83. This editorial asserts that West Cambria should not change its highway speed
limits because such changes adversely affect driver alertness and are therefore
dangerous. To support this claim, the editorial cites statistics indicating that whenever
East Cambria changed its speed limits, an average of 3 percent more automobile
accidents occurred during the week after the change than during the week preceding it,
even when the speed limit was lowered. As it stands, this argument suffers from three
critical flaws.
First, it is unlikely that the brief one-week periods under comparison are
representative of longer time periods. A difference of only 3 percent during one
particular week can easily be accounted for by other factors, such as heavy holiday
traffic or bad weather, or by problems with reporting or sampling. Had the editorial
indicated that several speed-limit changes in East Cambria contributed to the statistic,
the argument would be more convincing; but for all we know, the statistic is based on
only one such change. In any event, a one-week period is too brief to be representative
because it is likely that accidents will occur more frequently immediately following the
change, while people adjust to the new limit, than over the longer term when drivers
have become accustomed to the change.
Secondly, the editorial fails to acknowledge possible differences in the types of
accidents occurring before and after the change. It is possible that the accidents during
the week before the change all involved fatalities, while those during the week after the
change were minor fender-benders. If so, even though 3 percent more accidents
occurred after the change, the authors argument that changing the speed limit increases
danger for drivers would be seriously weakened.
Thirdly, the editorial fails to take into account possible differences between East
and West Cambria that are relevant to how drivers react to speed-limit changes. Factors
such as the condition of roads, average age and typical driving habits of residents, and
weather patterns, would probably affect how well or how quickly drivers adapt to
speed-limit changes. Thus, changing speed limits in East Cambria might be more
dangerous than changing them in West Cambria.
In conclusion, the statistical evidence cited to support the argument is
insignificant and probably unrepresentative. To better evaluate the argument, we need to
know how many speed-limit changes contributed to the statistic and when the speed-
limit changes were made. Finally, to strengthen the argument the author should show
that East and West Cambria would be similarly affected by speed-limit changes.
高三英语一轮单元复习精品教案:Module 1《British and American English》(外研版必修5)
江苏省姜堰市张甸中学2012届高三英语一轮复习牛津译林版模块选修9《Unit 2 Witnessing time》单词复习
广东省2017高考英语一轮复习周周练 第一周 星期三
广东省2017高考英语一轮复习周周练 第一周 星期二
广东省2017届高三英语一轮综合训练(6)
江苏省姜堰市张甸中学2012届高三英语一轮复习牛津译林版模块选修10《Unit 1 Building the future》课件一
广东省2017高考英语一轮复习周周练 第一周 星期一
江苏省姜堰市张甸中学2012届高三英语一轮复习牛津译林版模块选修10《Unit 2 People on the move》课件二
广东省2017高考英语一轮复习周周练 第二周 星期五
江苏省姜堰市张甸中学2012届高三英语一轮复习牛津译林版模块选修9《Unit 2 Witnessing time》基础过关作业二
江苏省姜堰市张甸中学2012届高三英语一轮复习牛津译林版模块选修10《Unit 4 Law and order》课件八
江苏省姜堰市张甸中学2012届高三英语一轮复习牛津译林版模块选修10《Unit 4 Law and order》学案三
江苏省姜堰市张甸中学2012届高三英语一轮复习牛津译林版模块选修8《Unit 3 The world of colours and light》复习学案二
江苏省姜堰市张甸中学2012届高三英语一轮复习牛津译林版模块选修10《Unit 3 Protecting ourselves》学案一
江苏省姜堰市张甸中学2012届高三英语一轮复习牛津译林版模块选修10《Unit 4 Law and order》学案一
江苏省姜堰市张甸中学2017届高三英语一轮复习牛津译林版模块选修9《Unit 2 Witnessing time》基础过关作业四
江苏省姜堰市张甸中学2012届高三英语一轮复习牛津译林版模块选修10《Unit 4 Law and order》课件二
高三英语一轮单元复习精品教案:Module 6《Unexplained Mysteries of the Natural World》(外研版必修4)
江苏省姜堰市张甸中学2012届高三英语一轮复习牛津译林版模块选修10《Unit 3 Protecting ourselves》学案十
2017高考英语复习素材:初次见面寒暄介绍听力素材(Mp3)
广东省2017届高三英语一轮综合训练(5)
江苏省姜堰市张甸中学2012届高三英语一轮复习牛津译林版模块选修10《Unit 3 Protecting ourselves》课件一
江苏省姜堰市张甸中学2017届高三英语一轮复习牛津译林版模块选修9《Unit 3 The meaning of colour》基础过关作业二
广东省2017高考英语一轮复习周周练 第一周 星期五
江苏省姜堰市张甸中学2012届高三英语一轮复习牛津译林版模块选修8《Unit 2 The universal language》教学案
广东省2017届高三英语一轮综合训练(2)
江苏省姜堰市张甸中学2012届高三英语一轮复习牛津译林版模块选修10《Unit 4 Law and order》学案二
广东省2017届高三英语一轮综合训练(4)
广东省2017届高三英语一轮综合训练(9)
江苏省姜堰市张甸中学2012届高三英语一轮复习牛津译林版模块选修10《Unit 3 Protecting ourselves》学案四