-Power has declined and effective solutions to improve the profits of the company according to the reason.

 

 

 

 

TOPIC: ARGUMENT 131- The following appeared in an environmental newsletter published in Tria Island.

 

"The marine sanctuary on Tria Island was established to protect certain marine mammals. Its regulations ban dumping and offshore oil drilling within 20 miles of Tria, but fishing is not banned. Currently many fish populations in Tria's waters are declining, a situation blamed on pollution. In contrast, the marine sanctuary on Omni Island has regulations that ban dumping, offshore oil drilling, and fishing within 10 miles of Omni and Omni reports no significant decline in its fish populations. Clearly, the decline in fish populations in Tria's waters is the result of overfishing, not pollution. Therefore, the best way to restore Tria's fish populations and to protect all of Tria's marine wildlife is to abandon our regulations and adopt those of Omni."

WORDS: 314          TIME: 0:30:00          DATE: 2006-11-18

 

In this argument, the author assumes that it is the overfishing that has caused the declining of fish in Tria's waters. To support the assumption, the author cites a contrast between the Tria island and Omni island. The author points out that the Tria Island should adopt the same regulation as the Omni island does. However, this argument suffers from several logical flaws and is unpersuasive as it stands.

 

Firstly, the author does not provide us with the clear reason why the fish population in the Tria water has declined. The fact that the fishing is allowed by the Tria Island does not indicate that overfishing problem exists. We cannot exclude the possibilities of pollution killing the fish. Therefore, the author should not just say that the banning of fish in the Tria water helps to increase the population of the fish.

 

Secondly, the author commits a fallacy of analogy between the Tria Island and the Omni island. The different situations between the two island, Tria and Omni should be concerned by the author before he or she makes the conclusion from the contrast. Since we lack enough information about the two island, such as the condition of pollution, population of fish, size of the island, the comparison is incomplete.

 

Thirdly, even granted that the Tria Island adopt the regulation of Omni, we cannot ensure that the marine wildlife in the Tria water would be protected.  Some wildlife has nothing to do with the fishing. Or some marine wildlife itself are confronted with extinction because other irresistible factors. Thus, the author cannot ensure that the marine wildlife would be protected through the regulation of banning the fishing.    

 

In sum, this argument is poorly supported. To bolster the author's conclusion, firstly we should find out the exact reason why the fish population in the Tria water has declined and the right solution according to this reason.  Besides, we should not just copy what the Omni island has adopted and find out a better way of saving the marine wildlife in the Tria water.

 "Scandals---whether in politics, academia, or other areas---can be useful. They focus our attention on problems in ways that no speaker or reformer ever could."

agree.

 

Can scandals be useful whether in politics, academia, or other areas, as the speaker contends? I agree with the speaker on the basis that scandals can help to call for attention from public in ways that no speaker or reformer ever could and sometimes to solve social pressing problems and encourage public accountability of government. However, in some cases, scandals just draw our attention to the scandals itself and left us less meanings but make us ignore more important matters.

 

 

Scandals can be useful in politics in that they contribute to increase the level of scrutiny and accountability to which our public officials are held, thereby working a significant and lasting benefit to our society. To illustrate this point clearly, one needs look no more than the Nixon's Watergate scandal in the past. President Nixon was accuse of using presidential power to have the Democratic committee' office burgled and to block the investigation supporting the charge against him. Nixon denied all the charges against him and even used his presidential privilege to dismiss the committee who was in charge of the investigation. But with more Nixon's assistants' resign one after the other and more suspects to Nixon from public, president Nixon can no longer elude his responsibility to his activities by his privilege and was forced to submit tapes indicating his illegitimate activities and finally resigned his president job. After Watergate scandals, governments began to reconsider the power of president and amend the relative law to limit the right of president. Thus, from this point, we can see clearly that scandals helps to discipline leader's activity and make government more accountable to its duties.

 

Furthermore, scandals in academia can help to purify the academic environment by revealing hidden bad behaviors of scholars that bring about disgrace or offends the moral sensibilities of society to public. Recently, media has reported that certain professors have made fake essays or publications by copying other's study in order to keep their position. After this scandal came out, people began to reexamine the teaching ability and the reputation of this university. More important, this scandal extends its influence to other schools and help to alarm and prevent similar things happen.

 

However, sometime scandals itself draw too much concern from public but distract more awareness from more pressing and important matters. For instance, the Clinton sex scandal made the congress and demo forget or not emphasize enough on other important matters such as Kosovo crises, tax problem or environmental pollutions.

 

In sum, scandals do give society benefits by increasing the level of scrutiny and accountability to which our public officials are held and helping to solve social pressing problems. At the same time, we also should notice that sometimes it is just the scandal itself that draw our too much attention while ignore more important and pressing matters.

"Over 70 percent of the respondents to a recent survey reported that they are required to take more work home with them from the workplace than they were in the past. Since Valu-Mart has not seen impressive sales in its office-supply departments in the past, we should take advantage of this work-at-home trend by increasing at all Valu-Mart stores the stock of home office machines such as printers, small copy machines, paper shredders, and fax machines. We will also increase stock of office supplies such as paper, pens, and staplers. With these changes, our office-supply departments will become the most profitable component of our stores."

 

11:38-

 

In this argument, the author suggests that Valu-Mart stores should increase the stock of home office machines and office supplies. To support this suggestion, the author cites that over there is a trend of working home from the workplace than in the past based on a recent survey. The author also point that since Valu-mart has not seen impressive sales in its office-supply departments in the past, they should take advantage of this trend. However, this argument suffers from several logical flaws and is unpersuasive as it stands.

