本帖最后由 rainystarwow 于 2012-4-5 22:53 编辑
99. The following is a recommendation from the business manager of Monarch Books.
"Since its opening in Collegeville twenty years ago, Monarch Books has developed a large customer base due to its reader-friendly atmosphere and wide selection of books on all subjects. Last month, Book and Bean, a combination bookstore and coffee shop, announced its intention to open a Collegeville store. Monarch Books should open its own in-store café in the space currently devoted to children's books. Given recent national census data indicating a significant decline in the percentage of the population under age ten, sales of children's books are likely to decline. By replacing its children's books section with a café, Monarch Books can increase profits and ward off competition from Book and Bean."
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.
提纲:
1.作者需要提供特定证据说明C地十岁以下人口比例在下降。作者只给出了一个全国性的调查说明全国十岁以下人口比例在下降,这个全国性调查的调查范围是否包括C地,我们并不知道。有可能全国的比例在下降,而C地十岁以下人口的比例不变甚至是上升了。
2.作者需要提供特定证据说明儿童书籍的需求会减少。就算C地十岁下孩子人口的比例下降了,也不能说明儿童书籍的需求会减少。有可能虽然人口比例下降了,但想购买儿童书籍的人增多了。
3.作者需要提供证据说明是去取消孩子书更合适,而不是取消其他种类的书。(未写)
4.作者需要额外证据说明将儿童书籍部分换成咖啡厅,可以带来利润的增长,并且避免BB的竞争。即使应该取消孩子类图书,而换成咖啡厅不一定会带来利润的增长。利润受收入和成本两个方面的影响。首先将儿童书籍部分改成咖啡厅,需要大量的成本。而且改成咖啡厅之后收入也不一定会增加,有可能C地的居民不喜欢喝咖啡而喜欢喝茶。这样子利润就不会增长。
It might seem logical, at first glance, to agree with the argument in Monarch Book’s manager's recommendation that sales of children's books in Collegeville are likely to decline and perhaps even that Monarch Books can get more profits and avoid Book and Beanan's competition by substituting a cafe for its children's book section. However, in order to fully evaluate this argument, we need to have a significant amount of additional evidence. The argument could end up being much weaker than it seems, or it might actually be quite valid. In order to make that decision, we need to know more then analyze what we learn.
The first piece of evidence that we would need in order to evaluate manager’s claims is information about whether or not the percentage of people below age ten has a considerable decline. According to this recommendation, the manager simply gives a recent national census data which illustrates that proportion of the population under 10 year's old has decreased. However, it is possible that the proportion in Collegevilla has not diminished and even increased. For example, if we have evidence that the recent national census doesn't include Collegevilla and that in recent years people in Collegevilla have such more babies than ever before that percentage of people below 10 year's old has augmented, it would certainly weaken the manager’s argument.
Another piece of evidence that might help us evaluate this claim involves whether sales of children's books will decrease or not. Even if the proportion of people below age ten diminished, we cannot conclude that sales of children's book will decline. It may be true that sales of children's book would not decrease if we have evidence that although percentage of children had a significant decline, the number of people who would like to purchase children's book increased. In that case, the manager's argument would be seriously weakened.
It is slightly more difficult to discuss the evidence we might need in order to evaluate the more interesting claims in the manager’s recommendation, namely that Monarch Books can augment profits by substituting a cafe for its children's book section. Even if that Monarch Books need to replace its children's book section with a cafe, the manager need more evidence to make a conclusion that it can get more profits. As we all know, profits depend on both income and cost. It is possible that substituting a cafe for its children's book section requires lots of money and that people in Collegevilla prefer tea to coffee. In this case, Monarch Books would not increase profits. Any above evidence would clearly undermine the manager’s argument.
Clearly, then, we need to have additional evidence in order to get a more complete understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the manager’s recommendation. We need to know about the national census data, whether or not proportion of children has diminished. We also need to know about whether sales of children's book will decrease or not. And we really need a lot more information if we want to increase profits and avoid competition from Book and Bean. |