ARGUMENT46 求回拍，请留连接

徒冇虛詺UID: 2681754

TOPIC: ARGUMENT46 - Although black bears are common in the eastern Canadian province of Labrador, grizzly bears-often similar in color, but much larger-were believed to exist only in the western provinces. Despite a nineteenth-century explorer's account of having startled and narrowly escaped from a grizzly bear deep in the woods in Labrador, modern scientists find no physical evidence that grizzly bears have ever lived in Labrador. But recent research into the language and legends of the Innu, a people who have lived in Labrador for thousands of years, reveals that their language has words for two different kinds of bears, and their ancient legends attribute different characteristics to the two kinds of bears. Therefore, there probably were grizzly bears in Labrador, and the explorer's account probably accurately identified the bear.
WORDS: 305
TIME: 00:25:52
DATE: 2009-8-24 21:06:03

In the argument, the author asserts that the nineteenth-century explorer's accout probably accurately identified the bear so there probably were grizzly bears in Labrador(L). However, the evidences cited by the author are not so convincing.

To begin with, there is no evidence to demonstrate that these two bears that descibed by the residents in L are black bears and grizzly bears. There are so many different bears in the world. It is entirely possible that the residents just describe other bears which look similar with grizzly bear. Or perhaps, the residents in L just see the grizzly bear in some other place. Thousand of years ago, their ancestors did not live in L. It is quite possible that they just moved L from someplace where the grizzly bears live. And then the description of grizzly bear is repeated generation by generation. Any of scenarios, if true, will cast doubt on the conclusion.

In addition, there are not enough evidences to show that the explorer's account can accurately identify the bear. First, the author fails to substantiate that the explorer did see the bear. Maybe, it is a story that made up to make the explorer more famous and attractive. Second, if even I concede the explorer did see the bear, there still exists a possibility that the explorer mistook a black bear as a grizzly bear because of his nervousness and dark light. Common sense tells us under nervousness and pressure, people always mistake one thing as other thing. Without ruling out such possibilities, the conclusion made by the author is open to doubt.

In sum, the argument is not persuasive as it stands. To strengthen it, the author need to provide more details about the description made by resident in L. Also, the author should justify the explorer did see a grizzly bear.