GMAT ARGUMENT类作文范文-86

Topic:

The following appeared as part of a letter to the editor of a local newspaper.

“It makes no sense that in most places fifteen year olds are not eligible for their driver's license while people who are far older can retain all of their driving privileges by simply renewing their license. If older drivers can get these renewals, often without having to pass another driving test, then fifteen year olds should be eligible to get a license. Fifteen year olds typically have much better eyesight, especially at night, much better hand-eye coordination and much quicker reflexes. They are also less likely to feel confused by unexpected developments or disoriented in unfamiliar surroundings and they recover from injuries more quickly.”

Instructions:

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.

Sample Essay

The conclusion of this argument is that 15-year-olds should be eligible to obtain a driver's license. The author employs two lines of reasoning to reach this conclusion.

In the first, the author reasons that since older drivers can retain their driving privileges by simply renewing their licenses, 15-year-olds should be eligible to obtain a license. In the second, the author reasons that 15-year-olds are physically more capable than older drivers of performing the various skills associated with driving a vehicle and thus should be eligible to get a license. This argument is unconvincing for a couple of reasons.

In the first place, the author assumes that there are no relevant differences between 15-year-olds and older drivers that would justify treating them differently. This assumption is clearly mistaken. The major difference between the two groups, and the major reason 15-year-olds are denied driving privileges, is their relative lack of emotional maturity and social responsibility. This difference is sufficient to justify the policy of allowing older drivers to renew their driving privileges while at the same time denying these privileges t0 15-year-olds.

In the second place, even if it is granted that 15-year-olds possess better night vision, reflexes, and hand-eye coordination and are less disoriented in unfamiliar surroundings than older drivers, these abilities do not qualify them to obtain a driver's license. The author assumes that physical capabilities are the only attributes necessary to operate a motor vehicle. But this assumption is clearly mistaken. In addition to these abilities, drivers must be able to exercise good judgment in all types of driving situations and conditions and must be cognizant of the consequences of their decisions and actions when driving. It is because 15-year-olds typically lack these latter abilities that they are denied driving privileges.

In sum, the author's argument fails to take into consideration important differences between older drivers and 15-year-olds that justify denying driving privileges to the younger group while at the same time allowing older drivers to retain their privileges by simply renewing their license.

 

GMAT ARGUMENT类作文范文-87

Topic:

The following appeared in an ad for a book titled How to Write a Screenplay for a Movie.

“Writers who want to succeed should try to write film screenplays rather than books, since the average film tends to make greater profits than does even a best-selling book. It is true that some books are also made into films. However, our nation's film producers are more likely to produce movies based on original screenplays than to produce films based on books, because in recent years the films that have sold the most tickets have usually been based on original screenplays. ”

Instructions:

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.

Sample Essay

This advertisement for "How to Write a Screenplay." concludes that a writer is more likely to be successful by writing original screen plays than by writing books. The ad's reasoning is based on two claims: (1) the average film tends to be more profitable than even best-selling books, and (2) film producers are more likely to make movies based on original screenplays than on books because in recent years the films that have sold the most tickets have usually been based on original screenplays. I find the ad unconvincing, on three grounds.

First, the mere fact that ticket sales in recent years for screenplay-based movies have exceeded those for book-based movies is insufficient evidence to conclude that writing screenplays now provides greater financial opportunity for writers. Ticket sale statistics from only a few recent years are not necessarily a good indicator of future trends. It is possible that fees paid by movie studios for screenplays might decrease in the future relative to those for book rights. Moreover, the argument is based on number of ticket sales, not on movie-studio profits or writer's fees. It is possible that studio profits and writer fees have actually been greater recently for book-based movies than for those based on original screenplays.

Another problem with the ad is that it assumes a writer must make an either/or choice from the outset between writing books and writing screenplays. The argument fails to rule out the possibility that a writer engage in both types of writing as well as other types. In fact, a writer may be more successful by doing so. Writing in various genres might improve one's effectiveness in each of them. Also, writing a book may be an effective first step to producing a screenplay. In any event, the ad provides no justification for the mutually-exclusive choice it imposes on the writer.

A third problem with the ad is its ambiguous use of the word "successful." The argument simply equates success with movie ticket sales. However, many writers may define writing success in other terms, such as intellectual or artistic fulfillment. The ad's advice that writing screenplays is the best way to achieve writing success ignores other definitions of success.

In conclusion, this quick pitch for a book is based on simplistic assumptions about ticket sales and writer fees, and on an overly narrow definition of success in writing. To better evaluate this argument, at the very least we would need to know the number of years the cited statistic was based on, and the extent to which ticket sales reflect movie studio profits and writer fees.

 

GMAT ARGUMENT类作文范文-88

Topic:

The following appeared in a memorandum from the ElectroWares company’s marketing department.

“Since our company started manufacturing and marketing a deluxe light bulb six months ago, sales of our economy light bulb—and company profits—have decreased significantly. Although the deluxe light bulb sells for 50 percent more than the economy bulb, it lasts twice as long. Therefore, to increase repeat sales and maximize profits, we should discontinue the deluxe light bulb.”

Instructions:

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.

Sample Essay

In this memorandum Electro Ware's marketing department reasons that manufacturing and marketing of the company's deluxe light bulb should be discontinued. The primary factors that influence their decision are a significant decrease in sales of the company's economy light bulb as well as declining company profits in the six-month period following the introduction of the deluxe bulb. Presumably, their line of reasoning is that the introduction of the deluxe bulb is responsible for both of these undesirable outcomes. Unfortunately, the marketing department's rationale is problematic for several reasons.