 

Firstly, the author provides no assurance that the survey on which the argument depends is statistically reliable. Unless the survey's respondents are representative of overall population of office workers, the author cannot rely on it to predict that the trend of taking more work home does exist. Perhaps that the quantity of respondents is too few or those who are required to take work home from office are more willing to respond the survey.  Therefore, without excluding above-mentioned possibilities, we just cannot ensure that more people will take work home from office.

 

Secondly, even granted that more people will take more work home from workplace, we cannot ensure the demand for new home office machines will increase. It is quite possible that people who take work home from office do not need to buy new home office facilities. Maybe they already have home office machines or the tasks they take home, which usually are simple ones, do not ask for these machines. Thus, even there is a trend that more people will take work home from office, we still cannot promise that the demand for new home office machines will increase.

 

Thirdly, the author failed to establish the causal relationship between the increase of stock and gaining profits. No evidence prove that the current stock supply is insufficient. Perhaps that Valu-mart stores already have large quantity of stock of home office facilities due to the unimpressive selling in the past, or the previous supply of these machines are just suited for current selling conditions. Moreover, the author overlooks other factors may affect to gain profit, such as quality, style, price of the office equipments. Therefore, the assumption that Valu-mart store should increase the stock of office supply is dubious.

 

In sum, this argument is poorly supported. It would be necessary for the author address all above-mentioned issues before we could better evaluate the argument. To bolster the conclusion, the author should provide more evidence to support that more people will take work home from office and new home office machine are needed. Moreover, the author should find out whether the Valu-mart store needs to increase the stock of office supplies according to detail selling condition and the reason why the department of office-supply did not have impressive selling. 

185The following appeared in a letter from the owner of the Sunnyside Towers apartment building to its manager.

"One month ago, all the showerheads on the first five floors of Sunnyside Towers were modified to restrict the water flow to approximately 1/3 of its original force. Although actual readings of water usage before and after the adjustment are not yet available, the change will obviously result in a considerable savings for Sunnyside Corporation, since the corporation must pay for water each month. Except for a few complaints about low water pressure, no problems with showers have been reported since the adjustment. Clearly, restricting water flow throughout all the 20 floors of Sunnyside Towers will increase our profits further."

20:20

In this argument, the author suggests that manager should restrict water flow throughout all the 20 floors of Sunny Towers in order to increase their profits further. To support this suggestion, the author cites that all the showerheads on the first five floors of Sunnyside Towers were modefied to restrict the water flow to approximately 1/3 its original force and this change will result in a considerable savings. The author also points outs that only a few people complaints about low water pressure due to the restriction. However, this argument  suffers from several logical flaws and is unpersuasive as it stands.

Firstly, the assumption that the restriction of water flow by modifying the showerheads will result in the a considerable savings for Sunnyside Corporation is unwarranted. No objective evidence can indicate that any decline of water usage happened after the restriction. It is possible that people who live on the first five floors of Sunnyside Towers use approximately the same amount water as they used to do before the restriction, which just took them longer time to wait for the water coming out. Moreover, since we do not how much water can be saved and the price of water per unit, the author just cannot ensure that this change will bring the corporation considerable profits. Without excluding this possiblity, the author just cannot tell Sunnyside Corporation will save considerable money from the restriction.

Secondly, the author wrongly ignores the fact that only a few complaints about the low water pressure. First, low water pressure is a big problem concerning about people's living standard. Without high enough water pressure, some home equitments cannot work properly, like the machine for warming water. Second, a few complaints does not mean only a few people have the same complaints. Perhaps that other people who have had the similar problem did not report, or these a few complaints came from almost all the members on the first five floor since maybe there are only a few people living on the first five floor. lacking of relatively evidence, the author cannot just ignore these a few complaints.

Thirdly, even granted that this restriction can be implemented on the first five floor, the author cannot ensure this measure can be taken to the whole building. Common physical knowledge tells me that the water pressure becomes weaker on a higher altitude. It is quite possible that if we still regulate the showerheads to its 1/3 of its original force on the 20th floor, there is no water comming out. Besides, since the water problem will be more obvious on the higher floors, the complaints would double or triple, even more. Therefore, without considering these factors, the author should not just spread this method to the whole builing.

In sum ,this augument is poorly supported. To bolster the arument, the author should provide evidence to show that the restriction is truly effective in reducing the expenditure from the Sunnyside and whether this method is feasible. Moreover, the author should consider other way of obtaining the profits for Sunnyside.

"The greatness of individuals can be decided only by those who live after them, not by their contemporaries."

 

Can the greatness of individuals be decided only by those who live after them, not by their contemporaries, as the speaker contends? However, I concede that the author's view generalized. Different answers can be found in following three different fields: natural science, art and business.

 

Admittedly, in the field of natural science, it is not difficult to find that some of the greatness of individuals are only recognized or accepted by those who live after them, not by their contemporaries. The reason lies in that in most cases a certain theory or view cannot be testified during the time when the theory or view was put forwards due to the limit of technology and experimental condition. For instance, Einstein's principle of relativity was not as largely accepted at that time as now was. Because his principle cannot be testified as a result of the poor experimental conditions, but later, new technology has brought us more advanced and modern experimental facilities, such as higher resolution space telescope and more powerful computer, allowing us to find out more evidence to support the Einstein's principle of relativity until authority has also believe it. Besides, a second reason why the greatness of individuals cannot be accepted by their contemporaries is that the content of a certain new theory or view, which runs contradiction to what authority already has believed would be objected or prohibited. We need look no further than the story of Copernicus, whose first step he took in ignoring the established boundaries and challenged long-standing assumption of astronomy for publishing his Heliocentric conjecture that the earth and other planets revolves around the sun. Therefore, from above, we see that greatness of individual in the field of natural science usually takes long time to be recognized by people.

