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Argument17: “The following appeared in a letter to the editor of the Walnut Grove town newspaper.
'Walnut Grove's town council has advocated switching from EZ Disposal (which has had the contract for trash collection services in Walnut Grove for the past ten years) to ABC Waste, because EZ recently raised its monthly fee from $2,000 to $2,500 a month, whereas ABC's fee is still $2,000. But the town council is mistaken; we should continue using EZ. EZ collects trash twice a week, while ABC collects only once. Moreover, EZ—which, like ABC, currently has a fleet of 20 trucks—has ordered additional trucks. Finally, EZ provides exceptional service: 80 percent of respondents to last year's town survey agreed that they were 'satisfied' with EZ's performance.”
Outline:
1. 一周两次是否有必要,值不值
2. 只提及了EZ车的数量,没有与ABC比较
3. 调查不可靠(样本,时间),同时没有比较
The letter’s author recommends that Walnut Grove’s town council should continue using EZ Disposal, not ABC Waste. In order to support the recommendation, the author cites the following facts about EZ: (1) EZ collects trash frequently than ABC; (2) EZ has ordered more trucks; (3) EZ provides exceptional service according to a survey. Close scrutiny of each of the facts, however, reveals that none of them lend credible support to the recommendation.
First, the recommendation depends on the assumption that collecting trash twice a week is certainly abstractive than collecting only once, even if we must pay more $125. Yet the letter has no evidence to substantiate the assumption. Perhaps it is not necessary for WG town to collect trash twice a week, duo to the quantity of trash. In contrast, it maybe brings more problems. Such as: noise, traffic jam. Given that it is necessary, it may be worthless to pay more dollars. In short, the author provide no evidence that WG should pay more money for a frequently trash collection.
Secondly, the quantity of trucks which EZ has amounts to nothing, without comparing with ABC. Perhaps ABC has more trucks than EZ. Or, perhaps EZ’s trucks are smaller than ABC’s, so they ordered additional trucks. Moreover, more trucks do not amount to more or better services. Perhaps WG do not need so many trucks.
Finally, it is unpersuasive to draw the recommendation according to last year’s town survey. It might be problematic in two respects: first, we are not informed the detail about the respondents. Perhaps most residents did not take part in the survey. The result is unrepresentative at all. Secondly, the author infers from the last year’s town survey that the residents are satisfied with EZ’s performance in this year or in future: Absent evidence to support this inference. Perhaps the residents of WG have a great change. Or, perhaps EZ employs many fresh workers. Given that the survey is valid, and EZ’s performance will be good enough in future, it is hasty that draw the recommendation without providing any information about ABC’s performance. Perhaps ABC can do a better work, the rather that, they bid a lower price.
In summary, the recommendation is unpersuasive as it stands. To bolster the recommendation, the author must provide more evidences to substantiate the need of the time to collect trash, and the quantity of the trucks. To better assess the recommendation, I would need to know the comparing of EZ’s and ABC’s performance. |
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