GMAT ARGUMENT类作文范文-101

Topic:

The following appeared as an editorial in a magazine concerned with educational issues.

“In our country, the real earnings of men who have only a high-school degree have decreased significantly over the past fifteen years. but those of male college graduates have remained about the same. Therefore, the key to improving the earnings of the next generation of workers is to send all students to college. Our country’s most important educational goal, then, should be to establish enough colleges and universities to accommodate all high school graduates. ”

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

Which This editorial advocates universal college education as a means of imp proving the earnings of the next generation of workers. In support of this recommendation the author points out that the real earnings of male high-school graduates have decreased over the past fifteen years whereas the earnings of male college graduates have remained stable over the same period. Furthermore, the author argues that a sufficient number of colleges and universities should be built to accomplish this goal. The author's position is implausible for a number of reasons.

In the first place, the evidence cited by the author pertains only to male high school and college graduates. No comparable comparison of the earnings of female workers is made, yet the author recommends sending all students to college. If it turns out that no discrepancy between the real earnings of female high-school graduates and female college graduates exists during this same period, the author's conclusion would be significantly weakened.

In the second place, the author assumes that the primary factor that influences the earnings of workers is their level of education. While this is a reasonable assumption, it is by no means a certainty. For example, in countries undergoing political turmoil and reform, the educated class of citizens is often discriminated against and cannot find work. In such cases, lack of education might turn out to be a distinct economic advantage.

Finally, a comparison of workers' earnings during a 15-year period is insufficient evidence to warrant the author's recommendation. Other factors besides worker's level of education could account for the discrepancy in earnings during the period cited by the author. For example, the demand for college-educated workers may have outpaced the demand for high-school educated workers during the period in question and as a result increased their earnings disproportionately.

In conclusion, the author's argument is unconvincing. To strengthen the conclusion the author would have to provide information about the earnings of female workers that showed a trend comparable to the one cited for male workers. Additionally, evidence would be required for the assumption that level of education is the primary factor that influences workers' earnings.

 

GMAT ARGUMENT类作文范文-102

Topic:

The following appeared as part of a business plan created by the management of the Take Heart Fitness Centre.

“After opening the new swimming pool early last summer, Take Heart saw a 12 percent increase in the use of the centre by its members. Therefore, in order to increase membership in Take Heart, we should continue to add new recreational facilities in subsequent years. For example, a multipurpose game room, a tennis court and a miniature of golf course. Being the only canter in the area offering this range of activities would give us a competitive advantage in the health and recreation market. ”

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

Because Take Heart Fitness Center experienced a 12 percent increase in member usage as a result of opening a new swimming pool last summer, the author recommends the addition of new recreational facilities in subsequent years as a means of increasing membership in Take Heart. The author's recommendation is problematic for several reasons.

First, and foremost, the author assumes that an increase in member usage portends an increase in membership. This assumption may hold true in some cases. However, it is unlikely to hold true in the case at hand, because it is reasonable to expect that members would visit the fitness center to inspect and try out the new swimming pool. This could account for the increase in usage. However, since the author provides no evidence that this new rate of usage was sustained, the abrupt increase in usage provides little evidence that the addition of facilities such as the pool will attract new members.

Second, the author assumes that the addition of the swimming pool was responsible for the increase in member usage. However, the only evidence for this claim is that the opening of the pool preceded the increase in usage. Unfortunately, this evidence is insufficient to establish the causal claim in question. While temporal precedence is one of the conditions required to establish a causal relationship between two events, by itself it is not a sufficient condition. Consequently, it is possible that the addition of the pool was unrelated to the increase in usage in the manner required by the author's argument.

Finally, the author has provided no evidence to support the contention that Take Heart will be the only center in the area to offer a wide range of activities to its members and thus have a competitive advantage in the fitness market.

In conclusion, the author's belief that adding additional recreational facilities will increase Take Heart's membership is ill-founded. To strengthen the argument the author would have to provide evidence that member usage is a reliable indicator of new membership. Additionally, it would be necessary to show that the cause of the increase in usage was the opening of the new pool.

 

GMAT ARGUMENT类作文范文-103

Topic:

The following appeared in a letter from a staff member in the office of admissions at Argent University.

“The most recent nationwide survey show that undergraduates choose their major field primarily based on their perception of job prospects in that field. At our university, economics is now the most popular majors so students must perceive this field as having the best Job prospects. Therefore, we can increase our enrolment if we focus our advertising and recruiting on publicizing the accomplishments of our best-known economies professors and the success of our economics graduates in finding employment.”

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

As a means of increasing enrollment at Argent University, the office of admissions recommends publicizing the accomplishments of its Economics professors and the success of its Economics graduates in finding jobs. This recommendation is questionable for a number of reasons.

First, the author assumes that students will continue to perceive Economics favorably as a source of employment. This assumption, however, is not supported in the argument. The fact that Economics is currently the most popular major at Argent establishes only that Economics was perceived by current students as the occupation having the best job prospects when they enrolled; it does not establish that incoming students will perceive this field in the same way.

Second, since the argument relies entirely upon nationwide surveys that establish a relation between student perception of job prospects and choice of major, information about the manner in which these surveys were conducted would be necessary to properly evaluate the conclusion. Specifically, it would be necessary to show that the students who participated in the surveys were representative of students in general and that a sufficient number were included in the surveys to warrant the claim that choice of major is dictated by student perception of prospective employment. Without knowing how the surveys were conducted, it is impossible to determine whether they are reliable, and consequently whether the conclusion based on them is sound.

