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1. The following appeared in a health magazine published in Corpora.
"Medical experts say that only one-quarter of Corpora's citizens meet the current standards for adequate physical fitness, even though twenty years ago, one-half of all of Corpora's citizens met the standards as then defined. But these experts are mistaken when they suggest that spending too much time using computers has caused a decline in fitness. Since overall fitness levels are highest in regions of Corpora where levels of computer ownership are also highest, it is clear that using computers has not made citizens less physically fit. Instead, as shown by this year's unusually low expenditures on fitness-related products and services, the recent decline in the economy is most likely the cause, and fitness levels will improve when the economy does."
下面这段文字出自在Corpora出版的一份健康杂志。
医学专家指出，现在只有四分之一的Corpora市民达到了目前的完全健康标准。而20年前，Corpora市有一半市民都达到了当时的完全健康标准。但是，专家们认为长时间使用电脑是导致身体不健康的观点是错误的。因为在Corpora地区总体健康水平最高，同时它的电脑拥有率也最高。显然使用电脑并没有导致市体质的下降。相反，今年用于健身产品和服务的花费低的异乎寻常，这表明最近经济的衰退最可能是原因，当经济复苏了健康水平也会随之提高。
Write a response in which you examine the stated and/or unstated assumptions of the argument. Be sure to explain how the argument depends on these assumptions and what the implications are for the argument if the assumptions prove unwarranted.
2. The following appeared in a memorandum from the owner of Movies Galore, a chain of movie-rental stores.
"Because of declining profits, we must reduce operating expenses at Movies Galore's ten movie-rental stores. Raising prices is not a good option, since we are famous for our low prices. Instead, we should reduce our operating hours. Last month our store in downtown Marston reduced its hours by closing at 6:00 p.m. rather than 9:00 p.m. and reduced its overall inventory by no longer stocking any DVD released more than five years ago. Since we have received very few customer complaints about these new policies, we should now adopt them at all other Movies Galore stores as our best strategies for improving profits."
下面这段文字节选自Movies Galore，一家连锁录像租赁店的所有者的备忘录。
由于利润下降，我们必须压缩Movies Galore十家录像租赁店的营业开支。涨价并不是一个好选择，因为我们就是因低价而知名的。但是我们可以缩短营业时间。上个月我们位于闹市区Marston的店营业时间从以前的9点缩减到下午6点，并通过不再保留发行五年以上的电影来减少总库存量。由于我们收到的客户关于这些新策略的投诉很少，我们应该把它们作为最好的策略在所有Movies Galore商店加以实施。
Write a response in which you discuss what specific evidence is needed to evaluate the argument and explain how the evidence would weaken or strengthen the argument.
3. The following appeared in a magazine article about planning for retirement.
"Clearview should be a top choice for anyone seeking a place to retire, because it has spectacular natural beauty and a consistent climate. Another advantage is that housing costs in Clearview have fallen significantly during the past year, and taxes remain lower than those in neighboring towns. Moreover, Clearview's mayor promises many new programs to improve schools, streets, and public services. And best of all, retirees in Clearview can also expect excellent health care as they grow older, since the number of physicians in the area is far greater than the national average."
下面这段文字节选自一篇关于规划退休生活的杂志。
由于Clearview景色怡人、气候温和，它应该成为那些为退休后寻找生活地的人的首选。另外一个优点是，Clearview的房价在去年显著下降，房地产税一直比邻近城市低。而且，Clearview的市长承诺了很多新方案来改善学校、街道和公共服务。最棒的是Clearview的退休人员也可以在老年时享受到出色的医疗服务，因为该地区的医生数量远远高于全国平均水平。
Write a response in which you discuss what specific evidence is needed to evaluate the argument and explain how the evidence would weaken or strengthen the argument.
4. The following is part of a memorandum from the president of Humana University.
"Last year the number of students who enrolled in online degree programs offered by nearby Omni University increased by 50 percent. During the same year, Omni showed a significant decrease from prior years in expenditures for dormitory and classroom space, most likely because online instruction takes place via the Internet. In contrast, over the past three years, enrollment at Humana University has failed to grow and the cost of maintaining buildings has increased. Thus, to increase enrollment and solve the problem of budget deficits at Humana University, we should initiate and actively promote online degree programs like those at Omni."
下面这段文字节选自Humana大学校长的备忘录。
去年报名参加附近Omni大学在线学位项目的学生人数上升了50%。同年，Omni用于宿舍和教室的开支比前一年显著下降，很可能是因为在线教学通过互联网授课。相反，在过去三年中，Humana大学的报名人数没有增长，但用于房屋维护的费用和预算赤字增加了。因此，为解决招生和预算赤字问题，Humana大学也应该开展并积极推广类似Omni的在线学位项目。
Write a response in which you examine the stated and/or unstated assumptions of the argument. Be sure to explain how the argument depends on these assumptions and what the implications are for the argument if the assumptions prove unwarranted.
5. An ancient, traditional remedy for insomnia—the scent of lavender flowers—has now been proved effective. In a recent study, 30 volunteers with chronic insomnia slept each night for three weeks on lavender-scented pillows in a controlled room where their sleep was monitored electronically. During the first week, volunteers continued to take their usual sleeping medication. They slept soundly but wakened feeling tired. At the beginning of the second week, the volunteers discontinued their sleeping medication. During that week, they slept less soundly than the previous week and felt even more tired. During the third week, the volunteers slept longer and more soundly than in the previous two weeks. Therefore, the study proves that lavender cures insomnia within a short period of time.
一种治疗失眠的古老传统偏方--薰衣草花香，现在被证明是有效的。在最近的一次调查中，30名患有慢性失眠的志愿者在三周之内每晚都在一个受监视的控制室内睡在带薰衣草花香的枕头上。在第一周，志愿者继续服用他们常用的安眠药。他们睡得很沉但醒来时很累。在第二周，他们不服用药物，结果与前一周相比他们睡得不那么沉并且感觉更累。在第三周，他们睡得比前两周时间长而且更深。这表明薰衣草在短时间内治愈了失眠。
Write a response in which you discuss what specific evidence is needed to evaluate the argument and explain how the evidence would weaken or strengthen the argument.