 

Turning to the field of arts, the assumption that greatness of individuals can only be determined by those who live after them depends on case to case. The reason is complex concerning about the piece of work itself, the level of appreciation from public and societal environment. Here are several examples that can prop my reasons. Van Gogh,two of whose still life paintngs have recently broken all records in selling for $50 millions, sold only one of his paintings in his entire career. Mazart, one of the most talented musicians, could play piano three years old and write scores four years old. But the real society treated coldly and mercilessly druring his life and his fetal position is miserable. But some other artists seem much luckier, for example Pavarotti has been considered as one of the three most famous tenors in the world and he got his honor and wealth before his successful retirement. Thus in the respect of arts, whether the greatness of individuals can be recognized by their contemporaries is from case to case.

 

However, contributions of individuals in the business field are usually decided by their contemporaries since these contributions are easier to see, from which the benefits and improvement are quick to respond. Here are examples to illustrate my reasons. Bill gates, the richest man in the world, established and developed his software empire that no other companies can match, which radically shaped people's way of living and work through Windows - an operating system almost every personal computers use. The start button on the taskbar just by a click has become really start of modern people life. Moreover, Bill gates also makes great effort to support philanthropy, donating $30 billion to establish his Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to help those who are struggling with AIDS, malaria and other problems in different respects. Thereby everyone can see Bill Gates, as successful businessman, he is doing something worth praising and appreciating for society.

 

In sum, the contention that one's greatness can be decided only by those who are live after them, not by his or her contemporaries generalized. In the field of natural science, it is the case mostly. But in the field of business, one's contributions are usually able to be accepted by the same generation. However, in the field of art, whether the prominence can be recognized depends on case to case.

 

"Over 70 percent of the respondents to a recent survey reported that they are required to take more work home with them from the workplace than they were in the past. Since Valu-Mart has not seen impressive sales in its office-supply departments in the past, we should take advantage of this work-at-home trend by increasing at all Valu-Mart stores the stock of home office machines such as printers, small copy machines, paper shredders, and fax machines. We will also increase stock of office supplies such as paper, pens, and staplers. With these changes, our office-supply departments will become the most profitable component of our stores."

 

11:38-

 

In this argument, the author suggests that Valu-Mart stores should increase the stock of home office machines and office supplies. To support this suggestion, the author cites that over there is a trend of working home from the workplace than in the past based on a recent survey. The author also point that since Valu-mart has not seen impressive sales in its office-supply departments in the past, they should take advantage of this trend. However, this argument suffers from several logical flaws and is unpersuasive as it stands.

 

Firstly, the author provides no assurance that the survey on which the argument depends is statistically reliable. Unless the survey's respondents are representative of overall population of office workers, the author cannot rely on it to predict that the trend of taking more work home does exist. Perhaps that the quantity of respondents is too few or those who are required to take work home from office are more willing to respond the survey.  Therefore, without excluding above-mentioned possibilities, we just cannot ensure that more people will take work home from office.

 

Secondly, even granted that more people will take more work home from workplace, we cannot ensure the demand for new home office machines will increase. It is quite possible that people who take work home from office do not need to buy new home office facilities. Maybe they already have home office machines or the tasks they take home, which usually are simple ones, do not ask for these machines. Thus, even there is a trend that more people will take work home from office, we still cannot promise that the demand for new home office machines will increase.

 

Thirdly, the author failed to establish the causal relationship between the increase of stock and gaining profits. No evidence prove that the current stock supply is insufficient. Perhaps that Valu-mart stores already have large quantity of stock of home office facilities due to the unimpressive selling in the past, or the previous supply of these machines are just suited for current selling conditions. Moreover, the author overlooks other factors may affect to gain profit, such as quality, style, price of the office equipments. Therefore, the assumption that Valu-mart store should increase the stock of office supply is dubious.

 

In sum, this argument is poorly supported. It would be necessary for the author address all above-mentioned issues before we could better evaluate the argument. To bolster the conclusion, the author should provide more evidence to support that more people will take work home from office and new home office machine are needed. Moreover, the author should find out whether the Valu-mart store needs to increase the stock of office supplies according to detail selling condition and the reason why the department of office-supply did not have impressive selling. 

2The following appeared in a letter sent by a committee of homeowners from the Deerhaven Acres to all homeowners in Deerhaven Acres.

 

"Seven years ago, homeowners in nearby Brookville community adopted a set of restrictions on how the community's yards should be landscaped and what colors the exteriors of homes should be painted. Since then, average property values have tripled in Brookville. In order to raise property values in Deerhaven Acres, we should adopt our own set of restrictions on landscaping and house painting."

 

In this argument, the author suggests that Deerhaven Acres should adopt their set of restrictions on landscaping and house painting. To support the suggestion, the author cites that homeowners in nearby Brookville community has adopted a set of restrictions seven years ago on how the community's yards should be landscaped and what colors the exteriors of homes should be painted and average property values have tripled in Bookville since then. However, this argument suffers from several logical flaws and is unpersuasive as it stands.