Finally, even if we accept the survey results it might be the case that Economics is the most popular major at Argent for reasons other than students' perception of job prospects. For example, perhaps Economics is favored because it receives more funding and can offer a wider range of courses than other majors, or because more scholarships are available to Economics majors than to others.

In sum, the plan to increase enrollment at Argent is seriously flawed. To strengthen the proposal it would be necessary to show that Economics is currently viewed by students as having the best job prospects. Additionally, information validating the reliability of the surveys as well as evidence that Argent's students chose Economics because of the job prospects would be required.

 

GMAT ARGUMENT类作文范文-104

Topic:

The following appeared as part of a memorandum from the loan department of the Frosibite National Bank.

“We should not approve the business loan application of the local group that wants to open a franchise outlet for the Kool Kone chain of ice cream parlors. Frostbite is known for its cold winters and cold weather and can mean slow ice cream sales. For example, even though Frostbite is a town of 10,000 people, it has only one Ice cream spot - The Frigid Cow. Despite the lack of competition, the Frigid Cow's net revenues fell by 10 percent last winter. ”

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 the loan department of Frostbite National Bank recommends against approval of a business loan to a local group that wants to open an ice cream parlor. In support of this decision the loan department points out that Frostbite has a reputation for cold winters and sales of ice cream decrease in cold weather. This latter point is buttressed by the fact that Frostbite's only ice cream parlor suffered a 10 percent decline in net revenues the previous winter. The loan department's decision is questionable for the following reasons.

To begin with, since it is reasonable to expect a decline in ice cream sales during winter months, it is difficult to assess the relevance of the fact that Frostbite has cold winters to the potential success of the Kool Kone franchise. Common sense suggests that this fact would be significant only if it turned out that Frostbite's winter season lasted 9 or 10 months as it does in arctic regions. In that case slow sales could be expected for most of the year and the loan department's opposition to the loan would be readily understandable. If, on the other hand, Frostbite's winter season lasts only a few months and the remainder of the year is warm or hot, it is difficult to comprehend the loan department's reasoning.

Next, the loan department assumes that the Frigid Cow's decline in net revenue last winter was a result of slow sales occasioned by cold weather. While this is a possible reason for the decline, it is not the only factor that could account for it. For example, other factors such as poor business practices or lack of inventory could be responsible for the Frigid Cow's loss of revenue. The loan department's failure to investigate or even consider these and other possible explanations for the Frigid Cow's decline in revenue renders their decision highly suspect.

In conclusion, the loan department's decision is ill-founded. To better evaluate the decision, we would need to know more about the length and severity of Frostbite's winter season. Moreover, evidence would have to be provided to support the assumption that the Frigid Cow's loss of revenue last winter was a direct result of the cold weather.

 

GMAT ARGUMENT类作文范文-105

Topic:

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

“Bayview High School is considering whether to require all of its students to wear uniforms while at school. Students attending Acorn Valley Academy, a private school in town, earn higher grades on average and are more likely to go on to college. Moreover, Acorn Valley reports few instances of tardiness absenteeism or discipline problems. Since Acorn Valley requires its students to wear uniforms, Bayview High School could do well to follow suit and require its students to wear uniforms as well. ”

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 letter to the editor the author argues that Bayview High School should follow the example of Acorn Valley Academy and require its students to wear uniforms to school. In support of this recommendation the author points to Acorn's low rate of absenteeism and tardiness as well as its lack of discipline problems and superior student performance. The author's recommendation is questionable for a number of reasons.

To begin with, the author assumes that all of the stated benefits are a result of Acorn's requirement that its students wear uniforms. On the face of it this appears to be a simplistic assumption. It defies common sense to believe, as the author must, that the primary reason Acorn's students receive higher grades on average and are more likely to go on to college is that they are required to wear uniforms to school. Similarly, the author's belief that Acorn's low rate of tardiness, absenteeism, and discipline problems can be attributed directly to its dress code is not in accord with common sense.

Next, the author assumes that the only relevant difference between Bayview and Acorn is the wearing of school uniforms. This assumption is not supported in the argument. Moreover, if it turns out that Acorn's students are gifted and highly motivated to learn whereas Bayview's are unexceptional and lack motivation to learn, common sense indicates that Acorn's students would be more likely to perform better and cause fewer problems than Bayview's.

Finally, it is unclear whether Bayview suffers from any of the problems the author wishes to correct by mandating its students to wear uniforms. For example, the author states that Acorn's students earn higher grades on average and are more likely to go on to college, but it is unclear whether this is a comparison to Bayview's students or to some other group. Lacking assurance that Bayview is deficient in the categories mentioned in the letter, it is difficult to accept the author's recommendation.

In conclusion, the author has failed to provide compelling reasons for the recommendation that Bayview's students be required to wear uniforms. To strengthen the argument the author would have to provide evidence for the assumption that Acorn's requirement that students wear uniforms is responsible for the various benefits mentioned. Additionally, it would have to be established that Bayview is similar in relevant respects toAcorn and suffers from the problems that the author's remedy is intended to correct.

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