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。
12月英语四六级最后一周作息安排
六级考试的误区写给屡战屡败的四级考生
英语四六级备考提高英语阅读能力的关键
英语六级考试高分心得英语只是一种语言
实用技巧三个小窍门助你备考英语六级考试
英语六级考试683分秘诀英语不难逾越
六级考试高分622分谈扎实通关经验
12月英语六级考试短期冲刺高分的绝招
6月英语六级考试实战超有用技巧分享
英语四六级考试经验总结要考就过650分
坚持晨读两年一次考过英语六级
六级考试易犯的五大致命错误分析总结
拼搏两个月英语六级考试拿高分
大学英语四六级考试高手背英语单词妙招
6月英语四六级考试最后冲刺作息安排
英语四六级考试双满分作者谈学英语诀窍
四六级牛人教你英语基础差如何过四六级
英语六级听力应试技巧心理要强大记录要迅速
备考大学英语四六级学好英语的重磅要诀
两个月突击英语四六级考试
教你搞定大学英语六级阅读理解题型
妙招大放送英语四级考试复习技巧详解
仅用十天过英语六级考试的秘诀
牛人谈英语六级听力考试高分技巧
经典技巧九种方法巧记英语四六级单词
大学英语六级考到638分牛人亲授备考诀窍
扔掉单词书也能搞定四六级考试词汇
牛人分享四六级单词记忆技巧
备战英语四六级考试学习方法总论
英语六级考试提高做题速度的个人经验
| 不限 |
| 英语教案 |
| 英语课件 |
| 英语试题 |
| 不限 |
| 不限 |
| 上册 |
| 下册 |
| 不限 |