 

Firstly,  the author wrongly assumes that Deerhaven Acres applies equally to Brookville community, yet this might not be the case, for variety of possible reasons. Maybe the situation in Deergaven Acres and Brookville is quite different, thus we cannot ensure this set of restriction would take effect if we adopt it in Deergaven Acres. Perhaps the community's yards in Brookville are suited for one unified style or shape of landscape and color of the exteriors of homes for better appearance because of the demand of the initial design of the yard and homes but the Deerhaven Acres does not have this problem. Or perhaps that homeowners in the Deergraven Acres are more artistic and some of them are experts in doing the yard job and painting, thereby this kind of restriction just is unnecessary.  Thus, lacking of evidence showing the similarity between the two communities, we just cannot assume this sort of restriction would take effect in the Deerhaven.

 

 

Secondly,  the author observes a correlation between implementing a set of restrictions and tripling in average property values, then conclude that the former is the cause of the latter. The author overlooks other possible factors that lead to the raise of the value of their property in Brookville. Maybe that Brookville' economy condition has enhanced a lot, which make their property more valuable. Or perhaps that the local government has greatly improved the environment of Brookville which attracts more people from the other places to live, which lead to triple values of property happened in Brookville. Therefore, without excluding other possible factors which may result in the triple value of the average property in Brookville, we just cannot assume that the sort of restriction contributes to it.

 

Thirdly, since the Brookville adopted the set of restriction seven years ago, we do not know that whether this kind of restriction will work out effectively today. Things vary all the time, let alone the adoption of the set of restriction at seven years ago. It is quite possible that home-buyers like a unite style of yards and color of home buildings at that time , but now they do not like that kind any more. Maybe now home-buyers are willing to pursue more their individual, creative and unique styles and colors nowadays. Thus the author just unfairly makes the assumption based on out-of-date fact.

 

In sum, this argument is poorly supported. To strengthen the argument, we should know more exactly and true reason why the average property values have tripled in Brookville and find out whether the Deerhaven Acres and Brookville both have similar condition. Moreover, we should also find out what exactly reasons why Deehaven Acres's property has not raised and make corresponding solutions to this problem.

144"It is the artist, not the critic,* who gives society something of lasting value."

 

Is it the artist, not the critics, who gives society something of lasting value, as the speaker contends? I fundamentally agree with the speaker in following two respects: First, what really last long is the work of artists but not the comments to the work from critics. Second, critics often give inaccurate and bias opinion toward art work by their narrow limitation of knowledge, societal reasons. However, we should also notice that the role that critic plays in the appreciating, educating arts to public and directing artists to the way of benefiting the society. 

 

In ages, Countless artworks with highly unique value have been handed down for descendants to appreciate and learn from. These true arts are the products of artists' authentic passion, a manifestation of artist's unique creative impulse, and a creation of artist spirits. Innumerable music stores, painting galleries and libraries are selling or displaying or collecting all kinds of artwork, no matter the classical or modern ones, including records, paintings, and literature books with greatly high value. For example, A Beethoven symphony is the last word on human endurance; Renaissance painting of a Modonna and Angles, for many viewers, is somehow a revelation of transcendent spirituality. Shakespeare's Macbeth, for instance, teach us that inordinate ambition is pernicious. All these work has stood through the long time trial for their value, demonstrating that they are still conveying us with the vivid and compelling means of beauty, humanity and endurance.

 

Furthermore, critic sometime are likely to mislead others to appreciate one piece of art work wrongly and unfairly imposing unnecessary influence on other viewers by subjective or objective reasons. From empirical evidences we know that a great number of great works are trivialized and neglected by contemporary critics when they come out. Here are examples that can support my reason. Picasso's painting was not recognized by neither his contemporary critics, nor the ordinary people. His great works may go far beyond other people's acceptance. Voltaire's rejected the Shakespeare’s work as barbaric because he did not conform to the neo-classical principles of unity. Or consider the completeness dismissal of Beethoven's music by the esteemed critics of his time. These art critics’ judgments are limited by narrow confines of old and established parameters of for assessment. Besides, critic judgment is often misguided by the subject ego-driven mind. Therefore, it is unreliable to leave the work to critics to evaluate and for public just to follow them.

 

 

However, we should confess that the position of critics cannot be replaced or abolished. On one hand, Critics help us to appreciate and understand arts. This function is better accomplished by docents and teachers, who are more able to enhance a layman's appreciation and understanding of art by providing an objective, educated interpretation of it. On the other hand, the critics who know the framework of artwork, which is long lasting in the field of art, would guide artists' working towards the direction of benefiting human being. Without critics, artist are more easily to lose their ideal goal and be immersed into extreme individualism.

 

In sum, what truly will last long in ever developing society is the art work inspired with unique value and character, although critic plays also important role of helping more people to understand and appreciate art, to orient artists go about towards the beneficial direction to society.

TOPIC: ARGUMENT209 - The following recommendation was made by the Human Resources Manager to the board of directors of the Fancy Toy Company.

 

"In the last three quarters of this year, under the leadership of our president, Pat Salvo, our profits have fallen considerably. Thus, we should ask for her resignation in return for a generous severance package. In Pat's place, we should appoint Rosa Winnings. Rosa is currently president of Starlight Jewelry, a company whose profits have increased dramatically over the past several years. Although we will have to pay Rosa twice the salary that Pat has been receiving, it will be well worth it because we can soon expect our profits to increase considerably."

WORDS: 171          TIME: 0:30:00          DATE: 2006-9-10

 

In this argument, the Human Resoures Manager suggests that Fancy Toy Company should ask for their president , Pat Salvo' resignation in return for a generous severance package. To support his or her idea, the author cites that company's profits have been dramatically fallen under the leadership of Pat Salvo during last three years. The author also points out that Rosa Winning from Starlight Jewelry, a company whose profits have increased much over past several years, would be nice substitute for Pat Salvo. However, this argument suffers from several logical flaws and is unpersuasive as it stands.

