1006G【redemptoion】备考帖 by 娃娃衫公主

娃娃衫公主UID: 2677493

第十次作业
Argument 140

In this argument, the author concludes that Professor Thomas has proved her teaching and research ability and a rise in salary and promotion are advised to prevent her from leaving for other universities. the argument might seem reasonable at forst glance, but with future scuity,
I find the argument to be logically flawed in several aspects.
To begin with, the arguer claims that the Professor Thomas’ class is the largest in the university, and automatically assumes that it demonstrates her popularity among students and the professor is good at teaching. However this might not be the case. The arguer obviously overlooks other possible explanations for this phenomenon. For example, the lesson Professor Thomas teaching is an obligatory course, students have no choice but to take it. Or perhaps, students majoring in botany are the largest group in Elm City University, which indicates the number of students taking the class is incomparable. Without ruling out all these possibilities, the author cannot convince me that the professor’s popularity among students. Even if I concede that Professor Thomas is really popular among students, the author unfairly draws the conclusion that the professor has a good teaching ability. However, there could be many other factors, such as Professor Thomas gives better grade than other teachers on average, thus students eagerly pick up her class. Or perhaps, Professor Thomas is good at joking in class, which has little to do with the teaching contend. For that matter, the author cannot reasonably conclude that Professor Thomas is good at teaching.
Besides, the mere fact that the money Professor Thomas has brought to the university in research grants has exceeded her salary in each of the last two years is scant evidence that is good at research. The author unfairly infer from the past two years’ exceeding that the past twelve years’ grants had been the same satisfacting. However, absent evidence to support this inference. It is just likely that only in the past two years, the grants were more than the professor’s salary and befor that, it was of the opposite result. For that matter, the author can not hastily draw the conclusion that Professor Thomas is good at research.
Even if we concede that Professor Thomas ahs a good ability in both research and teaching, the author bases his conclusion on further assumption that other universities would want to have Professor Thomas work for them. Were it the case, the author depends on additional assumption that the idea to raise salary and promotion would be the only one and the most sufficient one. Absent evidence show that this is the case, it is entirely possible that means such as providing the professor’s spouse with a good job would be more attempting, or the a 20,000 raise would be more effective. Without considering and rule out all these possibilities, the author cannot confidently conclude that a 10,000 raise and a promotion to Department Chairperson would work out best.
In sum, the arthor’s conclusion id not well supported as it stands. To bolster it, the author must provide more evidence to show that Professor is good at teaching and research, and is in want by other universities. I would need to know that the raise in salary and the promotion would work best to have the professor stay.

娃娃衫公主UID: 2677493

56. "Governments should focus more on solving the immediate problems of today rather than trying to solve the anticipated problems of the future."
  政府应该把更多的注意力放在解决当务之急，而不是试图解决将来预期的问题上。



Should the immediate problems of today be paid more attention to than the anticipated problems of the future? The author advises governments to do so. On one hand, I agree with the author in the importance of solving the current problems-due to its agency, and immediate impact on our society. At some point, however, I think the anticipated problems can never be neglected.

To begin with, solving the immediate problems is a critical task to the government since they are agonizing and afflicting the normal living of public. Take current world as an example. The existing problems include hunger, war, crime, poverty, disease, any of which is affecting people’s daily life. Only by solving these problems, can a government ensure its people with health stability and wealth. Otherwise, the country wouldn’t even survive, or would go under chaos or turmoil. Moreover, since the present is the foundation of the future. It’s hard to think about a country’s future when it’s in current trouble. Thus, government should focus on immediate problems with no doubt to ensure the current stability and the country’s future development.

However, while stressing the priority in solving immediate problems, we do not devaluate the importance of solving anticipated problems. If governments neglect to solve the anticipated problems, some problems would be more sever in the future. For example, the environment problem is a issue we are most concerned about. However, it is raised long ago. But due to the lack of focus on this “anticipated problem”, the situation becomes worse and worse, and it starts to affect people’s life in every corner around the world. Only until recently are talks held to discuss about solving this “immediate problem”. Were governments focused on the protection of environment, the succeeding governors wouldn’t bother to face this problem, or would face it with more ease. Governments neglecting to solve the anticipated problems are short-sighted, as they fail to recognize their potential impacts on next generation; governments ignoring to solve the anticipated problems are irresponsible, as they only take the current interest into consideration but cares little about our off springs.


When deciding which problem to be focused more on, a country should not simply make the decision by the classification of immediate problems and anticipated problems. Decisions should be made after analyze the current impact and the long-time influence of the problems, the cost to solve the problems, the current situation of the country, etc.