In the first place, the marketing department has engaged in "after this, therefore because of this' reasoning. The only reason offered for the belief that the introduction of the deluxe bulb is responsible for both the decline in sales of the economy bulb and the decline in company profits is the fact that the former preceded the latter. No additional evidence linking these events is provided, thus leaving open the possibility that the events are not causally related but merely correlated. This in turn leaves open the possibility that factors other than the one cited are responsible for the decline in sales of the economy bulb and the decline in company profits.

In the second place, it is not clear in the memorandum exactly how the decline in sales of the economy bulb is related to the decline in company profits. One possibility is that the decline in profits is a direct consequence of the decline in sales of the economy bulb. Another is that some other factor such as ineffective marketing of the deluxe bulb or the start-up costs associated with the introduction of the deluxe bulb is responsible for the decline in company profits. Until the relationship between the events in question is fully understood it would be folly to act upon the marketing department's recommendation.

In conclusion, the marketing department has failed to articulate reasons that are sufficient to justify its recommendation. Specifically, the department has failed to establish a causal link between the introduction of the deluxe bulb and the declines in sales of the economy bulb and company profits. While the introduction of the deluxe bulb may have been a contributing factor in these declines, to strengthen the marketing department's position various other factors must be examined and ruled out as possible causes of the company's misfortune.

 

GMAT ARGUMENT类作文范文-89

Topic:

The following is taken from an editorial in a local newspaper.

“Over the past decade, the price per pound of citrus fruit has increased substantially . Eleven years ago, Megamart charged 15 cents a pound for lemons, but today it commonly charges over a dollar a pound . In only one of these last 11 years was the weather unfavorable for growing citrus crops. Evidently, then, citrus growers have been responsible for the excessive increase in the price of citrus fruit, and strict pricing regulations are needed to prevent them from continuing to inflate prices.”

Instructions:

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.

Sample Essay

In this editorial, the author argues for the imposition of strict pricing regulations in order to prevent citrus growers from continued inflation of prices of citrus fruit. The need for such regulation is supported by the author's contention that citrus growers have been unnecessarily raising prices of citrus fruit in the past. The evidence for this allegation is the fact that the price of lemons at Megamart has increased from 15 cents per pound to' over a dollar a pound during the preceding 11-year period. The author maintains that this increase is unjustifiable because weather conditions have been favorable to citrus production in all but one of those years. This argument is flawed for several reasons.

First and foremost, the author assumes that the only factor that influences the price of citrus fruit is the weather. Other factors-such as monetary inflation, increased distribution and labor costs, or alterations in supply and demand conditions are completely ignored as possible sources for the increase. The charge that citrus growers have unnecessarily raised prices can be sustained only if these and other possible factors can be completely ruled out as contributing to the price increases. Since the author fails to address these factors, the recommendation calling for strict pricing regulations can be dismissed out of hand as frivolous.

Second, the author assumes that the only way to combat increased prices is through government intervention. In a free-enterprise system many other means of affecting the pricing of goods are available. For example, boycotting a product and thereby influencing supply and demand conditions of the commodity is an effective means of influencing the price of the product. In a free-market economy the call for price regulation by the government should occur only when all other means to rectify the problem have been exhausted.

In conclusion, the author's argument is unconvincing. To strengthen the argument it would be necessary to show that the only factor influencing the price increases is the growers' desire for increased profits.

 

GMAT ARGUMENT类作文范文-90

Topic:

The following appeared as part of an article in a local newspaper.

“Over the past three years the tartfish industry has changed markedly. Fishing technology has improved significantly and the demand for tartfish has grown in both domestic and foreign markets. As this trend continues, the tartfish industry on Shrimp Island can expect to experience the same over-fishing problems that are already occurring with mainland fishing industries. Without restrictions on fishing, fishers see no reason to limit their individual catches. As the catches get bigger, the tartfish population will be dangerously depleted while the surplus of tartfish will devalue the catch for fishers. Government regulation is the only answer. Tartfish-fishing should be allowed only during the three-month summer season when tartfish reproduce and thus are most numerous rather than throughout the year. ”

Instructions:

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.

Sample Essay

In this argument the author concludes that government regulation of the tart-fish industry is the only way to prevent the problems associated with over-fishing that plague other fishing industries. The author's line of reasoning is that without restrictions fishers see no reason to limit their catches and that this will deplete the tart-fish population as well as devalue the catch. This line of reasoning is problematic for several reasons.

First, while government regulation may be one way to address the problem, it is by no means the only way. Many industries recognize that it is in their self-interest to carefully manage the natural resources on which the industry depends. For example, the oil industry routinely limits production of oil-related products in order to prevent surpluses and lower prices. No evidence has been presented to establish that the tart-fish industry is incapable of addressing and solving the problem of over-fishing without government intervention.

Second, the author's line of reasoning defies common sense. The author's underlying assumption is that fishers are motivated only by greed and that they will increase their catches to maximize their profits without regard to the effects over fishing will have on their livelihood and lifestyle in the future. This assumption is not supported in the argument. Moreover, as a generalization, on its face it appears to be false. While some fishers may be driven only by immediate economic gratification and consequently see no reason to limit their catches, no doubt others will see the threat over-fishing presents to their way of life and will voluntarily limit their catches.

Finally, the author offers no evidence that limiting the season for catching tart-fish to three months in the summer will solve the over-fishing problem. Moreover, this proposal is highly questionable since this period coincides with the reproductive period of the tart-fish.

In conclusion, the author has not made a convincing case for government regulation of the tart-fish industry. To strengthen the conclusion the author must provide evidence for the assertion that government regulation is the only way to solve the problem. Furthermore, the author must provide evidence to support the assumption that immediate economic gratification is the only motive that fishers have in pursuing their livelihood.

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