 

Firstly, the reason why Fancy Toy Company's profits have dropped is not clear. Lacking of detail evidence that show Pat is incapable of doing her job, the author just cannot blame the fallen profits on Pat Salvo's mistake. It is quite possible that Pat Salvo is doing her job fine, but other reasons such as bad economic condition of overall toy market, or the products made by Fancy Toy are not following the current fad, or the problematic strategy of selling product caused the decline of profits. Therefore, without knowing the clear reason why Fancy Toy receives less profit, the author should not put down all consequence to Pat’s head.   

 

Secondly, the assumption that Rose Winnings would be the right person to replace Pat Salvo is dubious. First, the increase of profits of Starlight Jewelry does not mean that president of its company Rose contributes mainly to the success. Other factors can also lead to the increasing profits of Starlight Jewelry, for example, the better market condition, or high-skilled salesman in Starlight Jewelry and so on.  Second, even granted that Rose is the key role in managing the Starlight Jewelry, we still cannot ensure that she would be able to equally manage the Fancy Toy company as well then to help the company to gain profits. Common sense tells me that Starlight and Fancy Toy are two different companies in the different business field. Without any proof that Rose got the experience in this field and enough ability to manage the job in Fancy Toy, the idea that let her replace Pat is unwarranted.

 

Thirdly, as we do not know how much salary Pat receives and how much profits would the company gain, we cannot ensure that twice of that money given to Rosa Winnings as her salary would be worthwhile. Perhaps that Pat's salary is already fairly high comparing to the current profits the company gain, if anything, twice of salary would be a big burden for the company, especially in the circumstance of no assuring that how much profits would boost.

 

In sum, this argument is poorly supported. To bolster the author's suggestion, we should find out the exactly reason leading to the decline of profits of Fancy Toy Company and think out solutions base on that. Moreover, more evidence demonstrating Rose is the right person to be the president of Fancy Toy Company should be provided. 

OPIC: ARGUMENT107 - The following appeared in an editorial in the Seatown newspaper.

 

"Seatown has a large port exclusively for fishing boats, whose owners pay fees for the upkeep of the docks and for facilities for cleaning engines and repairing nets. In recent years, declining fish populations have decreased fishing revenue and forced many owners to stop fishing altogether. As a result, the port has a high vacancy rate and port managers are considering allowing pleasure boats, including cruise ships and other large vessels, to use the port in order to increase revenue. But allowing pleasure boats into the port would be a mistake, because the fishing boats would be forced out of the port. We should preserve the port for the fishing fleet, which, unlike pleasure boats, contributes to the prosperity of Seatown."

WORDS: 202          TIME: 0:30:00          DATE: 2006-9-7

 

In this argument, the author suggests that they should preserve the port for the fishing fleet. To support his idea, the author cites that the fishing boat would be forced out of the port due to the introduction of pleasure boats. The author also points out that the port for the fishing fleet once contributed to the prosperity of Seatown. However, this argument suffers from several logical flaws and is unpersuasive as it stands.

 

Firstly, the assumption that the fishing boat would be force out by allowing pleasure boats is dubious since insufficient evidence in supporting this assumption has provided by the author. It is reasonable that through appropriate modification or enlargement of the port, it would be suitable for both the pleasure boats and fishing boats to accommodate.

 

Secondly, the fact that the port for the fishing fleet contributes to the prosperity of Seatown should not necessarily consider as the reason for dispelling the pleasure boats. The fact that the port exclusively for the fishing boat once made contribution to the prosperity of Seatown would not mean that it will boom the economy of Seatown again in the future. Besides, it is quite possible that introduing the pleasure boat would be intelligent way of increasing revenue for the port owner and stimulating the economy of Seatown through promoting the development of the tour business espeacially when the fishing production is undergoing a difficult time.

 

\

In sum, this argument is poorly supported. It would necessary for the author to address all above-mentioned issue before we can better evaluate the argument. To bolster the author's conclusion, we should that what obstacles of making both pleasure boats and fishing boat use the same port simutaniously. Moreover, we should know that whether the fishing bussiness still make money or not. 

TOPIC: ARGUMENT135 - The following is a memorandum from the business manager of WLSS television station.

 

"Over the past year, our late-night news program has devoted increasingly more time to covering national news and less time to covering weather and local news. During the same time period, most of the complaints we received from viewers were concerned with the station's coverage of weather and local news. In addition, several local businesses that used to run advertisements during our late-night news program have just cancelled their advertising contracts with us. Therefore, in order to attract more viewers to our news programs and to avoid losing any further advertising revenues, we should expand the coverage of weather and local news on all our news programs."

WORDS: 141          TIME: 0:30:00          DATE: 2006-9-4

 

in this argument, the author suggests that the WLSS television station should expand the coverage of weather and local news on all their program. To support the conclusion, the author cites that complaints from viewers concerning about the coverage of weather and local increased and the revenue from the advertisement during the late news program has declined since they put less time to cover the weather and local news program. However, this argument suffers from several logical flaws and is unpersuasive as it stands.

 

Firstly, we do not know whether most of the complaints respect to the station coverage of weather and local news are the result of the change of the time length of reporting national news and weather and local news. Perhaps before regulating the covering time, the complaints about weather and local news are still occupy big part of the all complaints as it does now. Or perhaps the quantity of complaints regarding weather and local has reduced much due to the decline of the whole number of complaints from the viewers. Therefore, the complaints should not just contribute to the change of the length covering national news between weather and local news.

