[a习作temp] Argument7 第一篇，求互批，大家多多支持 [复制链接]

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发表于 2012-3-11 19:11:57 |只看该作者 |倒序浏览

The following is a recommendation from the Board of Directors of Monarch Books.
"We recommend that Monarch Books open a café in its store. Monarch, having been in business at the same location for more than twenty years, has a large customer base because it is known for its wide selection of books on all subjects. Clearly, opening the café would attract more customers. Space could be made for the café by discontinuing the children's book section, which will probably become less popular given that the most recent national census indicated a significant decline in the percentage of the population under age ten. Opening a café will allow Monarch to attract more customers and better compete with Regal Books, which recently opened its own café."
Write a response in which you discuss what questions would need to be answered in order to decide whether the recommendation is likely to have the predicted result. Be sure to explain how the answers to these questions would help to evaluate the recommendation.

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At the first glance, the argument of recommending Monarch Books opening a cafe looks well-presented with evidences. However, while clearly examining the arguer's reasoning, we may find
this argument is problematic and unconvincing unless several questions below
are answered.

The arguer states that opening a cafe will allow Monarch Books better compete with Regal Books, but are Monarch Books and Regal Books really comparable? Since we do not know any information about the similarities and differences between these two bookshops, it is hasted to draw the conclusion that Monarch Books will be more competitive after opening a cafe. For example, Regal Books may mainly focus on the group of white-collars, in which case the cafe might be welcomed by customers. By contrast, Monarch Books may have a different market target and hence they are not comparable. Besides, we do not know the running condition of Regal Books, and we do not know if the newly opened cafe really bring them with increasing profit. Obviously, if Regal Books is suffering a decline of customers and profit after opening a cafe, Monarch Books should not follow. Therefore, unless the question is answered with more evidences of the two bookshops, it cannot be used to effectively back the argument.

Secondly, the arguer suggests that the children's book section should be replaced to give space to the cafe due to the prediction of declining children's books customers, but is the evidence solid enough to support the prediction? For example, the decline of percentage of children's population nationwide does not always equal the decline of absolute number, since it could be resulted from the incline of percentage of older people or other reasons. Besides, Granted that the absolute number of children really declines, we still cannot draw the conclusion that the tendency of buying children's books will decline too. With less children in the family and the better economic conditions, parents might like to invest more money into children's education, thus purchasing more books. Moreover, as the arguer mentioned that the Monarch Books is known for its wide selection of books on all subjects, it might impair Monarch's competitiveness of cutting off the children's section.

Last but not the least, the arguer should consider that, does the advantages of opening a cafe overweigh the disadvantages? The arguer does not talk about any disadvantages it may bring to, which is actually essential in the decision making. For example, the arguer does not concern about possible cost of opening the cafe. The decorating fee and salaries of cooks and waiters could be a large amount of cost comparing the profit it brings. In addition, the smell of food and drinks, the noise brought by the eating and chatting customers may drive away some loyal customers of Monarch Books who prefer a quiet and undisturbed ambient. While taking these into consideration, the arguer has to give more proofs to show that the advantages are enough to counteract the disadvantages.

In a nutshell, only answering all the questions above can the arguer reach the conclusion with founded evidences.

这是我的第一篇argument，所以肯定有很多问题，希望大家狠批，刚来Gter，我也会积极参与，去改大家的作文~~^^