The following was excerpted from the speech of a spokesperson for Synthetic Farm Products, Inc.
Many farmers who invested in the equipment needed to make the switch from synthetic to organic fertilizers and pesticides feel that it would be too expensive to resume synthetic farming at this point. But studies of farmers who switched to organic farming last year indicate that their current crop yields are lower. Hence their purchase of organic farming equipment, a relatively minor investment compared to the losses that would result from continued lower crop yields, cannot justify persisting on an unwise course. And the choice to farm organically is financially unwise, given that it was motivated by environmental rather than economic concerns.
Discuss how well reasoned... etc.
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 last 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.
新GRE阅读长难句解析15
新GRE逻辑阅读 每日一练9
新GRE逻辑阅读 每日一练23
新GRE阅读练习题(54)
新GRE逻辑阅读 每日一练27
新GRE逻辑阅读 每日一练22
新GRE逻辑阅读 每日一练28
GRE真题考试阅读部分关键句51-60英文原句
新GRE逻辑阅读 每日一练33
GRE真题考试阅读部分关键句11-20译文
GRE真题考试阅读部分关键句61-70译文
新GRE逻辑阅读 每日一练35
新GRE阅读长难句解析14
GRE真题考试阅读部分关键句1-10英文原句
新GRE逻辑阅读 每日一练36
新GRE逻辑阅读 每日一练34
新GRE逻辑阅读 每日一练13
新GRE逻辑阅读 每日一练11
新GRE阅读练习题(57)
新GRE逻辑阅读 每日一练29
新GRE逻辑阅读 每日一练18
新GRE逻辑阅读 每日一练32
新GRE逻辑阅读 每日一练12
新GRE阅读练习题(51)
GRE真题考试阅读部分关键句51-60译文
新GRE逻辑阅读 每日一练25
新GRE逻辑阅读 每日一练10
新GRE逻辑阅读 每日一练26
新GRE逻辑阅读 每日一练15
GRE真题考试阅读部分关键句11-20英文原句
| 不限 |
| 英语教案 |
| 英语课件 |
| 英语试题 |
| 不限 |
| 不限 |
| 上册 |
| 下册 |
| 不限 |