 

Secondly, since the author does not provide what the views exactly complain about, we cannot extrapolate that the less time of reporting weather and local news is the problem. It is quite possible that the viewers are complaining about the authenticity of the local news, or the inaccuracy of the weather forecast, or the completeness and depth of investigating the local news. As we cannot exclude the possibilities above, we should not reach the assumption that viewers is requiring more covering of weather and local news.

 

Thirdly, Cancellation of advertisement contracts from several companies used to run advertisement during the late-night program cannot indicate that the company did this owning to decline of proportion of covering weather and local news in the whole news program. First, it is a common phenomenon that company changes its advertisements plan: some company out and some company in. On the other hand, maybe companies cancelled their contractions in the consideration that they thought during the late-news program are there not many viewers and there expenditure did not match the outcome from the advertisement during that period of time.

 

Last but not the least, even granted that the change of time length of covering national and weather and local news in the late-night new program is the main problem, we should not expand the time of covering weather and local news to the all news program. In the absence of supporting this assumption, the suggestion of expanding the covering weather and local news to the all news program is dubious.

 

In sum, this argument is poorly strengthened. It would be necessary for the author to address the above-mentioned issues before we can better assess it. To support the author’s idea, we should know what exactly the viewers complained about, and the real reason for the cancellation of the advertisement contracts between the company and television station.

Do the increasingly rapid pace of life today causes more problem than it solves, as the speaker maintains? In my view the speaker unfairly generalizes. On one hand, we should admit the significant advancement in many different fields especially relating to transportation, communication, and calculation brought by the increasingly rapid pace of life nowadays. On the other hand, we also should not deny some negative influence brought by this ever quickening step of people's life, like the environment problem, energy crisis, and war. This matter is so complex that it is difficult to simply say which side (the positive or the negative one) of influence brought by the quickening pace of life is dominated and overwhelmed.

 

       It is an indisputable fact that the rapid development of technology has greatly improved the effectiveness and efficiency of our work and life. For supporting examples, one needs look no further than the advancement in the respects of transportation. People in developed country are accustomed in using cars as their necessary common tool for commute, travel, carrying. Seamless of web of traffic line in the air crossing the ocean and continent has made the whole earth as a globe country. The journey from the Washington to Beijing just takes no more than 20 hours fight. Even space travel is not merely a dream, now new kinds of rockets powered by great engine will send you up to the space at a speed of 7.5km per hour at least where the gravity of the earth can never reach you as the cost of the spaceship is going down time after time.

      

Besides the convenience and quickness from the transportation, the revolution of IT technology has greatly changed people life in the respect of communication and calculating. Mobile phone, one of the significant products from the revolution of IT tech, is not a privilege for boss, spy, high-level people showing status and a sign of fortune any longer, but it has become common tool for people's daily use, leading to much closer connection and interaction between people and people even in quite distant place, nation to nation result in promoting the incorporation and globalization. Powerful chips play more important role in multitask to assist people to do the repetitive office work, to search for information, to organize the materials and to entertain themselves. Thus people have more time to do the work and stuff which need more creative thinking and intelligent logic. Moreover, internet has become the other parallel virtual world zero distant for people to live in, which almost satisfies people's need from buying things, connecting to people, doing a business, to studying new knowledge, diagnosing the patients and so on, without stepping out of one’ home door, greatly saved cost of time and money. All these facilities increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of one's work and life, in other word, the speed of life, has provide people great convenience and advantages, which lead human into a brand new information times.    

      

       However, besides accepting the merits talked above, we should also recognize that human have sacrificed peace, environment and health for the convenience and effectiveness we got from the development of technology. As we know, the fuel and petrol, on which the all vehicle depend for running is going to be out We notice that inconsistent international war, killing countless people innocent, breaking thousands of families with grief apart, has never been stopped just in order to scramble for the last limited oil on the earth between nation to nation. The greenhouse effect has become hot concerning topic on the table that cannot be ignored any more for the politics, environmentalist, and common people. But it seems that one more day people driver their cars to work place, the one more day will be the greenhouse effect stronger. More and more people in recent years are complaining about the unbearable high temperature in summer and suffering the violent, cruel hurricane- hundreds of old people died from the extremely high temp in France and people living on the east southern coast lost their lives during the hurricane- cost billion dollars and lives lost. Therefore, people should never forget these problems when they are enjoying the fruit of convenience brought by the technology at the same time.

      

       In sum, the rapid pace of life provide us, on one hand, great convenience, effectiveness and efficiency in daily life and put forwards the faster pace of world economy, politics and technology. On the other hand, the flaws brought by this ever quickening pace also should not be ignored, such as the environmental problems, energy crisis, and non-stopping war between one nation to another.

Issue41

Topic:

Spending time alone makes one a better companion to others.

 

I agree with insofar as the speaker that spending time alone makes one a better companion to others, first, spending time alone contributes equality and respect between personal to personal, which is the premise of real interchange; second, society respects and appreciates those who have their own personality and styles. However, it also would bring negative effects, such as blocking adaptive communication among people, causing the lost of identification from each other..

       The first reason that I fundamentally agree with the speaker is that independence contributes to the equality and respect during the process of contacting and communicating between people and people. The fact that a person spends more time alone means that more private room will exist for him or her and the other side. People can do what they like without other people’s intervene and force, thus help to form an equal and respective environment for people to think, to learn, to live independently, which is the premise of normal and healthy communication. Here is a convincing instance to illustrate my reason. As we know, with the development of the society, the structure of family is undergoing evolution gradually, and that is the inclination of big, extended family transforming to small, nuclear ones. History tells us during the time when productivity of society is relatively low, people need to accumulate in order to strengthen the ability resisting the cruel natural condition and increase productivity providing enough physical condition for them to live a life. Then the style of big, extended family became the mainstream family structure, in which the level and position of every family member are determined clearly once he or she has born in family thus causes the inequality among the members. For example, parents in the extended family usual have great burden from the kids and the olds, kid have to obey strictly to what the elder told to. But in the modern world of high productivity, more and more nuclear family with much less members substitute out-date extended family, whose members have more freedom and private room for themselves without strict level or position divided, which greatly help to create a equal and respective environment for family members.

