The following appeared as part of an annual report sent to stockholders by Olympic Foods, a processor of frozen foods.
Over time, the costs of processing go down because as organizations learn how to do things better, they become more efficient. In color film processing, for example, the cost of a 3-by-5-inch print fell from 50 cents for five-day service in 1970 to 20 cents for one-day service in 1984. The same principle applies to the processing of food. And since Olympic Foods will soon celebrate its twenty-fifth birthday, we can expect that our long experience will enable us to minimize costs and thus maximize profits.
Discuss how well reasoned you find this argument. In your discussion be sure to analyze the line of reasoning and the use of evidence in the argument. For example, you may need to consider what questionable assumptions underlie the thinking and what alternative explanations or counterexamples might weaken the conclusion. You can also discuss what sort of evidence would strengthen or refute the argument, what changes in the argument would make it more logically sound, and what, if anything, would help you better evaluate its conclusion.
Citing facts drawn from the color-film processing industry that indicate a downward trend in the costs of film processing over a 24-year period, the author argues that Olympic Foods will likewise be able to minimize costs and thus maximize profits in the future. In support of this conclusion the author cites the general principle that as organizations learn how to do things better, they become more efficient. This principle, coupled with the fact that Olympic Foods has had 25 years of experience in the food processing industry leads to the authors rosy prediction. This argument is unconvincing because it suffers from two critical flaws.
First, the authors forecast of minimal costs and maximum profits rests on the gratuitous assumption that Olympic Foods long experience has taught it how to do things better. There is, however, no guarantee that this is the case. Nor does the author cite any evidence to support this assumption. Just as likely, Olympic Foods has learned nothing from its 25 years in the food-processing business. Lacking this assumption, the expectation of increased efficiency is entirely unfounded.
Second, it is highly doubtful that the facts drawn from the color-film processing industry are applicable to the food processing industry. Differences between the two industries clearly outweigh the similarities, thus making the analogy highly less than valid. For example, problems of spoilage, contamination, and timely transportation all affect the food industry but are virtually absent in the film-processing industry. Problems such as these might present insurmountable obstacles that prevent lowering food-processing costs in the future.
As it stands the authors argument is not compelling. To strengthen the conclusion that Olympic Foods will enjoy minimal costs and maximum profits in the future, the author would have to provide evidence that the company has learned how to do things better as a result of its 25 years of experience. Supporting examples drawn from industries more similar to the food-processing industry would further substantiate the authors view.
小编提醒:考生们可在日常生活中多读范文,多练笔,培养出好的语感和逻辑,这样才能在考试中写出优秀的作文。
2013考研英语阅读理解七大题型解题技巧
考研阅读理解的行文脉介绍
考研英语阅读理解必备的短语(1)
考研阅读中的难句翻译参考五
考研阅读中的难句翻译参考一
2013考研英语模拟试题及解析:阅读理解八
考研阅读中的难句翻译参考七
考研阅读中的难句翻译参考三
考研英语阅读理解必备的短语(3)
考研阅读理解文章结构模式三
考研阅读理解的行文脉
考研英语阅读理解精读100篇高分版
2013考研英语模拟试题及解析:阅读理解一
考研英语阅读分析详解例6
考研阅读中的难句翻译参考二
2013考研英语模拟试题及解析:阅读理解五
考研英语阅读分析详解例21
考研英语阅读分析详解例15
值得背诵的考研阅读真题十三
得背诵的考研阅读真题三
考研英语阅读分析详解例10
考研阅读中的难句翻译参考八
2013考研英语模拟试题及解析:阅读理解三
考研阅读理解文章结构模式四
考研阅读理解文章结构模式一
2013考研英语模拟试题及解析:阅读理解四
值得背诵的考研阅读真题二十
2013考研英语模拟试题及解析:阅读理解六
2013考研英语模拟试题及解析:阅读理解二
考研阅读中的难句翻译参考四
| 不限 |
| 英语教案 |
| 英语课件 |
| 英语试题 |
| 不限 |
| 不限 |
| 上册 |
| 下册 |
| 不限 |