29. This speaker argues that farmers who invested in organic farming equipment
should resume synthetic farming because it is financially unwise to continue organic
farming. The speaker cites studies showing that farmers who switched to organic
farming last year had tower crop yields. Based on these studies, the speaker concludes
that the relatively inexpensive investment in organic farming equipment cannot justify
continuing to farm organically. The speaker also claims that continuing to farm
organically is financially unwise because it is motivated by environmental, not
economic, concerns. The argument suffers from three problems.
One problem with this reasoning involves the vague comparative claim that
farmers who switched to organic farming fast year had lower crop yields. We are not
informed whether the survey compared last years organic crop yields with yields from
previous years or with those from synthetic farms. Moreover, the author provides no
evidence about how the survey was conducted. Lacking more information about the
survey, we cannot accept the speakers conclusion.
Secondly, the speaker assumes that the low crop yields for first-time organic
farmers last year are representative of crop yields for organic farmers overall. However,
more experienced organic farmers might have had much better crop yields last year.
Also, the first-time organic farmers might improve their own crop yields in future years.
Moreover, last years yield may have been unusually low due to poor weather or other
factors, and thus not indicative of future yields.
Finally, in asserting that organic farming is financially unwise because it is
motivated by environmental instead of economic concerns, the speaker unfairly assumes
that a practice cannot be both environmentally and economically beneficial. It is
possible that, in the long run, practices that help protect the environment will also result
in greater economic benefits. For instance, organic farming methods may better protect
soil from depletion of the elements that contribute to healthy crops, providing an
economic benefit in the long run.
In conclusion, the speakers argument is poorly supported and is short-sighted. To
better evaluate the argument, we would need more information about the how the
survey was conducted, especially about the comparison the survey makes. To strengthen
the argument, the speaker must present evidence that last years crop yields from first-
time organic farmers are representative of yields among organic farms in general. The
author must also provide evidence that environmentally sound practices cannot be
economically beneficial as well.
青春痘到底该不该挤?答案在这里
Turning bread into beer to fight food waste 奥地利人为打击食物浪费用面包造啤酒
美文赏析:爱自己,是一个女生应有的姿态
35岁才准生小孩?日本企业规定结婚生育年龄
从亚马逊 Go到盒马鲜生,自动化商店热潮来袭
梅姨加入《大小谎言》第二季!剧照首次公开
国内英语资讯:China Focus: Hainan to take on bigger roles in reform, opening-up
It’s gonna be a long night
国内英语资讯:Across China: Modern technology helps farmers in busy seasons
黄老板跨界进喜剧圈?竟还要说段子...