Critical Reasoning
Analysis/Critique
CR31410.01
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201. Most of Western music since the Renaissance has been bad on a ven-note scale known as the diatonic scale,but when did the scale originate?
A fragment of a bone flute excavated at a Neanderthal campsite has four holes, which are spaced in exactly the right way for playing the third through sixth notes of a diatonic scale.The entire flute must surely have had more holes,and the flute was made from a bone that was long enough for the additional holes to have allowed a complete diatonic scale to be played. Therefore,the Neanderthals who made the flute probably ud a diatonic musical scale.
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In the argument given,the two portions in boldface play which of the following roles?
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A.The first is prented as evidence that is confirmed by data prented
elwhere in the argument given;the cond states a hypothesis that this evidence is ud to undermine.
B.The first is an opinion,for which no supporting evidence is prented in
the argument given,that is ud to support the main conclusion of the argument;the cond is that main conclusion.
C.The first describes a discovery as undermining the position against which
the argument is directed;the cond states the main conclusion of the argument.
D.The first is a preliminary conclusion drawn on the basis of evidence
prented elwhere in the argument given;the cond is the main conclusion that this preliminary conclusion supports.
E.The first provides evidence to support the main conclusion of the
argument;the cond states a subsidiary conclusion that is drawn in order to support the main conclusion stated earlier in the argument. Argument Construction
To determine what roles the two portions in boldface play,it is uful to look first for certain“inference indicator”words:words that indicate that what follows is a premi(words like becau and since)or a conclusion(words like thus and therefore).
Here,there is only one,therefore;it immediately precedes the cond boldfaced portion.This indicates that that portion is a conclusion.Becau of this,we can effectively rule out answer choice A.
However,we must investigate the rest of the argument to determine whether this is the main conclusion.If it is,we can rule out answer choice E as well.
Alternatively,it may be an intermediate conclusion,in which ca E would be the correct answer.
To determine which sort of conclusion it is,ask whether this conclusion is ud in support of another claim in the argument.This conclusion is not, which makes it the main conclusion.This rules out answer choice E.
To make a correct choice among options B,C,and D,we must determine the role of the first highlighted portion.
A.This choice is incorrect becau the cond boldfaced portion is a
conclusion drawn in the argument.It is not,of cour,a hypothesis that the first boldfaced portion is ud to undermine.Furthermore,the argument prents no data to confirm the first boldfaced portion.
B.Correct.The first boldfaced portion is not a conclusion;it is merely an
asrtion that is not supported by any claims prented in the argument.
This portion,along with the statement immediately following it,are offered in support of the cond boldfaced portion.This cond boldfaced portion is the argument's main conclusion.
C.The first boldfaced portion does not undermine a position that the
argument is directed against.In fact,the argument is not explicitly directed against any position.Note that the argument is rhetorically positive,arguing for a specific position rather than against one.
D.The argument provides no evidence in support of the first boldfaced
position.
E.As noted above,this cannot be the correct answer becau the cond
腹腔积液怎么治boldfaced portion is in fact the main conclusion of the argument.
The correct answer is B.
CR53140.01
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202. In a certain rural area,people normally dispo of houhold garbage by burning it.Burning houhold garbage releas toxic chemicals known as dioxins.New conrvation regulations will require a major reduction in packaging—specifically,paper and cardboard packaging—for products sold in the area.Since such packaging materials contain dioxins,one result of the implementation of the new regulations will surely be a reduction in dioxin pollution in the area.
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Which of the following,if true,most riously weakens the argument?
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A.Garbage containing large quantities of paper and cardboard can easily
burn hot enough for some portion of the dioxins that it contains to be destroyed.
B.Packaging materials typically make up only a small proportion of the
weight of houhold garbage,but a relatively large proportion of its
东晋皇帝列表volume.
C.Per-capita sales of products sold in paper and cardboard packaging are
lower in rural areas than in urban areas.
D.The new conrvation regulations were motivated by a need to cut down
on the consumption of paper products in order to bring the harvesting of timber into a healthier balance with its regrowth.
E.It is not known whether the dioxins relead by the burning of houhold
garbage have been the cau of any rious health problems.
Argument Evaluation
This question requires us to identify a claim that riously weakens the argument that new conrvation regulations that require a major reduction in paper and cardboard packaging will reduce dioxin pollution in a certain rural area.
Dioxins are relead when houhold garbage is burned.It ems reasonable to think that reducing packaging material that contains dioxins would help reduce dioxin pollution.Nevertheless,suppo for some reason burning large amounts of paper and cardboard containing dioxins actually—however counterintuitively—leads to a reduction in the amount of dioxins that pollute the environment.This would indicate a major weakness in the argument.
A.Correct.This claim tells us that garbage containing large quantities of
paper and cardboard burns at such a high temperature that a portion of the dioxins in the garbage is destroyed.If so,then reducing quantities of paper and cardboard in burned garbage might in fact increa dioxin pollution,not reduce it,despite the fact that paper and cardboard packaging contains dioxins.
