Arg-15
The following memorandum is from the business manager of Happy Pancake House restaurants: "Recently, butter has been replaced by margarine in Happy Pancake House restaurants throughout the southwestern United States. This change, however, has had little impact on our customers. In fact, only about 2 percent of customers have complained, indicating that an average of 98 people out of 100 are happy with the change. Further more, many servers have reported that a number of customers who ask for butter do not complain when they are given margarine instead. Clearly, either these customers do not distinguish butter from margarine or they use the term 'butter' to refer to either butter or margarine." Write a response in which you discuss one or more alternative explanations that could rival the proposed explanation and explain how your explanation(s) can plausibly account for the facts presented in the argument.
The author argues that Happy Pancake House (HPH) customers are unable to distinguish between butter and margarine or they do not care that they are being served margarine instead of butter. To support the argument, the speaker points out that the HPH's southwestern restaurants, which now serve margarine instead of butter, only received a total of 2% consumer complaints. The author indicates that reports from servers show customers asking for butter have not complained when given margarine instead. This argument is unconvincing for several reasons.
Firstly, the speaker does not indicate the length of time that these restaurants have been refusing margarine to customers. If the change is a very recent one, it is possible that insufficient data have been collected to draw any reliable conclusions. So, without the certainty of trustworthy data, conclusions should not be drawn.
Secondly, the speaker fails to indicate what portion of HPH customers order meals calling for either butter or margarine. One should not presume that all dishes served at this restaurant even call for butter. It is conceivable that a significant percentage of HPH customers do not order pancakes, or prefers fruit or another topping instead.
Thirdly, the speaker assumes that HPH customers unhappy with the change generally complain about it. Maybe instead of expressing displeasure, customers simply don’t return. Since we don’t know how many, if any people simply walked away from the pancake fiasco without so much as offering a word, one simply cannot rely on a low amount of complaints as a total indicator that there is no problem with the policy. Two additional problems involve the reports from "many" servers that "a number" of customers asking for butter do not complain when served margarine instead. These vague generalities are not helpful in the formulation of an argument.
In sum, the speaker's argument requires further development. To better assess the situation before making a recommendation, an audience would need to know: (1) how long the change has been in effect in the Southwest, (2) what percentage of HPH servers and managers have received customer complaints about the change, and (3) the number of such complaints as a percentage of the total number of HPH customers who order meals calling for either butter or margarine. To strengthen the argument, the speaker must provide clear evidence that HPH customers in all other regions are likely to be happy with the change and continue to patronize HPH thereafter.
- The author argues that…（标志性的Argument开头段引出原文结论的语言表达形式。）To support the argument, the speaker points out that… The author indicates that… This argument is unconvincing for several reasons.（标志性的指出文章错误的语言表达。整体开头段是标准的C—A—F的语言和逻辑模版体系。）
- Firstly, the speaker does not indicate… If the change is a very recent one, it is possible that… insufficient data have been collected to draw any reliable conclusions. So, without the certainty of trustworthy data, conclusions should not be drawn.（标志性的时间过短导致样本类错误的语言和逻辑模版体系。）
- Thirdly, the speaker assumes that… Maybe instead of… Since we don’t know how many, if any… one simply cannot rely on a low amount of… as a total indicator that… Two additional problems involve the… These vague generalities are not helpful in the formulation of an argument.（标志性的样本不充分导致样本类错误的语言和逻辑模版体系。）
- Finally, even if… the speaker assumes that customers in other regions will respond similarly to the change. Perhaps individuals in the test area are generally less concerned than other people about…（标志性不同地区的类比类错误的语言和逻辑模版体系。）
- In sum, the speaker's argument requires further development. To better assess the situation before making a recommendation, an audience would need to know... To strengthen the argument, the speaker must provide clear evidence that…（标志性的包含他因的因果类错误的语言和逻辑模版体系。）
本文的写作体现出了非常严谨的开头段—正文段1、2、3、4—结尾段的逻辑体系：（开头段）This author argues that…（正文段1）Firstly, the speaker does not indicate…（正文段2）Secondly, the speaker fails to indicate what portion of…（正文段3）Thirdly, the speaker assumes that…（正文段4）Finally, even if…（结尾段）In sum, the speaker's argument requires further development… Additionally, the author must account for…