Argument65,限时习作，高频，高频

cangcangshuUID: 2198320

TOPIC: ARGUMENT65 - The following appeared in a memo from the president of a chain of cheese stores located throughout the United States.

"For many years all the stores in our chain have stocked a wide variety of both domestic and imported cheeses. Last year, however, the five best-selling cheeses at our newest store were all domestic cheddar cheeses from Wisconsin. Furthermore, a recent survey by Cheeses of the World magazine indicates an increasing preference for domestic cheeses among its subscribers. Since our company can reduce expenses by limiting inventory, the best way to improve profits in all of our stores is to discontinue stocking many of our varieties of imported cheese and concentrate primarily on domestic cheeses."
WORDS: 406          TIME: 0:27:04          DATE: 2006-7-21

In the argument, the author recommends to stop storing imported cheese and concentrate on domestic cheeses for getting more profit. To support his conclusion, the author cites the sale record in last year in new cheeses stores. He shows the results of a survey about the opinion of subscribers of a magazine. At the first glance, the author's argument appears to be somehow appealing, but further reflection reveals that it has many logical flaws.
Firstly, the sale record only in last and only about the new stores can not represent the whole sale condition. It is possible that those new stores all locate in Wisconsin (W), so local people prefer their local products. Or last year, those domestic cheeses was in the promote sale, the price is very cheap, so they attracts more consumers. And perhaps, in other years, always the imported cheeses had more consumers. If so, I can hardly agree with the author's conclusion.
Secondly, although the number of the consumers for domestic cheeses has increased, it does not mean that the number of the consumers liking imported cheeses has decreased. It is possible that the total number of the consumer has increased. And the high sale is not equal the high profit. If we can only get a much less profits from selling a piece of domestic cheese, the whole profits may decrease while selling more domestic instead of imported cheeses.
Thirdly, in the survey conducted by Cheeses of the World magazine, the reader can not represent all the consumers. It is possible that those people who like imported cheeses do not subscribe the magazine, or they did not respondent the survey. And there is no evidence to show that the increase preference for domestic cheeses will lead those people to buy such cheeses. Perhaps, they are only want to research those cheeses and do not become their consumers. If so, the author's recommendation is not unpractical.
At last, the author fails to consider other methods which may be more effect for increase profits. And to stop storing the imported cheeses may lose some consumers. If so, the recommendation is not the best measure.
In sum, the author's argument is not well. If the author wants to people to believe his conclusion, he must offer more substantial evidences. For example, he should analysis the whole sale condition of all cheese stores at least in three years. And he should do a survey in more wider region.