       Furthermore, nowadays, in a current society which lay emphasis on the personality and creative minds, independence plays a more important part, since personality comes from the independence, creative thinking, and difference ways from the usual people, in which these characters cannot just copy or depend on what have existed. Independence let people learn, think, and do in their own way and eventually form their own style. Take the current popular DIY culture for example, why do many people like to look for trouble to assemble computers, furniture even houses from the original parts or materials, the seeking for personality and own style will give the answer, which embodies the essential of DIY spirit based on independence. Additional, in the field of arts, such as music, paintings, and sculpture, artists also need independence to create their own style and unique character in which these dispositions determine the acceptance, appreciation and popularity among public. Independence is more and more like to be a symbol with great modern society’s characters.

Notwithstanding the foregoing two reasons why I basically agree with the speaker, the negative of spending too much time alone should also not be ignored. First, too much independence blocks the communication and contact between people and people. Person who cut himself or herself from outside world will be like a handicapped man. Communication and contact with other people will help one to better enroll into the society and contribute to it. For instance, we like to call the student who is just know to read and learn by himself or herself all the time  without any contact with others freak or jerk, since perhaps he or she is much professional in a certain field than others, however, he or she even does not know how to get along with other, in short, the EQ is almost zero. How could such a person live in a world which emphasis the teamwork and cooperation? Second, excessive independence will cause less identification and acknowledgement among people. As we know that not only needs personality in the society, but also the general characters. Without the common similarity including the aim, interest, customs, and religion and so on, the stability and harmony of a society cannot be attained. General character let every single man become a unite entirety which is necessary for the whole nation to advance and develop.

In sum, we should see the conclusion from two sides. On one hand, without independence, people cannot communicate with each other equally and respectively. Also, the world would be like a pool of dead water without animation of creation and personality. On the other hand, without the general similarity, people are blocked to communicate effectively and society cannot run stable and healthy.

 

"Throughout the country last year, as more and more children below the age of nine participated in youth-league softball and soccer, over 80,000 of these young players suffered injuries. When interviewed for a recent study, youth-league softball players in several major cities also reported psychological pressure from coaches and parents to win games. Furthermore, education experts say that long practice sessions for these sports take away time that could be used for academic activities. Since the disadvantages apparently outweigh any advantages, we in Parkville should discontinue organized athletic competition for children under nine."

 

In this augment, the speaker suggests that Parkville should discontinue organized athletic competition for children under nine. To support this suggestion, the speaker cites a survey throughout the country and a study conducted in major cities. The speaker also points out the opinion of some education experts who are talking about the disadvantage of long practice sessions for sports. However, this argument suffers from several logical flaws and is unpersuasive as it stands.

 

To begin with, the speaker commits a fallacy of assuming that the nationwide statistics about the young players who suffered injuries in youth-league softball and soccer applied equally to Parkville's ones. Since we do not know the total number of young players who joined in youth-league softball and soccer throughout the country, it is quite possible that 80,000 young players who suffered injuries just constitute a tiny small part of the whole, If any, that means the injury problem is not severe, as which cannot be considered a main reason for stopping the sports competition. Additional, perhaps the situation in Parkville is quite different to the country’s one, which the number of young player of softball or soccer is pretty lower than the speaker expects, since the survey throughout of the country cannot represent the situation in Parkville.

Secondly, lacking of the proof that Parkville is one of the major cities, the study conducted in major cites does not apply similarly to the Parkville. Perhaps Parkville is a small town or a village where the competition conscious of its citizens is not as much as the ones of major cities, thus the coach or parent do not like to push their children to win, which may give little psychology pressure to children. Therefore, without excluding this possibility, the speaker cannot just deduce that psychology pressure have been exerted on children in Parkville.

 

Thirdly, in the absence of the information about how long the youth in Parkville spend on sports and academic activities, the speaker cannot suppose that sports take youth too much time used for academic activities. Arranging the right length of time for children to do outdoor sports and to do the academic study is both equally necessary and important, which benefit the healthy and entire grow of the youth.    

 

Least but not last, the speaker underestimated the advantages of athletic competition which cultivate the competitive spirits, team-work ability, and improve greatly the physical condition of children. Without considering the merits of participating in an athletic competition, the objective balance between advantages and disadvantages cannot be attained.

 

In sum, this augment is poorly strengthened. It would be necessary to rule out all above-mentioned possibilities before we can better evaluate the augment. To bolster this augment, we need to know the local statistics about the youth who suffer from injures during the sports and concrete condition of youth in Parkville. Moreover, the speaker also should see the benefit of organizing the sports competition for youth and then weigh the superior and weakness of it.

The media-and society in general-mistakenly expect an individual to speak for a particular group, whether or not that individual truly represents the views of the entire group.

 

I agree with the author insofar as that the media- society in general- unnecessarily expect an individual to a particular group, whether or not that individual truly represents the views of the whole group. In certain case, media are supposed to act a fair and responsible role in society for but it did not do that for the sake of private interest or other interest in term of politics or economy. However, we cannot blame media itself for all this inaccurate or biased information it announce, for media in some case cannot choose, which is determined by the objective condition. Additional, the multiple roles people act in society determine that the individual’ opinion cannot cover the entire group’s view.   