B.This choice does not weaken the argument:the amount of dioxin pollution
could still be reduced by reducing the amount of dioxin-containing packaging.
C.This choice is not relevant to the question.Even if per-capita sales of
products sold in paper and cardboard packaging are relatively low in the area in question,it could still be the ca that the amount of dioxin pollution in the area would be reduced if the amount of cardboard and paper packaging was reduced.
宋史翻译
老水牛角弯弯D.This choice provides an additional reason for the regulations;it thus does
nothing to weaken the argument.
E.Health problems caud by burning dioxins are outside the scope of the
argument.Remember,the argument is about whether the regulations will reduce dioxin pollution.Determining whether burning houhold garbage is harmful might be relevant to deciding whether the plan should be implemented.It is not relevant,though,to deciding whether the plan would work.
The correct answer is A.
CR45650.01
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203. Suriland cannot both export wheat and keep bread plentiful and affordable in Suriland.Accordingly,Suriland's wheat farmers are required to ll their crop to the government,which pays them a dollar per bushel less than the price on the world market.Therefore,if the farmers could ll their wheat on the world market,they would make a dollar per bushel more,less any additional transportation and brokerage costs they would have to pay.
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Which of the following,if true,most riously weakens the argument?
过塘蛇草药图片.
A.Suriland's wheat farmers have higher production costs than do farmers in
many other wheat-producing countries.
B.Sale of a substantial proportion of Suriland's wheat crop on the world
market would probably depress the price of wheat.
C.The transportation and brokerage costs that Suriland's farmers would face
if they sold their wheat outside Suriland could amount to almost a dollar per bushel.
D.Suriland is surrounded by countries that do not import any wheat.
E.The price of a bushel of wheat on the world market occasionally drops
below the average cost of producing a bushel of wheat in Suriland. Argument Evaluation
To keep bread affordable in Suriland,the country's government requires that wheat farmers in the country ll their wheat to the government for one dollar per bushel less than the world market price.
This question requires us to identify a statement that riously weakens the argument.The conclusion of the argument is that,if the wheat farmers could legally ll their wheat on the world market,they would make a dollar per bushel more,minus additional transportation and brokerage cos
ts. However,this argument assumes that the world market price for wheat is fixed and would not be affected by introducing Suriland's wheat supply.That is,it is possible that the world market price per bushel for wheat might decline as a result of an increa in the wheat supply available on that market.If this were the ca,it would verely weaken the argument.
A.This choice is outside the scope of the argument:the argument is about
Suriland's wheat farmers increasing how much money that can receive per bushel,not about how the farmers'costs compare to the costs of farmers in other countries.In any ca,this claim does not indicate that Suriland's wheat farmers could make a dollar more,minus any additional transportation and brokerage costs,than they do now.国际跳棋规则
蓝帽子标志B.Correct.An increa in supply on the world market with no incread
demand could easily depress the price of wheat on the market.It is still possible that Suriland's farmers would make more than they do now,even
after subtracting additional transportation and brokerage costs.But the argument specifically says that the farmers would make a dollar more, minus tho costs,and that does not follow if the claim made in this answer choice is true.
C.Note that the argument suggests that the farmers would make a dollar
per bushel more,less any additional transportation and brokerage costs they would have to pay.That could still be true no matter what tho costs are.
D.Whether Suriland's wheat is sold to near or distant countries is immaterial
to the argument;note that the conclusion includes the qualification less any additional transportation costs.
E.This indicates that Suriland wheat farmers might sometimes lo money
on their wheat if lling on the world market.This does not indicate, however,that they would not lo less on the world wheat market than they would lling to the government.Note that the government's price for wheat is pegged to the world market,so the price the world market offers and the price the government offers will always differ by the exact same amount:the government pays one dollar less.
The correct answer is B.
CR30370.01
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204. Sasha:It must be healthy to follow a diet high in animal proteins and fats.Human beings undoubtedly evolved to thrive on such a diet,since our prehistoric ancestors ate large amounts of meat.
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Jamal:But our ancestors also exerted themlves intenly in order to obtain this food,whereas most human beings today are much less physically active. .
Jamal responds to Sasha by doing which of the following?
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A.Refuting her statement about our prehistoric ancestors
B.Bringing forth a piece of information for the purpo of suggesting that
she should qualify her main conclusion
C.Citing additional evidence that indirectly supports her conclusion and
suggests a way to broaden it
D.Questioning whether her assumption about our prehistoric ancestors
permits any conclusions about human evolution
E.Expressing doubts about whether most human beings today are as healthy
as our prehistoric ancestors were
Argument Construction
赞美母爱的诗歌
Sasha argues that,becau our prehistoric ancestors consumed large amounts of meat,humans must have evolved to thrive on a diet of animal proteins and