The first reason I fundamentally agree with the author is that in respect of political, uncrowned king like to use the way of the sound bite to disseminate the inaccurate or biased information which seems objective and convincible to public for a certain party or somebody’s election. In the reality of the world, it is not uncommon to see that certain media speak for certain party or people who run the election, since most of the media has been told to do so, from which the media can earn their operation money and additional interest. In other words, there is a big boss behind the media who have already controlled the media and command the media as he or she wishes, but certainly public cannot see this boss since media acts as disguise tool which use seemingly objective and justified facts or report to make you believe.

       Moreover, in the respect of economic, common sense tell me that any organizations need cost to operate, especially in a society coordinated by the rule of market economy, to which expenditure and avenue will be paid more attention. Media organization is not the exceptional one, thus when it makes a news or survey, it will consider about the cost and return, which means they cannot grope for the accuracy and precise of a piece of news or survey regardless of economy factors. For example, census in a survey will inevitably cause error in the result of selected samples and random samples which are not enough and random. More selected samples and more random ones can give out more correct and reasonable conclusion. However it is impossible for the media to increase the amount of selected samples and enlarge the scope for random samples infinitely without considering the cost of doing this. Therefore, to this extent, almost any survey cannot reflect the real and objective fact and we cannot always expect the true story from the media.

       Notwithstanding the two foregoing reasons why I essentially agree with author, it is important not to ignore that inevitability and necessity that when an individual speak for a particular group, incomprehensive and partial opinions are given out. It is known that a person inevitably act more than one roles in his or her life, such as a citizen of a country, a member of family, an employee of a company and so on. The fact that different roles embody different interest determined that fact that one’s opinion can never embrace entire group’s interest. For example, one has to choose what to do when his doing would lead to the conflict between the company’s interest and the country’s interest, or his own interest and his country’s interest. Therefore, different opinion which cannot cover the whole interest of the entire group in the result of the multiple of identification cannot be avoided.

       Moreover, the fact member’s divergence of view happens all the time whatever a unanimous group is and the different subjective inclinations from different person happen all the ways which will persuasively prove that the necessity of fact that a certain individual cannot truly reflect the whole group’s view.

In sum, we should see the conclusion from two sides. Media in some cases, do unfairly speak for a particular group which reflect subjective or untruly view of entire group. However, sometime we cannot neglect the necessity and inevitability of an individual’s doing as a result of objective finite condition, multiple identifications, subjective inclination and divergence.

Issue 59 Leaders are created primarily by the demands that are placed upon them.

12:16:26 PM
I agree with the author insofar as that leader are created primarily by the demands that are placed upon them. However, it is also important not to ignore the subjective factors such as one's courage, will, and assiduous which play an essential role in creating a leader.

The first reason why I partly agree with the author is that objective condition such as political environment, economic situation provides a platform or chance for the people to display their talent and ability, which foster them to be the leader. One's success can not be alienated from the environment and condition around, which will supply the necessary resources, opportunity to help one achieve. To illustrate my reason, let us take a look at President George Washington, the father of the United States who achieved his success upon the demand that is placed. After the establishment of the stamp tax and tea tax, the Britain imposed much heavier tax on the people of American. At this time, George Washington stood out bravely to lunch the "Independent War" against the Britain fighting for liberty and freedom of America which satisfy many American citizens' intense demand. In the end, George Washington became one of the greatest and admirable presidents in the American history which people commemorate forever. Therefore, we can see that objective factor-demand has a dramatic effect on the creation of leader.
  Furthermore, Demand also greatly stimulates the one's desire and ambition to work hard, to think carefully, and to struggle continually, which will help guys to succeed to be a leader. As we know, on the way to the success, countless difficulties will block one going forward. Thus one needs courage, determination, and will to overcome all these dangers and obstacles. Then where do these personalities come from? The demand which is placed upon them will give the answer. People see demand as their responsibility or life goal through which to fulfill and satisfy their life value. Thus they get more courage, confidence and determination. Here is persuasive instance that prop my reason. Stephen Hawing is one of the most prominent physical scientists who attribute all his life to the study of the cosmos. Yet most of his achievements has been done after he got the severe illness that make him unable to move, just like the human vegetable except his brain and fingers who had finished his book "time history" that helps to populate the idea and knowledge about university to the people all over the world and even give lectures in different countries up to now based on his great determination and courage out of the demand for the desire of groping the truth and reason and of making progress to the human beings. Therefore, here we can see how significant a demand upon on someone's shoulder is.
 Notwithstanding the forgoing two reason why I agree with the speaker, we should not ignore the subjective reason such as intellectual, attitude, courage, confidence also have dramatic influence on the process of one from normal people to leader. One man's success is depending on the combination of the subjective and objective condition in two sides. The same environment or condition can create opposite two different kinds of people. For instance, people who are in the adverse condition may have total different attitude toward the life and the opposite outcome will eventually emerge. One who have positive attitude and confidence eventually take the advantage of the poor condition improve his personality to help he or her achieve success; but another one who have negative attitude, always complain about the objective condition without doing anything, let himself or herself to be real failure. Thus subjective reasons play a fairly vital part in cultivating a leader at the same time.
 In sum, neither objective side nor subjective side leading to the growing of leader can be overlooked. Without demands which are place upon those who want to be the leader, they cannot not display their ability and make a contribution to become a leader, at the same time they also do not have enough stimulation and reason to go forwards. On the other hand, without subjective reason, such as attitude and intellectual, one is not equipped with necessary personality and disposition to be a successful leader.